favorite clothes and anything else I wanted from my room.
I moved fast when I was alone.
When Dad passed by or came to check on me, I had to purposely hold up things and stare as though I didn’t know what it was.
This kind of lie was quickly becoming tiring.
In a way, it was going to be a relief to be at my mother’s place and not have to hide anything.
I still had the daunting task of returning to BFH and keeping the facade going.
But that would be worth it… just to see how Noah, Easton, and Xavier would react to me.
I was too far ahead of myself though.
I finished packing.
Dad called someone to carry my stuff to my mother’s car.
She had a fancy convertible.
Bright red.
All black rims.
A set of lips hanging from the mirror.
She sat behind the wheel, waiting for me.
Dad stood and stared at me, looking incredibly sad.
He reached into his pocket and took out a phone.
“Here, Winter,” he said. “A new phone. The other one didn’t survive the accident.”
“Thanks,” I said as I took the phone.
“Everything was transferred over. Maybe if you read some texts and look at pictures, it’ll help.”
“Good idea,” I said.
“I have another Tank on the way too.”
“What?”
Dad touched my shoulder. “You need a vehicle. Your mother…” Dad sighed.
You really hate her, don’t you? I understand it. I hate her too.
“I’m so sorry about this, Winter,” Dad said.
He had the same look on his face and the same tone to his voice as all the other times he had to leave without much notice.
It never really bothered me before.
I would have the house to myself… sort of.
There was always someone in the house. And I had a list of numbers to call or text if I needed anything.
Food? Drink? A fresh towel?
The house kind of was a castle and I kind of was a princess.
Now, I was stepping into a different world.
“Can I hug you?” Dad asked.
“Yeah,” I said.
Dad wrapped his arms around me and I felt him start to cry.
I wasn’t heartless enough that it didn’t bother me. I wanted to cry too.
But I didn’t.
He was going to jet off to somewhere and handle something.
I was going to spend quality time with my mother.
And I was going to get revenge on the three motherfuckers that tried to kill me.
“I love you so much, Winter,” Dad said. “If anything changes, you’ll call me, right? I don’t care what time of the day it is. And I’m going to make sure the doctors check in with you and your mother. If you remember anything…”
Dad stopped rambling and backed away.
“I’ll be fine,” I said.
“I know you will,” he said.
I walked to the convertible and when I tried to open the door, it was locked.
“Jump in, bitch,” my mother said to me.
“Are you serious?” I asked.
“What? Are you afraid you’ll bump your head?”
I curled my lip.
This was going to be very interesting…
Chapter 5
peek-a-boo
I almost forgot what was considered small when it came to houses and people with money.
My mother’s beach house looked more like a giant rental.
Three stories tall.
A balcony on each side with a wooden, spiral staircase down to the main deck that wrapped around the back of the house. There was a large set of steps that ended where the beach began.
The house was a very light baby blue color with white shutters and custom wood trim not only on the front porch, but all around the exterior of the house and throughout the inside.
The inside had its own personality too.
My assumption was big and bright.
But I was wrong.
My mother decorated the place to be very cozy.
There were a lot of windows, but those windows all had curtains and mechanical blinds that moved up and down with the touch of a button.
I had dropped my bags at the main set of stairs and walked through the first floor of the house in a little bit of awe.
Minus my mother, it was a really nice place to relax.
To unwind and think.
Far enough away from the BFH world that I could breathe, but close enough that I could attack when the time came.
I was drawn right out back and stood at the top of the steps and stared down to the ocean.
I had never been a beach person.
The only reason for going to the beach was to get drunk and look at hot guys.
That’s what Evie, Darcy, and I did all the time.
But was it ever fun?
Not really.
One of us would drink too much and throw up.
And if