Page 3 of Rapunzel Is Losing It

“Victor, this is Thomas,” she said, not letting him finish. “You’ll be taking over for him. He’ll stick around for a few days to show you everything.”

I just nodded at the guy, whose face was turning a splotchy pink to match the walls, and the curtains, and the rug. And all three mugs on her desk.

“At least meet with the other applicants,” Thomas pleaded.

Fuck Thomas. Fuck the other applicants.

I got the job. I got the only safe haven on the east coast.

“Victor, flex your arms.” Cordelia turned her storm-colored eyes on me. I did as I was told. My shirt stretched tight over my biceps. “See?” she said, as if that one moment was enough to win their argument. “Does what he’s told and has the muscles to do the job. We’re good.”

She breezed past me into the hallway, and with a clear voice dismissed whatever applicant must have walked in after me.

I almost felt bad. Almost. It could be six days or six months for Luka to get me safely out of the country. Until then, the Montgomery house would do just fine.

CHAPTER TWO

six months ago

“Where’s Victor?”

I stared at the man standing in my door, and the bundled up young woman unconscious in his arms. I’d only seen Julian Beckett in pictures, but the Beckett brothers shared features sharp enough to recognize anywhere. That just didn’t explain why he was here.

Victor had gotten the call thatIhad been delivered to the ER with Beck, the other brother, because Victor was my emergency contact, and because Delilah had been acting as my stand-in all summer. Del, who currently lay unconscious in Julian’s arms.

Julian stared at me for a heartbeat.

Of course.

Two Cordelias.

I glanced past him, but no-one else was there. Not Victor, not Beck.

“Let me in,” he huffed and adjusted his grip on Del.

“Of course.” I shuffled aside, pulse hammering in my ears. Why on earth was he bringing Del here? She had a thick cast around her arm and the medical gown still on.

Someone at the hospital must have found out that she wasn’t me.

Victor had to be dealing with the fall-out.

There was no other explanation.

“Whereto?”

I shook my head, trying to clear it, and tossed the door shut behind Julian. “This way.” I jogged up the stairs, opened the door to Del’s room and quickly shuffled aside the mountains of books and pillows on her bed. “Is Beck okay? What’s going on?”

“I feel like that’s a question I should be asking you.”

He set Del down on the bed. She looked even paler than usual, and so small in that boxy plastic gown.

“I should get her more comfortable,” I said before disappearing into her closet and digging out the softest, largest shirt I could find.

“So, you’re the real Cordelia Montgomery.” Julian squinted at me, but it wasn’t a question.

“I don’t think that matters right now. What happened? Is Del going to be okay? Do we need to call a doctor? Does she need medicine?”

“She’ll be fine. I have an IV-drip for her in the car. I’ll go get it while you do this.” He waved at the shirt in my hand.