Someone called out, “Francis. You leaving?”

Matt snorted. “Got in trouble. The ’rents found me.”

Someone else asked, “Who’s the girl?”

Kash’s hand tightened on me, and he didn’t pause in his stride.

“Wait!” Their voice picked up, excited. “Colello? That you?”

A female gasped.

“Kashton Colello? Where?”

Kash picked up his pace.

“Kash!”

He ignored them all. Not pausing until we got to the cars, he held his hand out. “Don’t fuck with me. Not now.”

Matt rolled his eyes but dug into his pockets and tossed his keys to Kash. Kash caught them and almost immediately tossed them to someone approaching from the street. It was the security team.

Kash pointed to the back of our car, and Matt got in. He pulled the door shut, yawning. “And to think you almost missed all this fun. Right, Bailey?”

But he wasn’t looking at me. I was watching him in the mirror. His head was turned, watching a small group of people who had gathered at the gate and were watching us in return.

A harsh, clipped laugh from Matt, and he held his hand up against the window. “Look at them. Fucking trash.” He extended his middle finger, still laughing.

The vehemence in Matt’s tone, the superiority. My stomach curled in on itself again.

“Who’s the girl?” a guy shouted, gesturing to me.

Matt raised his voice. “Kash doesn’t give a fuck about you guys. Go and finance your own shit. You’re beneath us.”

Kash was reversing the car.

I expected a reprimand, something, but he said nothing. He remained quiet.

Matt let out a sigh, a last biting laugh leaving him. “You don’t have to say anything, Kash. I have your six. My turn, dude.”

His turn? For what?

THIRTY-FOUR

Kash paused the car at an intersection, his head bent forward.

When he turned left, Matt burst out laughing. “He doesn’t trust me to be alone at my own place, and he doesn’t want to spend the night with you there. I can’t go to his place. He doesn’t want that, either, so we’re going back to the estate.” He laughed to himself, speaking to himself, “The fucking Chesapeake. Our dad is lame.”

If he was expecting a response, he would be disappointed. No one spoke. There were things to say, but it wasn’t the right time. After a while, Matt’s deep breathing was the only sound in the car. Maybe I would have fallen asleep, if it had been a normal night, but it wasn’t. I was wide awake, and when we slowed at the gate, it let us in.

After he parked, I didn’t wait for Kash. I got out, heading for the villa.

He called after me, coming around to Matt’s side, “Wait for a guard.”

I didn’t. “I’ll be fine.”

“Bailey.”

I slowed, half turned toward him.

Damn him. A soft request and my knees were melting.

He added, almost gentle, “Wait for a guard.”

I waited, but I was gritting my teeth as I did. A car pulled in behind us and three guards got of their own vehicle, another two getting out of Matt’s Lamborghini. Kash nodded toward me. “Two with her. The rest with Matt.” They broke apart. Three bent in, and Matt was shifted in their arms. They all carried him inside.

I was going to start ahead, now that I had my two bookends, but the main door opened. My father stood there, a deep frown on his face as he took in Matt. He was wearing a robe, a phone in his hand. Shifting back to give them space, he was putting his phone in his pocket, but the screen lit up.

“Kash.” He called for him before looking.

Kash was already there, following behind Matt’s guards. He stepped inside and the door was mostly closed, left open only a crack. I couldn’t hear them. They were all the way up the front steps of the house. I could only make out Kash’s face as Peter’s phone was held between them. A second later, the door opened wide. Kash slipped out and approached me. He slowed down.

I saw the regret a mile away.

“I have to go and check on something.” He nodded behind me.

Quiet footfalls were heard. The guards were moving away, giving us privacy.

“You okay?” His mouth dropped. He rested his forehead to mine, our favorite place.

“No.”

A corner of his mouth lifted. “At least you’re honest.”

I took hold of his shirt, not looking into his eyes. I focused right at his chest. “Who are you? I thought you worked for my father, then you were raised by them, and now all those people…”

I didn’t want to see the lies, the walls, the reservations. I needed him open.

I continued. “Those are people who have money, wealth that I couldn’t even fathom before coming here. They were clamoring for your attention.” I gripped his shirt tighter. “I need to know. I need to know who you are.”

I couldn’t tell him I was sinking. I was so past sinking.