Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176345 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 882(@200wpm)___ 705(@250wpm)___ 588(@300wpm)
Is that why they hate me so much? Because Felix is my brother, and I’m related to the Skull & Serpent Society? Or is it just because I caught them in their dirty schemes and this is all just a mad coincidence?
“Don’t tell Felix I told you all this,” Penelope adds casually like it’s nothing.
“Oh no, I would never,” I reply.
“It’d only give him more reasons to kill me too,” Jason muses, putting his hand on my knee.
“So why do you want to know about those Phantom boys in particular?” she asks.
“Oh, no reason. Felix just seemed to really hammer down on me about not even making eye contact.” I laugh.
“Baby, all you ever need to look at is me.” Jason flexes, making me gag.
Penelope laughs. “Don’t worry about any of it. We settled it all. Those boys are not your problem; they’re ours.”
If only she knew.
“Those Phantom boys did community service for their crimes.”
“But why were they fighting with you guys to begin with?”
She rubs her lips together. “They bullied my sister. We lost her.”
“Oh … I’m so sorry.” I take a sip of my drink.
“It was a long time ago,” Penelope responds. “We made sure they paid the price for their bullying.”
No wonder Felix didn’t want me to hang out with them. Now I’m even more conflicted about the fact that I seemed to enjoy the wicked games they play with me.
Someone behind us clears their throat, and we both turn our heads. It’s the head chef. “Dinner’s served.”
We get up and move to the table, where my father is already seated. Felix comes in and sits beside Penelope, pressing a greedy kiss to her cheek before he folds his arms and impatiently starts tapping his foot.
Meanwhile, Jason sits beside me and kisses my cheek to imitate them, but he feels a lot less welcome. I guess I’ll just stomach it and sit through this to get it over with. I know my father has wanted to meet him for some time now.
“Jason, right?” my father says when he lays eyes on him.
Jason leans over the table to shake his hand. “Yes, sir, nice to make your acquaintance.”
Oh Jesus.
I grab my glass of water and take a large sip.
“So … you’re the boy who’s got my daughter’s heart?”
I almost cough up the entire glass. “No.”
My father frowns. “Felix told me you were seeing him.”
“Well, we are sort of dating,” Jason says.
“No, we’re not,” I reply.
My father looks at Felix, but he only raises his hands. “You just asked me if she was seeing anyone.”
Penelope giggles beside me.
“So which is it?” my father asks.
“It’s undefined,” I reply.
“She’s shagging him,” Felix says, folding his arms. “I told her it was a bad idea.”
“Hey!” I lean forward to glare at him. “I don’t remember asking for your permission.”
“Lana, Felix, please, no fighting,” my father asks, and I try to simmer down for him, but it’s so hard when Felix keeps being all up in my business.
“I was just … having a good time with Jason, that’s it,” I mutter under my breath.
He squeezes my leg under the table, making it even more awkward.
“What’s up with you lately?” he whispers into my ear. “You haven’t dropped by my room in weeks.”
“I’ve been busy,” I whisper back.
The chefs enter the room with a ton of plates. “The first course of this evening. Foie gras parfait with port wine reduction and parmesan emulsion.” The chef places the plate down in front of me.
I make a face and look up at my dad, who seems elated by the food, but all I can think of is how many geese suffered for this.
“Our next dish will be wagyu beef strip loin with peppers and an array of steamed vegetables. For your dessert, we have selected the finest soft-baked chocolate, creamy caramel, pretzel Rocher, and local ice cream.”
“Delicious,” my father says.
“Enjoy,” the chefs say, and they all walk away.
My stomach is roaring, but I’m not eating that.
Meanwhile, Jason scoops it up like ice cream, making me want to throw up.
“Aren’t you going to eat, Lana?” my father asks as he takes a bite.
“I’m on a diet,” I reply, picking off a piece of the lettuce beside the foie gras, and I put it in my mouth to pretend I’m enjoying my food. “Saving some space for dessert.”
“A diet? With your figure?” Penelope says, equally unamused by the foie gras, as she pokes at it with her fork.
I throw her a look. “I’m waiting for the main course.”
“You can just say you don’t like liver,” Felix says, stabbing the foie gras like it’s still alive. “I don’t.”
My father sighs as he puts down his fork. “Kids …”
Kids? Really?
“I thought you said you wanted one-on-one time together?”
“That was her idea, not mine,” Felix balks.
“Hey!” I clench my fork tightly. “That’s not fair, and you know it. I didn’t say we needed to have dinner. I just said—”