Page 32 of Cruelest Contract
“Clearly, you fucking don’t.”
I can’t hear how their dumb argument ends because I’ve run into the hallway, frantically shouting Louisa’s name.
But she’s not in the hallway. There’s no one at all in the hallway, which looks like a dim corridor from a horror movie.
If I was an escaping cat, where would I go?
Outside, most likely. Louisa isn’t in the habit of running away at home, but then again I’m always very careful when I open the apartment door. All this recent upheaval might be too much for her and she’s panicking. I’m panicking too.
And I’m so frazzled that I can’t remember which way is the staircase. I randomly veer right. This feels wrong after a few steps so I about-face, crashing right into Fort.
“Whoa.” He steadies me and frowns. “Take it easy.”
“I have to find her! She doesn’t know her way around.”
“Neither do you,” Fort points out. “Leave this to me. I’ll find your cat.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No.” He swivels to look into the bedroom and snaps his fingers at Tye. “You need to make sure she gets ready.”
“Ready for what?” I ask but Fort has already moved on. I watch his broad back and cowboy hat disappear around the corner before returning to the room where Tye is still hanging out on the bed, waiting to be entertained.
“Hey there.” Tye waves. “You know what’s funny? I totally forgot you had a cat.”
My head is starting to hurt. I hate the idea of Louisa huddled with fright somewhere in the bowels of this murky castle.
“I need to get dressed,” I say and gulp the rest of the tea in the hopes it chases away my blossoming headache.
“Okay.” Tye doesn’t move.
“That’s a cue for you to leave, Tiberius. Wait, what was Fort talking about? What am I supposed to be getting ready for?”
Tye is unconcerned with my agitated state. There’s a sudden indefinable spark in his eyes. “It’s time for you to pay your respects, Cecilia.”
The hair on the back of my neck stands up. All the odd rumors I’ve ever heard about the Tempestas play tag inside my head.
The ranch is haunted.
Their father talks to ghosts.
They drink the blood of their enemies and bury the bones in their front yard.
Absurd gossip. Right?
“Respects to who?” I ask.
“You’ll see when we get downstairs,” he says.
“Is that where everyone else is?”
“Depends,” Tye says cheerfully. “Who exactly are you looking for?”
Is he really this dense or is he playing games?
Hard to tell.
“I’m not looking for anyone. I was wondering about your father and the rest of your brothers.”
