better fix my damn door," I muttered to him under my breath as I leaned close. "I won't be held prisoner here without at least an illusion of privacy."
Archer leaned his ass against the counter, drinking from his protein shaker and probably using fresh protein powder after my steroids prank. A tiny smile pulled the corner of his lips. "Glad you understand it's only an illusion, Princess."
Anger rippled through me, and I slammed my breakfast cereal down on the counter so hard little pieces flew out and scattered.
"Now, now," he chided me under his breath, "none of that feminine hysteria of yours."
I could have murdered him. Right then and there, cut his throat with my breakfast spoon and watched as his blood poured all over the white marble of the kitchen tiles.
But he was saved by the barely concealed laughter in his blue eyes. It was an expression I couldn't remember ever seeing on his ruggedly handsome face, and it was enough to temper my immediate anger. He was making fun of my father's misogynistic bullshit... but that still didn't make it okay. Just less murder-worthy.
"Madison Kate," Cherry spoke up, tearing my attention away from her son, "your father had to take some early morning calls, and I know you're leaving for class soon."
I arched a brow, wondering how she knew that. It wasn't like we'd ever exchanged more than five words.
Archer took that opportunity to swagger out of the kitchen, mumbling something to his mom about needing a shower. That left me alone with my father's new girlfriend, who I knew next to nothing about.
"Honey, I was really looking forward to getting to know you better," Cherry continued when I said nothing at all. I just went about making my breakfast. Not that she deserved me being a bitch to her, but if anyone was guilty by association...
"Was?" I repeated, not really caring but feeling all kinds of awkward with the one-sided conversation.
Cherry gave me a beaming smile. "Your father booked us on a world cruise!" She was legitimately excited, and I felt sorry for her. "We have to leave today. I'm so sorry, Madison Kate. I know it's not..." She trailed off as her smile slipped, and she twisted her necklace in a clear sign of nervousness. "I know the boys are a bit intense, but they'll do anything to keep you safe. You know that, right?" Her smile was shaky, and her eyes haunted with shadows of past trauma. Fuck, I pitied her.
I gave her a tight smile in return. "Sure."
But she wasn't done. She came around the counter to where I stood with my cereal, then gripped my forearms with her thin hands. "I mean it, Madison Kate. They went through a lot growing up, and it makes them a bit difficult to be around. But whoever is trying to hurt you... they'll take care of it." Her gaze was laser-focused on me now, seemingly clear of the drug haze I'd seen yesterday.
"Uh, okay," I replied, beyond creeped out. "Thanks?"
She seemed satisfied with my response because she let out a sigh and released my arms with a smile. "Well, I better go and pack my bags again! I can't wait to visit Tahiti; it's always been on my bucket list."
The way she waltzed out of the kitchen again, it was like a whole different woman from the scary intense one who'd just grabbed me hard enough to leave nail prints in my skin.
"That was fucking creepy," I muttered to myself as I doused milk onto my cereal and dropped a spoon into the bowl.
"What was?" A voice came from behind me, and I startled.
Spinning around, I speared Steele with an acidic death glare. "Oh look, there goes my appetite." Holding his gaze, I dropped my full bowl of breakfast into the sink with a crash and wiped my hands off on my jeans. "Something about the stench of betrayal always turns my stomach."
It was dramatic as all hell, but I gave zero fucks. I could eat at SGU and not have to suffer through Steele's undoubtedly half-assed apologies.
He let out a heavy, disappointed sigh, and his gray eyes swam with guilt. But still, no excuses left his lips.
"Archer's driving you to class today," he said instead, opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of that sickly sweet iced coffee shit. I used to love those drinks, but after getting food poisoning from one, the smell now triggered my gag reflex.