Page 46

Luckily, my nanny has my back. She always has.

“Oh dear!” Georgetta cries out as she spills a little bit of coffee on me. I look down at her. She has a horrified expression on her face. I start to tell her that it’s okay, but she shakes her head. I know why. Georgetta has always told me that I’m too nice to her and that I can’t act this way around my father. The two of us are always very aloof to one another when he’s watching. We both know that if my dad ever realized just how much I care about Georgetta, he could have her taken away.

Instantly, I spring into action.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I snap. My words break my heart as I say them. I know that Georgetta knows me well enough to understand that I wouldn’t say these if I didn’t have to. She’s giving me an out, I realize. She’s going to try to help me escape.

She starts muttering beneath her breath, apologizing over and over.

“I’m so sorry, miss. I’m so sorry.” She fusses over me for a second and then I get to my feet and gesture to my stained pants. Georgetta looks over at Mr. Ricci. “I’ll get her cleaned up, sir,” she tells him. He nods, obviously unbothered by this turn of events. I turn to leave the room and head out of the dining room. Georgetta stays close behind me. As we pass Mr. Ricci’s guard, the man places a hand on my shoulder. I look up at him sharply. Why is he touching me?

He holds a hand out. “Phone.” He doesn’t say anything else and he doesn’t have to. Okay, so this is really happening. I’m not going to make it to work today and now I can’t even call Ian or anyone else to help me. I try not to make a huge scene. If I’m going to slip away, I’ll literally only have a couple of minutes to myself. I’m going to have to think fast and that starts right now. If I try to cause a fuss over my phone, this dude will kill me without a second thought.

Instead of arguing, I hand him the phone and then start heading up the main staircase. Georgetta follows me close behind. The man follows, too. She stops him when we reach the hallway that leads to her bedroom. I don’t say anything about this. We’re not going to my bedroom, apparently. Georgetta must have a reason.

“She’s going to change,” Georgetta tells him.

“You know I have my orders.”

“Where’s she going to go?” Georgetta snaps. “Where’s she got to go?” We all know she’s right. My dad’s estate is pretty much on total lockdown anytime he wants it to be. If he instructs his guards not to let people in or out, it’s going to happen.

The guard seems to realize this is true and he nods reluctantly.

“Don’t be long. You know he doesn’t like waiting.”

Georgetta glares at him, takes my hand, and tugs me down the hall. She opens the door to her bedroom and closes it behind us. She locks the door and looks at me. Her eyes are wide.

“We don’t have much time.”

“What the hell is going on?” I ask her, suddenly feeling frantic. I have no phone, there’s wet coffee on my jeans, and there’s a guy downstairs whom I’m pretty sure is going to take me to his house and hurt me. Badly.

“Your father has sold you,” she says. “You have to run.”

“Where?” I whisper. There’s nowhere for me to go. There’s no way for me to escape. Georgetta reaches under her bed and yanks, pulling out two little backpacks. She hands one to me and then slips the other one on herself.

“Go bags,” she explains. “I’ve known this day was coming.”

“How did you know?” I ask, horrified. She’s known this day was coming. For how damn long? Georgetta has been working for my dad for a long time. She’s been the person who looked after me ever since I was a little girl. If I’m being honest, I’ve always viewed her as something of a big sister. She’s never beenjustan employee to me. She’s always been more than that.

She looks at me and her brow furrows. “Why do you think your dad killed Lucas?”

The question hangs between us and time seems to stand still. My dad killed Lucas. How is this possible? Is she being serious? I stare at her, unwilling to accept this information. No, I’munableto accept this information. If my dad killed Lucas, then why did she stay?

As if reading my mind, she places a hand on my arm.

“I know this seems crazy,” she tells me. “I know you must be scared, but I’m going to help you, Rose.”

“Okay,” I whisper.

“Can you be very brave for me?”

A question she hasn’t asked me since I was a little girl.

Still, I find myself nodding as she takes my hand and pushes open her closet door. Only, it’s not just a closet door. It’s a secret passage. Somehow, I didn’t know this existed. She leads me quietly down the interior hallway, which is narrow and dimly lit. We make our way through the interior spaces between the upstairs walls and then we go down a little staircase.

“When we get to the door, we’re going to run for the trees,” she whispers to me. “Whatever happens next, just keep running.”

“Georgetta...” My voice trails off because I know what she’s saying. She doesn’t think she’s going to make it.