Liar (Madison Kate #2)(21)
"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.
"Fuck that," I snapped back.
Steele just cracked his drink open and took a long sip. At least he wasn't trying to murder my espresso machine this morning. "Ride with Arch, or you don't go."
My fists clenched, and I tried those calming breaths that Aunt Marie had tried to teach me. "Why him?" I had my back to Steele and was halfway out of the kitchen when I stopped to ask that question.
He didn't answer immediately, and I could feel him moving closer.
"Because my car got blown up yesterday, Hellcat," he said softly from far too close behind me. My hair shifted, and I knew he'd touched one of the loose waves. "And Arch has bulletproof glass in all his cars."
Curiosity warred with anger, and I stiffened. "Why does Archer have bulletproof glass in his cars, Steele?"
I knew I wouldn't get the real reason, but I had to ask. After his whole spiel to me yesterday, going on about how there were too many secrets between us... fucking hypocrite.
"You'll have to ask him that," Steele responded, and my shoulders sagged with disappointment.
I heaved a sigh and shook my head. "Forget I asked. Tell Archer I'll be waiting in the garage. I don't intend to be late for class just because he needs to manscape in the shower."
"Madison Kate," Steele called after me as I left the kitchen, but I was in no mood. I flipped him off without a backward glance and went to find my shoes and bag.
I'd planned on wearing my usual flat-soled boots, but now that the guys had made an enemy of me again, I felt the need for a bit more height.
Tossing my boots back into my closet, I stuffed my feet into a pair of high-heeled Timberland boots. They were a gorgeous deep crimson with black fur around the ankle, and boosted me a solid four inches without killing my feet, thanks to the small platform at the toe. As if by fate, they matched the sweater I was wearing perfectly, and my black skinny jeans went with everything anyway.
Satisfied, I snagged my bag and slipped it over my shoulder as I headed down to the enormous garage. I seriously doubted Archer would have the Corvette back yet, but I hadn't seen him drive anything else, so I had no clue which cars were his. All three of the boys seemed to have a suspicious amount of money at their disposal, and only Steele had given me any impression it might have come from family.
The simple fact that his parents had been grooming him as a concert pianist and wanted him to attend Juilliard... that just sort of reeked of an upper-class upbringing.
"Over here, Princess," Archer drawled from somewhere farther into the line of cars and bikes. I followed the sound of his voice and found him leaning on the side of a low-slung black sports car. I was by no means a car expert, but the vehicle oozed dollar signs.