Chapter Eleven
I had been at the mansion almost a week, and this was the fourth party I had been required to attend. Mom introduced me to dozens of young men at each of them. All of which seemed like little boys when I compared them to Nicholas. Grandma Sidney only went to the first two. I wished I could have gotten out of them, too.
Soon I wouldn’t be able to keep her here, and she would go back to the sanctuary. Grandma Sidney and my father were butting heads, and I still had not asked her about my birth mother.
Adriel didn’t have any clothes, so he never let me see him when he was in his human form. I could tell he was ready to get back too.
Nina only called me once, while her parents called me daily. She was still out running the road with Daniel, and I couldn’t help feeling bad for her parents.
“You are supposed to be mingling.” Trina handed me a glass of water. “Dad is about ready to come talk to you.”
“Oh for heaven’s sake, the party just started.”
“No, you’re a half hour late.” That was because I had been trying to get a hold of Nicholas, who had not called me the last two days to check in, but I couldn’t tell her that. “Go mingle,” she said through her plastic smile.
It was a routine. I should have just played along from the beginning, now my father was watching me. “Fine, here I go.”
“You’re singing tonight,” she called after me.
I introduced myself to a couple of guests, and apparently I wasn’t cutting it because here came my dad with a group of suits. I could hear Adriel’s howling in my grandma’s room and from the look of faces among the group approaching, so could they. “This is my daughter, Piper.” He glanced at me, but his main focus was on the man standing closest to his right. “She’ll be singing for us later.”
Great, he was telling people. Now I really couldn’t get out of it.
“My name is Morgan Castlerock.” I offered the man my hand, and he grasped it with both of his. He was very tall, bigger than my father who stood at six feet four. I decided at once that I didn’t like him. His gaze was aggressive and unflinching. He was looking at me like he had to memorize every detail for a test he would be taking later.
“Nice to meet you,” I managed, and tried to spot my mom so I could have an excuse to slip away.
“You’re lovely,” he said and I tried to pull my hand away as I smiled politely. “I’ve been wanting to meet you.”
“I’m flattered.”
Let go of my hand, weirdo.
“Mr. Castlerock, we have to be leaving soon,” one of the entourage said, but Morgan did not look at him. His eyes were very dark and continued studying me. Why didn’t he just ask whatever it was he wanted to know?
“Perhaps you’ll sing now?”
“Of course, she will.” My father signaled Trina toward the grand piano. Whoever this guy was he must have been important because we were usually told to perform after dinner. My hand was released at last, and so I walked over and joined my sister at the piano. My father was announcing to the other guests about the performance, and they were gathering in the sitting area provided. Castlerock was still watching me.
“Ready?” Trina gave me an “A” and began to play the introduction to one of Irving Berlin’s songs. I waited for my cue and made sure I was smiling. I came in on cue and let my gaze drift over the guests as I sang.
That was when I spotted Rick. He was wearing a suit and seated only a few seats away from my mother.
My voice started shaking, and I prayed it was mistaken for vibrato. Rick was smiling at me and the last song I wanted to be singing to him was the one I was singing. It was a love song and very romantic. Of course, my mom knew my voice very well and seemed to be the only one who noticed its nervous quality.
Trina played beautifully and steadily, refusing to speed up even the tiniest bit. It’s a song that I normally love to sing, but this time it felt so slow and so very long. I did my best not to look at Rick because I was afraid my parents might see him and recognize him from the photos.
The song continued on, and I found myself wondering about Nicholas. He had not called. What if he had gone away? What if he was dead?
Everyone applauded as I finished, and I bowed my head saying, “Thank you,” as I had been taught.
My dad came and put his arm across my shoulders. He announced that dinner was ready to be served, and they began to go to the dining room. “Make your dog be quiet, or I’ll have it shot.”
“Okay, I’m on it,” I said with my fake smile still in place. Rick was lingering. I nodded toward the double doors that led to the gardens. Rick got the hint and went through them while my dad said goodbye to the guy with the staring problem.
Adriel was not happy when I leashed him, but I had no choice with so many people in the house. “I can take him out for you, dear.” Grandma Sidney had dark circles around her eyes.
“No, I can do it. Why don’t you get some rest?” She smiled instead of answering. Poor Grandma Sidney, she was miserable here and staying because of me. “I’ll be right back.”
Trying to walk like a lady with a big wolf on a leash is impossible.
Rick was sitting on a bench, and Adriel jerked away and disappeared into the night. Rick got up and started toward me.
“What are you doing here?”
“Why didn’t I know you could sing like that?” He grabbed my elbows. “You sing like an angel.” Rick pulled me toward him, and I turned my face away to avoid his kiss. His mouth was on my neck. “That song, it was like you were saying all the things I am feeling too.”
I pushed him away. “It’s a song, and I wasn’t singing it to you. Why are you here?”
“Because I know it’s your parents who made us break up. I came to speak to your dad.”
“No.” This was so much harder than it had to be. “Rick, look at me.” I was holding his face in my hands to be sure he was paying attention. “Go to college and date. Have fun, and forget about me. Okay?”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“It has to, Rick. We, you and I, we’re over.”
“I’m not giving up.”
A guy dressed in nothing but slacks landed on the terrace. He had black hair and the same square jaw as Nicholas though his eyes were a much lighter brown, and he was at least two years younger. He was just as ripped as Nicholas too.
“You don’t feel well, Piper, time to leave the party and go to bed.” The entire time he spoke he was concentrating on Rick. “I will take care of this Marime.”
“No, Adriel.” He looked at me, and I was glad for the confirmation.
“Who is this?” Rick stepped back to get a better look at Adriel. “This is who you’ve moved on to, huh?” His face was tight when he looked at me. There was so much pain in his eyes.
“You should go.” I folded my arms. It felt terrible to hurt him more than he already was. Rick was glaring at me with his bloodshot eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re dating this guy who runs around without a shirt on? You wouldn’t let me wear my button-up shirt open.”
“I need you to leave, Rick. You’re going to get me into a lot of trouble.”
“That other guy doesn’t intimidate me.” He pointed to Adriel, who was still standing there. “I deserve another chance.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Adriel said, looking down at Rick with his lips beginning to curl back. “Nicholas would not want you near her.”
“Who is Nicholas?”
I could hear voices near the double doors. “Rick, you will always be my friend. But you have to leave.”
“No, he is no friend of yours. It has been forbidden.”
“Shut up, Adriel.”
Rick maneuvered around me to face Adriel. “Forbidden?”
I had to push hard to get in front of him again. “Yes, by my parents. You have to leave now, Rick.”
“No, if I talk to them and explain everything, then-”
“Then it won??
?t make a difference.” The handle on the door turned. “Leave now.” Adriel retreated, and Rick ducked behind one of the bushes that had been trimmed into a perfect cube.
“There you are,” my mom said, looking on the terrace behind me. “I was sure I heard a male voice.” She looked to me. “Please tell me it wasn’t that boy Ricardo?”
“His name is Rick.”
“Whatever, who were you talking to?”
I whistled hoping Adriel would take the cue. “My dog.”
“Your father really doesn’t like that dog. You should send it home with your grandma.” Obviously, my dad had not elected to tell her that I was returning with Grandma Sidney. “Come and join our guests.”
“I have to find my dog.”
“We’ll send a maid to fetch him. You are being rude to our guests.”
I whistled again as she clutched my arm.
Where did he go? Was he walking around the property half dressed?
If I resisted anymore she would find Rick, and that wouldn’t be good. Reluctantly, I followed her into the house.
All through dinner I worried over Adriel and Rick. What did Adriel mean when he had said Rick was forbidden? And he had continued to point out that Nicholas wouldn’t like Rick being around me, but what did that have to do with anything? What was a Marime? That was the word he had called Rick wasn’t it?
I didn’t get to ask our maid if she had found Adriel until after dinner and was relieved when she informed me that she had, although she did not appear pleased at having had to perform the task of retrieving him. I really wanted to talk to Adriel and ask him what he had been talking about before. The dog packs had an alpha, and I knew that wolf packs worked the same way.
Was Nicholas the Alpha?
My mom stayed with me through the remainder of the evening and was really sweet about covering up my absentmindedness. Dad had “business” to attend to after the party and only mom and I remained. I started up the stairs and then stopped. “Mom?”
“What is it, sweetheart?”
“Why are you still married to Dad? He’s not good to you.”
“I know.” She looked around, and I realized she was worried about the staff overhearing. They definitely had figured it out, but I didn’t want to make her feel worse, so I didn’t tell her that.
“We are politicians dear. We get to have a say and a hand in making our country and even the world a better place. It has a cost. This house, the clothes, the status, it all has a price, and I’ll pay it to give you and your sister the very best.” I went back down the stairs and hugged her.
“If you ever decide to leave him I don’t care what it costs. You deserve better.” She smiled and patted my shoulder like I was a small girl, who just couldn’t understand. I probably didn’t, but I did wish that she didn’t have to put up with him. “Goodnight, Mom.” I trotted up the stairs and went to my Grandma Sidney’s room.
It was dark, and I could hear her snoring. Adriel was not in her room, and so I hoped that meant he was in my room. If he was running through the property naked, I would be blamed somehow.
My room was dark and empty. I flipped on the light and noticed right away that the pillow on my bed was upside down. That was a mistake that the staff would not have made.
When I lifted the pillow, I found a folder. It had a yellow sticky note on it that had very neat handwriting on it.
Nicholas wanted you to find out about your mom and I found this. I hope it helps. – Adriel