Page 38 of Searching for Hope

“No,” I say again.

One eyebrow pops up. “I do not believe that’s your decision to make, Mr Priest.”

Fuck it makes me hard when she calls me that. I guess it’s the same reason that every time I call her Miss Berkley, I can’t help but imagine her on her knees before me, patiently waiting.

Rising onto her tiptoes, she presses her hands to my chest as she kisses me softly. “I’ll see you in there.”

And then she saunters away. Slowly. Like a fucking temptress. She looks behind her and actually laughs before she goes through the door. That girl has me wrapped around her finger and she knows it.

I take a few seconds to compose myself before following her. Gideon and Ette are already seated at the table. Ette has her arms wrapped around Berkley’s neck.

“Are you feeling better now, Berkley?”

Berkley returns the girl’s affection, hugging her tightly. “Much better, Ette. So much better.” She meets my gaze over Ette’s shoulder and it takes all my will power to ignore her.

“Mrs Bellamy said you were sick today and couldn’t do my lesson, but she told me that you’d give me two tomorrow to make up for it.”

Mrs Bellamy enters through the swinging door, trays of food in her hands.

“That’s what you said, wasn’t it, Mrs Bellamy? You said Berkley would give me two lessons tomorrow, didn’t you?”

“I believe that’s what she said.” Mrs Bellamy gives Berkley a pointed look and Berkley laughs.

“Most definitely, Ette. We can dance for hours if you like.”

Gideon is already drunk. He’s slouching in the chair, glass held lopsidedly in one hand. He’s glaring at Berkley as though she were the most wicked person in the universe. Mrs Bellamy places his meal before him but he doesn’t even glance at it. The prick has been given everything his whole damn life, I’ve made sure of it, and look at him now. He does nothing. And I mean nothing. He doesn’t contribute in any way. I don’t know what he does with his time, but I know it’s nothing meaningful. But despite that, I love my brother. His hatred of me is justified. At least with the information he has.

But there’s something different about him tonight. Something more dangerous. More unbalanced. There’s a glaze of indifference in his eyes.

“What,” he slurs.

“I didn’t say anything,” I reply.

He narrows his eyes. “But you were fucking thinking it you hypocrite.”

I let out a frustrated breath of air. As much as I love my family, they drive me insane at times. A drugged-out whore for a mother and a drunken idiot for a brother.

Gideon slams the table with his fist. “You know what? I’m going to have a party,” he says.

“Who are you going to invite, Uncle Gideon?” Ette asks innocently, completely unaware of the state of him. For her this is normal. This is who he is.

“My friends.”

I can’t help it. I snort. “You don’t have any friends.”

Berkley shoots a glance my way and I instantly feel regret.

“Yes, I do.” Gideon insists. “Back in the city, I have lots of friends.” His usual charm is gone, replaced by drunken stupidity.

Mrs Bellamy glides through the swinging door again. Gideon turns to face her, a lazy grin spreading over his face. “You’ll party with me, won’t you, Mrs Bellamy?” He gets to his feet and sweeps Mrs Bellamy into a waltz. The old lady laughs, but her cheeks heat with embarrassment. She’s never been one for attention.

“Now, Master Gideon, you stop that.” She swats him away, but Gideon is insistent. He keeps grabbing her hands, trying to convince her to dance with him, despite her obvious discomfort.

Pushing back my chair, I stand. “Mrs Bellamy, why don’t you go ask the rest of the staff to join us out here. Tell them to bring their plates, there are plenty of seats at the table.”

Gideon drops her hands and she stands simply staring at me.

“The staff? Out here, Mr Priest?” Mrs Bellamy stutters.

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