Page 30 of Kings of Westbrook High

“Red handed, Mrs Kingston.” He confirms, nodding respectfully.

“Remove her handcuffs, please.”

He quickly does as he's told and I barely contain my laugh when she looks at me like he's ready to detonate right here and now.

“Thank you for bringing her to me, officers.” She offers a fake smile, handing them a check each. “I trust you're smart enough to keep the events of tonight to yourselves?”

“Of course, Mrs Kingston.”

With that, they hand me the wallet that's not mine and haul ass without looking back, leaving me alone with the evil little snake who set all of this in motion by stealing that watch and trying to pin it on me.

I don't bother telling her that, though.

I'm no rat, pricks or not, which is why I slide the wallet into my pocket and wait for her to seal my fate.

“Do you know how much money and time you've cost my husband with this little stunt of yours?” She steps closer, speaking through her pearly white teeth. “You're lucky I didn't let them throw you in jail.”

“You think a night in a cell bothers me?” I raise a brow, purposely riling her up to gauge her reaction. “Better than this fuckin' place.”

“What the hell is the matter with you?!” She screams in my face, close to snapping. “Are you trying to embarrass me? I give you a roof over your head, offer you money and a brand new car, and this is how you repay me?”

“Repay you?” I bark out a laugh, lifting my chin to level with her. “Did you smack yourself over the head with that shovel you use so well? You haven't given me a damn thing, you gold digging whore.”

Yep, that'll do it.

“You ungrateful little bitch.” She finally snaps, lifting her arm to backhand me across the face.

My head whips to the right from the blow and I lock my jaw, embracing the familiar sting I know all too well. I lick my bottom lip and taste blood, lifting my thumb to my mouth when I realize she's cut me with her diamond ring. She visibly swallows when she sees the look in my eyes and I smirk, grabbing her fucking jaw and squeezing.

“Imma let that slide because it looked like you needed it, but if you ever try that again, I'll hit you back and I'll make it hurt. I can take a hit, Mother. Can you?”

Her nostrils flare and she snatches my wrist, shoving my hand off her. “Go to bed, Callie.”

I glare and stay where I stand.

After everything she thinks I did tonight and the way I've treated her and her family since I've been here, she should’ve kicked my sorry ass to the curb ten times over by now. I know I'm here for a reason, and I know for a fact she's hiding something, I just can't figure out why or what it is.

Knowing she'll only feed me even more bullshit about legal guardians and second chances, I don't bother to argue with the crazy bitch. Instead I make a point to bump her shoulder with mine and head upstairs to do as she told me to.

The boys were wrong to think they could get rid of me that easily..

I freeze mid step in the hall, eyeing the double doors on my left opposite the four bedrooms - the room that's always left locked and completely off limits to anyone but them. I could be way off base here, but I decide to try my luck anyway and turn the handle, laughing to myself when I find it unlocked.

These motherfuckers.

I look back to the stairs and wait a moment while I listen for movement, satisfied when I decide she's fucked off to bed, then I recklessly slip inside the lion's den and quietly close the door behind me. I debate leaving it open but decide against it, flicking the lock to the right before I turn around to move my eyes across the badass man cave type room that stretches across the entire length of the penthouse. There's a huge flat screen TV mounted on the left wall with several consoles and games beneath it, three black leather lazy boys facing the screen, a pool table and a dart board along with a few other toys, and a fully stocked bar on the right side of the room.I look to the pair of black leather couches facing each other in the center of the space and raise brow, sliding my eyes over the three pricks staring back at me.

“Told you she’d figure it out.” Wren grins, leaning over to snatch his hundred dollars back from Kai.

I lick my lips, not missing the way Damon's knuckles turn white on his knees when he gets a look at my face.

He knows she smacked me and he doesn't look happy about it.

“I'm not gonna lie to you, girl.” Kai starts, standing to walk over to the bar. “My respect for you was pretty damn high to begin with, but after that?” He raises a brow, pouring me a shot of vodka and handing it to me. “It's just flown through the fuckin' roof.”

I shake my head at him and throw it back, handing him the empty glass to drop my ass down beside Wren and opposite Damon.He eyes the cut on my lip and I lick it,tossing the wallet on the coffee table in front of him.

“You know why I'm here?”

---