Stepbrother's Debt(5)
“I’m in. I’ve got to get out of this fucking house.”
“Step-family is in?”
“They’re here. I need to get out now.”
“Okay. I’ll be there in five with the guys.”
Hanging up the phone, Donnie didn’t look back, and kept looking forward.
Chapter Two
The following day, Paige dressed in her normal ratty jeans and baggy shirt, not caring what anyone thought of her. She closed her new bedroom door, and made her way downstairs. All she wanted to do was head to school. She wasn’t interested in being nice to her new family. The less she knew about her new family, the happier she’d be.
She didn’t make it to the door.
“Hey, darling, I’m pleased you’re up. I made pancakes.”
Paige turned to see her mother in an apron, looking so damned happy that she couldn’t bring herself to say anything mean.
“Anthony and Donnie are already in the kitchen.”
Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to follow her mother. Both men looked up as she entered the kitchen. It was hard for Paige to keep the disgusted look off her face when Anthony tugged her mother down for a kiss.
Sitting in a chair as far away from the two men she could get, she grabbed a glass of juice, declining Anthony’s offer of coffee.
“You don’t drink coffee?” Anthony asked, clearly confused.
“No.”
“Why not?” He barked the question out causing her to jump. Some of her juice spilled onto her plate, and she put her glass down. Forking the pancake, she couldn’t stomach a bite as the tension mounted at the table.
“I don’t like it. I don’t like tea or coffee.”
“She’s telling the truth, Anthony. Paige has never drunk anything.”
“I’m not making it difficult for you,” Paige said, forcing herself once again to stare at the man who was now going to be her stepfather. “I just don’t like it.”
Anthony stared at her for several more seconds before bursting out laughing. “Fair enough. I can’t force you to drink something you don’t like.”
She didn’t eat anything. Paige broke up pieces of her pancake listening to her mother talk about everything and nothing. Glancing at the clock, she stood up. “Thank you for breakfast, Mom. I’ve got to go.”
“Donnie’s going to drive you. He said he’d take you to school.”
No way in hell.
Shaking her head, she gave them all a smile. “It’s okay, I prefer the walk.”
“I insist,” Donnie said.
“I like walking. You know I like it. Thank you for offering.” Turning on her heel, she headed out of the house, taking several deep breaths as she walked out of the security gates. No one stopped her, and she didn’t even give the security guards a glance as she passed.
Last night she’d skipped dinner pretending to have a headache when in fact she’d been lying on her bed reading. She’d rather read than spend time with her new, dangerous family. Paige had tried to talk to her mother last night, but once again she’d been more interested in shopping.
The last thing she wanted to do was go shopping.
She walked down the street and jumped when a car sounded its horn. Glancing toward the road she saw Donnie driving in the car he’d been cleaning the day before.
“Get in, Paige.”
“I like walking.”
“It’s over a mile to school.”
“So.” She didn’t break her pace and, in fact, sped up. The last place she wanted to be was inside her stepbrother’s car with him inside. Ignoring him, she saw the quick alleyway that would take her away from him but also provided a shortcut straight to the school.
“You don’t have to fight with me, Paige. We’re almost related.”
“We’re not related, not in any way.”
“Dad’s going to ask your mom to marry him.” She paused, turning toward him. “That’s right. Our parents are going to get married.”
“Only if my mother agrees.”
“Do you really think your mom’s going to turn him down? He provides a much better life for you both.”
She started walking again. The last person she wanted to be talking to was Donnie.
He’s dangerous. They’re all dangerous.
Dad, where are you?
He’d left without any other word to her, only a cryptic message. There was no way her mother could marry. She was still married to her father.
“Richard Jones,” she said, speaking his name.
She wasn’t going to forget his name. He’d seemed to walk out on them, but she didn’t believe it. Her father was many things, but he didn’t abandon those he loved, but she couldn’t prove anything else.