Page 28 of Let the Game Begin

“Okay, have fun,” I told him. He gave me a wave and hurried out the door. A moment later, Chloe appeared. She was wearing a magnificent red dress,and her blond hair tumbled softly around her shoulders. All dressed up like that, she was a carbon copy of her mother. She walked to the door without acknowledging me, and I didn’t say anything to her either.

Alone once again, I turned on the TV and started surfing with the remote control.

“Selene!” I was startled when Mia’s playful voice echoed through the room.

“Your father and I are leaving for a conference. Anna will also be going shortly.” She pulled on a long, elegant coat and gave me a smile that I did not reciprocate.

“That’s fine.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay on your own? You can call me if you need anything,” my father added, sounding worried as he entered the living room. His show of concern annoyed me.

“Yup.” I didn’t even look at him and focused on the television until I heard the door shut and silence fell. Finally, I was free from their presence.

I got up then and went into the kitchen to get a bowl of the popcorn Anna had made. She really had a gift—she was a magician in the kitchen and even her simplest dishes made my mouth water.

“Miss, I’m heading out now. My children are waiting for me,” said Anna, appearing behind me and taking me by surprise. I smiled at her, still holding the bowl in my hands and watched her pick up her purse.

“How many children do you have?” I asked, hoping she wouldn’t think I was prying.

“Two, dear. Two boys.” She told me about her children as I walked her to the door. Ethan, her oldest, was eighteen and dreamed of becoming a great baseball player. The younger boy, Jace, was fifteen and played the piano. I didn’t ask any questions about the father of her children, but I got the impression that he hadn’t stepped up for them. Anna had worked for Mia for so many years precisely because of the generous salary that Mia offered, which gave her enough to support herself and her kids without anyone else’s help. She had been looking after Neil, Logan, and Chloe since they were little. She told me that Neil had been a very smart but mistrustful boy; curious but introverted. I looked at her as she spoke, andit occurred to me that she could help me. She had known Neil for a long time; perhaps she could shed some light on the shadows surrounding him and his mood swings. But Anna was in a hurry, and it wasn’t really the time to pepper her with questions. I said a polite goodbye to her and watched her leave.

I returned to the living room and sat back down on the sofa. I intended to take advantage of the solitude to eat some popcorn and watch a movie. I just needed a break from everything that was happening, especially with Neil. I was still deciding on what to watch when I heard footsteps on the staircase. Seconds later, his imposing frame appeared in the living room. I hadn’t realized Neil was even home. I’d thought he was out with Jennifer or his other friends.

“What are you doing here?” I asked before choking on a piece of popcorn and coughing.

“I’ll remind you that this is my home.” He smiled and looked at me in such a seductive way that it gave me goosebumps.

“I thought you’d gone out as well.” I cleared my throat and went back to pressing remote buttons randomly. My brain was already all static and the closer he got the more precarious I felt.

“No. Jennifer left half an hour ago, and I need to relax.” His hair was damp, and he smelled like body wash, a sure indication that he’d just taken yet another shower. I could deduce that he and Jennifer hadn’t met up to talk.

Heedless of my discomfort, Neil sat down near me and stretched out his legs, crossing one casually over the other. I went rigid and instinctively moved slightly to increase the distance between us.

“Leave it here,” he said when I landed on a channel with a boxing match on. Was he a fan of the sport? Suddenly, I had a vague memory of a punching bag swinging in his room. Too bad for him: I had no interest in watching dudes punch each other.

“I’m anti-violence. I don’t like to watch certain programming,” I argued, and he just smiled, his eyes locked on the screen. I rolled my eyes and continued chowing down on the popcorn as I gave him a furious look. Although I was visibly irritated by his intrusion and his presumption, I couldn’t helpbut be dazzled by the line of his profile and those full lips that generated all sorts of fantasies in the female brain.

I sighed and reluctantly bid goodbye to my peaceful evening. I focused on my popcorn. Suddenly, Neil’s hand invaded my field of vision and thrust into the bowl.

“Hey!” I exclaimed in annoyance, the way I might react to a naughty child as he grabbed a handful.

“Yes?” he asked, chowing down with his typical indifferent air.

“This is my popcorn. There’s more in the kitchen if you want some.” I held the bowl out of his reach, though I was sure he would have just taken it if he really wanted it. After all, he always found a way to get the things he wanted.

“Don’t be greedy, Selene. Be generous, like you were last night.” He gave me a sly look, and his luminous eyes seemed even brighter than normal.

“Knock it off,” I demanded and stared at the TV screen, trying not to look at him.

“The details…” he murmured thoughtfully, as if his mind were wandering off somewhere else.

“What?” I asked, turning to him in confusion.

“The truth is hidden in the details.” The low timbre of his voice drove the air from my lungs.

“What are you talking about?” I whispered. Though we weren’t sitting that close together, it felt like the space between our bodies was shrinking.

“True intelligence means knowing exactly how to read them, Selene, and when you do, nothing makes sense anymore.” He pulled the popcorn bowl from my hands and set it on the glass table in front of us before drawing closer and touching my cheek. His cold fingers glided across my skin, and I didn’t pull away from them.