Maverik was listening to every word and filing it away for later use.
I sighed. Where was the guy who fished me out of the pool? The one whose smile almost stopped my heart? It was like every time he got close to me, he just shut down completely.
“What’s the deal with you and your mom?” Kingston asked before taking another swig.
I shrugged. “She hates me. I hate her. She’s forced to be nice to me when your dad is around, which makes her hate me even more.”
Kingston laughed out loud. “You’re nothing like her.”
“What about you and your dad?” I asked softly.
It was Kingston’s turn to give a casual shrug. “He avoids us,” he answered. “We avoid him. He’s forced to pretend we’re family when other people are around.”
“I don’t think he avoids you,” I said thoughtfully. “I think he’s just busy with work. Why don’t you try to get involved with his company?”
Kingston snorted. “He doesn’t want us involved.”
I wasn’t sure when things started changing between us, but lately, Kingston’s tone when he called me sis was less mocking and almost close to affectionate. Not quite there, but definitely free of malice.
I hated I cared this much - I should just tell them both to fuck off. But there was a vulnerability in Kingston’s eyes today that I’d never thought he had the capacity for. Maybe Kingston’s party-boy persona was something he used to cover up whatever else he had going on inside?
“I think he might,” I said in encouragement. “He invited me to go in with him on Friday.”
I realized I had made a terrible mistake when Kingston froze, betrayal in his eyes. “To Awake headquarters?”
“Yeah,” I said nervously. “Why is that so surprising?”
“Because no one gets in there,” Maverik said coldly. “Do you know how many people would kill to step foot in Dad’s office?”
“Um…” My gaze flicked between Maverik and Kingston. “I think he’s just trying to be nice,” I said lamely.
Maverik tilted his head at me. “Or you’re very good at what you do, and you managed to worm your way into the heart of a billion-dollar company. The question is – what do you plan on doing once you get there?”
My jaw dropped. “What? I’m not some kind of spy.”
“Maybe dad just gave up on us,” Kingston said miserably as he tossed back a drink. “But now he has a new kid.”
Maverik stepped up beside him and crossed his arms over his chest with icy eyes. “You should go.”
I glanced back at Kingston to see him avoid my gaze.
“Kingston?” I asked in confusion. “What did-”
“Just go,” Maverik said as he took a step forward.
The coldly critical look in his eyes, and his arrogant stance made me want to lash out at him. I had done absolutely nothing wrong here, and I didn’t like that he was painting me as the enemy.
I stepped closer to him, my voice low with anger. “You need to wake the fuck up. I’m not your enemy - but keep trying, and you’ll eventually make me into one.”
I clenched my fists and was about to say something else I’d probably regret later when Abby intervened.
“We’re going,” Abby huffed as she put an arm around me. “We were getting bored with this anyway.”
Maybe it was because the alcohol had lowered my inhibitions, but my anger faded, and I was almost in tears when we made it back inside to the house.
“What just happened? Kingston was finally being cool with me, and then something changed. I don’t understand.”
Abby shrugged. “Those guys are unpredictable. Who knows what sets them off? Did you see how they almost went after Kaine for absolutely nothing?”
“Yeah, what was up with that?” I asked. “They were acting so weird.”
“That’s part of the new money stuff I was telling you about,” Abby explained as we locked ourselves in my room. “Chloe and Kaine are part of the other group, so I’m not sure why he came here today.”
“Ugh, who cares about stupid money stuff?”
Abby laughed. “Well, Kaine’s dad definitely does. He bought a makeup company in the eighties for more than a billion dollars, but now it’s barely worth three hundred million, and he’s three billion in debt.”
“Are you serious?” I asked in disbelief. “Kaine’s dad owes billions with a B?”
“Uh, yeah,” Abby said in a singsong voice. “You’re in Bedford now.”
“Shouldn’t Kaine be trying to make friends with the Wilders?” I asked. “Awake might be able to help their makeup sales.”
“Um, Richard hates Kaine’s dad. He was one