Chapter One
Nyah Stratton
I’m not sure what the noises were that kept me awake last night, but they’ve left me with a terrible headache. One of those that sits just behind your eyes and pounds until all you want to do is fall asleep again, hoping it will disappear when you next wake up.
I couldn’t hide away today, though, even if I wanted to. My parents have big plans for me. I don’t have a clue what they are, but they’ve been preparing them for weeks. Secretive phone calls at all hours of the day and night, various visitors to the house, and several boxes of my belongings have disappeared. I’ve also been taken to the beauty salon to have my hair trimmed, my fingernails manicured, my toenails pedicured, and finally, I’ve had hair ripped from places I never want wax to go anywhere near again. It’s not natural being bare down there. Well, not in my opinion anyway. I’m terrified as to what all this means, I’m not stupid—it’s clearly not good. I’ll just have to survive it.
Popping two painkilling pills into my mouth, I swallow them down with a glass of water and lay back on my four-poster bed, waiting to be called to participate in whatever plans my parents have made. As my headache dissipates, I get bored of my inactivity and decide to go in search of my twin brother, Connor. He’s the one person who’s kept me sane over the last few weeks while my parents carried out their conspiracies. My brother and I have always been close. We’re partners in crime, seeking out mischief wherever we can find it. Not that I’d ever go too far—I know the resulting punishment wouldn’t be worth the short-term thrill.
We live in a large house near Boston. My family comes from old money and we’re traditional and set in our ways. We always have lunch at the local golf club on a Saturday afternoon with the elite of society, not because we like the food, and certainly not because my father’s an exceptional golfer—he has the worst swing I’ve ever seen. We go there purely to impress. We’re also the sort of people who attend church on a Sunday in our best clothing just for appearance’s sake rather than for any religious beliefs.
I’ve been brought up to be prim and proper and have received the sort of education that ensures I’ll become a Stepford Wife when I marry. I can’t help laughing at the thought. The poor man who ends up with me will be in for a shock because despite how much training I’ve had, I’ll never be the perfect partner. I wasn’t blessed with a natural ability to cook a delicious meal unless beans on toast counts. My brother turned me into a tomboy as soon as he could. If it wasn’t for the fact my mother chooses my clothes every day, I’d constantly be in shorts and t-shirts, running wild in the fields surrounding our home. I definitely wouldn’t be in the formal dresses and pearls she picks out for me. They make me look about ten years older than the twenty-one I actually am. I’m a good girl and innocent—I’ve never had a boyfriend and never so much as been kissed. My life has been too sheltered for those sorts of escapades. My brother’s the only member of the opposite sex I’ve ever spent any time alone with. It’s a mundane existence really, but I know…or rather, I hope my parents have always had the best intentions for me. While they’ve kept me secluded from the wider world, they have indulged me in other ways. I love to study literature, and they’ve always given me everything I’ve requested when it comes to my reading.
Pushing the door open to Connor’s bedroom, it’s obvious he’s not there. The silence gives it away—he’s a big fan of music and always has something playing loud when he’s in his room. I look around to see if there’s any clue as to where he might be, but his phone and car keys are on the side table, so it doesn’t look like he’s gone out. He’s probably downstairs eating breakfast. My brother is athletic, and he always seems to be replenishing his calories after some workout or other.
Skipping down the stairs, I run into the kitchen. My brother’s not there, but Selma, who’s both our cook and maid, welcomes me with a smile.
“Have you seen Connor?” I question and steal a