The kicker here is that everyone in that room has decided that Parrish, Chasm, and I are bad guys. I can feel it as soon as I walk into the room with one boy on either arm. We pause at the top of a large staircase, looking over the scintillating and highly venomous crowd of Whitehall Prep students.
“Princess,” a voice greets before I’ve even entered the fray. Justin glides over to us in a tailored tux, and Parrish’s eyes go wide. This is the first time he’s met his kidnapper/my bio dad/the Seattle Slayer in person. Nice to know the face that goes along with the guy who was plotting to kill you, eh? “I’m so happy you made it.”
As if I had a choice.
Chasm scowls as Parrish studies the man with open animosity, glancing over his shoulder as if to reassure himself that Tess isn’t standing anywhere near us. She’s close by, but not within hearing distance. Instead, she’s parked herself in a sea of coruscating trophy wives near the refreshments table at the top of the stairs. She glares at Justin as she nurses a glass of champagne—there’s a bar, but only for the chaperones—and he, of course, goes out of his way to pretend that she doesn’t exist.
“Thank you for the outfit,” I grind out between clenched teeth. It’s the only subtle way I can think of to voice my displeasure.
“You are so very welcome, sweetheart,” Justin purrs, reaching up to play with my braid. His eyes shift over to Parrish’s and his smile grows even larger. “And you. The miracle child. Returned safely to the arms of his adoring mother by God’s good grace—and of course, Milk Carton’s superb technological advances.”
“You’re Justin Prior,” Parrish says, but more to himself than any of us, just to confirm that this is, in fact, the man to whom he should be directing all of his animosity. “I hope you know that if I get the chance, I’m going to kill you.”
Justin throws his head back in raucous laughter, bright blue eyes glittering as he lowers his gaze back to his kidnappee.
“Oh, I absolutely invite you to try, son. It would be a fantastic test of skill for both of us. You’d lose, of course, but I wouldn’t kill you. I promised Dakota that I would not, and my word is sacred.” Justin grins sharply, his teeth gleaming in the light of the chandelier. “But I would hurt you. Oh, and I’d love it, too. Part of me considered killing you in the beginning, just to piss old Paulie off, but what fun would that be?”
“You’re fucking sick,” Parrish snarls at him, but I can’t let the two of them start a fight. Not here. Not anywhere. Justin has too many lackeys, too much money, too much power. If we’re going to launch a direct attack on him, it has to be subtle, quick, and final.
“Excuse us,” I say, affecting the prettiest smile that I can manage. “But we’d rather spend our time together than with our parents. It is prom, after all.”
“Of course, my darling,” Justin oozes, reaching out to pat me on the head in the most patronizing way possible. “I’ll be over here, gossiping with Seamus. If you need me, just holler.” He winks before gliding off, and I yank on the boys’ arms to get them to move.
“Goddamn it, I hate that man,” Chasm murmurs, and Parrish grunts his agreement.
“He’s even more terrifying in person than I expected,” he adds, glancing back just once in Justin’s direction before shivering.
We hit the bottom of the stairs and the crowd of students parts like a wave, moving aside to make room for us. I’d be impressed if I didn’t think they were moving not out of respect, but hatred. Disdain. Old family grudges. Blackmail. That is, not for any good reason.
“Looks like we’re all social pariahs now,” Chasm comments, taking note of the faces around us. I imagine this wasn’t what he expected when he invited me to prom originally.
“I don’t give a shit.” Parrish turns his glare on the students closest to us and they back up even further. “As long as they leave us alone.”
I spot Lumen and Danyella in the crowd, but I don’t approach them, not this time.
I do, however, spot both of them looking our way every now and again. I try to take that as a positive sign.
Veronica and her cronies are clustered up on one side of the room with a group of boys that I assume must include Chasm’s attackers—Gavin and Antonio, among others. I don’t know any of them. I never got to know any of the boys at school but for the two on my arms, and now that they’ve kicked my crush’s ass, I don’t think I’d like to.
