Page 3

Charlee

The second Professor Miller dismisses us, I’m packed up and heading out the door. Two hours is more than long enough for me to listen to her drone on. I love art, but she’s killing it for me.

“That was the longest class ever.”

Kelsey slips her book bag over her head and onto one shoulder. “If she didn’t sound like a damn robot, I might actually stay awake more often.”

She shrugs, causing the mess of auburn curls on top of her head to bounce.

“You have a point.”

“Besides, I joined this class for the nude models. When are we going to get to the good stuff? I’m dying for the chance to draw some real live peen.”

“Can’t argue with you there.”

I laugh and follow her out into the quad, her long legs making it almost impossible to catch up. Luckily for me, she stops to pull her phone out of her bag.

I take the time to enjoy the scenery while she does. Watching the leaves dance in the wind on the cracks in the sidewalk is something that has always given me peace—something I always used to do with my mom as a child. My head leans back, taking in the cool September air. Fall will always be my favorite time of year. The leaves are already changing color, making way for new beginnings and exciting possibilities. There’s also something about the smells, late night fires, and wearing your favorite boots that make this girl smile.

“What has you smiling like a fool?”

Kelsey hip-checks me out of my happy bubble and back to the quad where we’re standing.

“Nothing.”

I shake my head and keep walking.

“Right. It has nothing to do with the fact that Colby Masterson couldn’t take his eyes off of you the entire lecture.”

She tugs on my arm until we stop, and cocks her head to the side, staring me down and waiting for her words to hit me. Once they do, my world tilts on its axis.

“He was not.”

Butterflies somersault in my stomach as a blush creeps onto my cheeks. “Was he?”

“Believe it. The school’s star quarterback was totally checking you out,”

she teases. “Professor Miller was droning on about line shading and his line was directed at you.”

She gestures between her legs and then to me.

I fidget with the strap of my bag and let out a nervous laugh. Attention from boys is a new thing for me. My father was overbearing and had his men follow me all through high school, killing any chance I ever had at a normal social life. Doesn’t mean Kelsey didn’t help me sneak out a time or five.

“Hey, what are you doing tonight?”

Her blue eyes cast me a sideways glance. “That new club Orphic just opened up downtown and everyone’s going to check it out.”

When I don’t answer, she adds, “Colby might be there.”

“Wish I could.”

I rub my forehead and sigh. “Not only would my dad kill me, but my English paper is due tomorrow and I still have a couple more pages to get done. It looks like another late night session in the library for me.”

My shoulder dips, adjusting the strap of my backpack.

“I don’t know why you study so hard. You have one of the highest GPAs at UGA.”

“And I’m trying to keep it that way.”

I want to tell her the truth, but I can’t. She won’t understand my need to get out from underneath my family name and the dark legacy that it carries. To her, it’s something I should use to my advantage. To me, it’s a curse that I want to run far away from.

“Have you even picked a major yet?”

Her foot kicks at the grass that’s growing through the cracks of the pavement as we make our way toward the parking lot.

“No. I’m going to focus on getting my Gen Eds out of the way first. Hopefully, I’ll figure out what I want to do with my life before I finish.”

“I still say you should go the starving artist route with me. Think about it. The governor’s daughter and the criminal’s daughter living it up on our own. It could be a real scandal.”

She wriggles her reddish-brown eyebrows at me.

“That’s my back up idea,” I tease.

“At least we have a plan.”

She shrugs but doesn’t go into further detail about either one of our fathers. Not that I blame her. While she’s carefree, it doesn’t stop her dad from trying to run her life like mine does and since they pay for our tuition, we’re stuck playing by their rules. Kelsey just pushes the boundaries more. “Rain check for Friday then?”

“It’s a deal. We just have to keep my dad from finding out. He’s still not happy about the last time we went out.”

Her auburn eyebrows pinch together. “He does realize you’re twenty-one, not two, right?”

“It’s complicated.”

To say the least. Explaining my family to an outsider is never easy. Over the years, I’ve tried and failed to help Kelsey understand many times. She never will. Both our father’s hold powerful positions in the state of Georgia. Mine just happens to be the one on the criminal side of things, which means I abide by a different set of rules than her. She’s also too much of a free spirit for her parents to even attempt to contain. That’s something I admire about her and strive to have for myself one day. I just have to play it smart until I’m far away from here—far away from the cloud that is Diego Vega.

“Well, we’ll figure it out. Wear that green dress you just got. You look hot in it and it brings out the green in your eyes.”

She walks backward away from me and toward her car, flashing me a big smile the entire way.

“Only if you wear that slutty blue one,”

I shout back.

“You’ve got a deal, Vega.”

She winks and climbs into her car.

I watch her go before making the short trek to the library. Once I’ve made my way through the stacks and found my spot, I settle in. It’s far enough away from other people that I won’t be distracted, but also close enough that I don’t feel isolated.

Flipping through the book, I’m on a mission to find random facts I can throw into my paper. Every English professor appreciates little details like that and I’m hopeful this will pay off in the long run. Well, if I don’t lose my mind first.

Time flies, and before I know it, I’ve spent hours with my nose stuck between several books. I’ve been so absorbed in my studies that up until now I haven’t even noticed that the tables are starting to thin out. Before long, I’m the only soul left. I’m coming to the last bit of information I need, but my vision is becoming blurry. I shut my eyes and rub away the migraine that’s forming when a shelf creaks from the stacks behind me.

“Hello? Is someone there?”

My eyes focus and take in the room. After several beats of silence, I shake my head at my own stupidity. “Nobody’s here. You’re just going crazy, Charlee.”

My phone rings, causing me to jump and knock over a few books. The phone fumbles in my hand a few times before I’m able to answer it with a shaky, “Hello?”

“What’s wrong, Mija?”

My dad’s gruff voice booms through the line. I should have known I couldn’t fool him. Nothing gets past Diego Vega.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine, Papá.”

He hesitates a second before letting it go and moving on. “Where are you?”

“At the library studying.”

I keep my tone neutral and glance around the room, making sure none of his men are watching me. He has eyes everywhere I go, so it’s not out of the question.

“What the hell are you doing there this late?”

A rapid fire of swearing in Spanish rolls out in one quick breath after that.

“I’m finishing up a paper for school.”

I sigh into the phone and fight an eye roll. He can’t see me, but you never know.

“You still coming over for dinner tomorrow night?”

He changes the subject to why he really called. “I miss you. Your mother does, too.”

“Stepmother,”

I correct him. She doesn’t deserve the title of mother. “And we’ll see.”

“Charlee.”

It’s one word, but the warning is clear. Too bad I’ve never been good at listening.

“That woman may be your wife, but she will never be my mother.”

I’ve been saying the same thing for the past five years and it’s been falling on deaf ears.

“Do it for me.”

My dad’s voice softens, and he knows I can’t deny him anything when he does that.

“Fine. I will see you tomorrow night.”

A deep sigh escapes me.

“Gracias, Mija. Dinner’s at seven. Don’t be late.”

There’s no missing the smile in his voice before he hangs up.

I toss my phone on the table and hang my head in my hands.

Dinner with my dad and his wife is the last thing I want to do.

I’d rather shove razor blades under my fingernails than set foot in that house.

The sound of a book falling has my head shooting to the side.

There’s nothing there, but this time there’s no mistaking what I heard.

A sense of unease fills me and it’s time to get the hell out of there.

I pack up my things and do just that.

From the time I leave the library until I reach my dorm, my pace never wavers.

Quick glimpses over my shoulder are the only things that slow me down until I’m in my room and tucked safely in my bed.

I plop back against the softness of the mattress.

I’m so used to watching my back with my dad’s line of work that I’ve become paranoid over every little thing.

I roll my eyes at my stupidity. Old habits die hard, but I’m free from the watchful eyes of that house and I promise myself I will enjoy it. Consequences be damned.