My brother looked down at me. “Dude, you are losing it,” he said as if this was something I wasn’t aware of.
“I am,” I agreed.
He regarded me for a long minute before saying, “Let me know if you need anything more.”
And that’s what it meant to be a Reed.
Actually, that’s what it meant to be a Reed, Marlow, McCellan, or McIntire. We walked a crazy path, but we didn’t walk it alone. We’d never be left to walk it alone. Loyalty had been instilled in us at birth. My brother might think I was losing my shit, but he wasn’t going to let me go down alone.
“Will do,” I promised him.
He didn’t look convinced, but he gave me a tight nod before heading out. I also knew this wasn’t the end of it for him. Maddox was probably going to spend the new few days still digging. He got a bad vibe from Erica Chambers, and that meant he was going to dig up whatever he could for insurance.
I picked up my phone and fired off another text.
Me:Every thought about going 2 Windsor?
Lake:Ever thought about getting counseling 4 ur issues?
Me:I only have 1 issue right now
Lake:Leave me alone, and u’ll be issue-free
Me:Never
She didn’t reply, but I really wasn’t expecting her to. She was probably fuming, debating changing her number, though it wouldn’t do her any good.
And I wasn’t worried about graduation either. My family had enough money and power to make whatever I needed to happen.
And I needed Lake Warren to be mine.
Chapter 12
Lake~
Isat at the table with my parents, dinner served and underway, but my mind was not on dinner or dinner conversation.
Ever thought about going to Windsor?
What kind of question was that?
Hell, no, I’ve never thought about going to Windsor. I couldn’t even fathom what that might be like. Sure, they wore uniforms, but I was pretty sure they were sewn from imported silk and the buttons were probably made of diamonds. No way I’d ever get caught dressed in something like that. Not to mention being around all that high-class pedigree.
No.
I was happy where I was, and I was happy with who I was. I was happy with my normal parents who were home every night and had normal work stories to tell. I was happy on my side of the platinum gates that separated the town of Sands Cove from the hills and mansions that surrounded us.
My dad was a computer tech who helped me with my tablet when it acted up, and I had a mother who shared adorable stories and pictures of the animals at her pet store. I didn’t want the drama or pressure that came with dating someone like Ramsey. But,God,I really didn’t know how much longer I could keep up my resistance.
“Lake? Lake, honey?”
My head snapped up at the sound of my name. “Huh?”
“So, are you sure you’ll be okay?”
“I’m sorry…what?”
Mom smiled at me. “Rough day at school today?”