The Enemy - Kelsey Clayton Page 0,39

we both went to sleep, we only got a couple hours.

A brand-new Shelby GT sits in the driveway, making my brows furrow. Maybe it's Lennon's graduation present, though I'm not sure she drives. There has been an untouched Mercedes sitting in the garage since I moved in that I'm pretty sure is hers, but I've never seen her behind the wheel.

I walk through the front door and follow the voices into the kitchen. My mom and Ken are sitting at the island. The second Ken sees me, he perks up.

“Oh, good. You're back.” He glances behind me. “Where's Lennon?”

I shrug. “She rode with Asher and Colby.”

We won't even get into how I hoped she would choose to ride with me, but I'm not surprised she didn't. Besides, Bryce and Jayden would have made shit super awkward and enjoyed every second of it.

“Ah, okay. Well, I have something for you.”

He pulls a set of keys out of his pocket and tosses them to me. The new car sitting in the driveway. It's mine.

“You bought me a car?” I ask, confused.

Ken hums and takes a sip of his drink. “Yeah. I figured that way you don't have to drive that hunk of junk around anymore.”

My shock slowly turns to anger as his words echo through my head. The sound of my mom's voice barely registers as I stare down at the keys in my hand.

“Cade. Say thank you.”

I don't. Instead, I say nothing as I turn around and storm right back out the door. I'm pacing back and forth across the driveway when Asher's Range Rover pulls up and Lennon hops out. The second she sees me, concern etches across her face. She comes closer and drops her bag before putting her hands on my shoulders and stopping me.

“What's wrong? What happened?”

I shake my head and throw the key onto the ground. “He bought me a car.”

Her eyes widen. She glances at the GT and then brings her attention back to me. “And you're mad about it?”

I nod. “He called my Jeep a hunk of junk. Lennon, my dad bought me that car. He saved every dime he could manage for over a year.”

“And my dad just practically shit all over that by buying you something else without even batting an eye.”

The way she understands me should make me want to run away so fucking fast, but instead, it's comforting. I don't need to explain for her to get it, and for her to be there. Maybe I was wrong about her all along. Maybe she's not anything like the girl I thought she was.

“All right,” she declares. “I have an idea. Meet me in your room in thirty. I'll explain.”

MY MOM LEAVES FOR drinks with a friend, giving Lennon the perfect chance to execute her plan. I have to admit, it's clever, and I'm honestly surprised she came up with it all on her own. I stand at the top of the steps and watch as she turns toward her dad's office. Before going in, she looks back up at me and winks. The corners of my lips raise as she disappears through the door.

“Dad, I need to talk to you,” she tells him.

I can't see what's going on, but I walk to the bottom of the stairs so I can hear them.

“What's up, Sunshine?”

“I can't do it—play family with Nora and her kids. I'm sorry. I tried, but I can't do it.”

He sighs heavily. “What are you saying?”

“I'm saying it's me or her. There's something about her that rubs me the wrong way, and I can't stay here if she's living here. It's me or her, Dad.”

It's quiet for a minute, and I must applaud Lennon on her acting skills. The girl is seriously talented when it comes to faking emotions. Finally, Ken speaks.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Lennon asks.

“Yeah. I love Nora, but you're my daughter. If you really want me to choose between you and her, the answer is and always will be you.”

It worked. It actually fucking worked. Every inch of my body is overwhelmed with excitement as I realize something is finally going my way for a change. That is, until it comes crashing right back down.

“I, um...you know what, never mind,” she backtracks.

“Never mind?”

“Yeah. Maybe I judged her too quickly. I'll give her another chance.”

I can hear as Ken gets up from his desk, I'm guessing to give his daughter a hug. “I really appreciate that, sweetheart. Thank you.”

Traitor. She's a fucking traitor. Everything we talked about last night.