The muscles in his neck twitched. “Spend the weekend in the Hamptons. Clearly you both need more time to adjust to her presence. And don’t come back until you’re ready to act more appropriately.”
“But, Daddy!” Isabella protested. “I need to be at the game tonight! And I just told you about my plans afterward.”
I doubted that the cheerleading team actually needed her. Or that James wanted to celebrate his acceptance to Harvard with her rather than with his actual girlfriend.
“Then leave town after the game,” he said.
Isabella huffed and stood up. “Does that mean you aren’t coming?”
“I’m no longer in the mood,” he said.
“Richard.” Mrs. Pruitt stood up. “You’re taking the word of that little trollop over our own daughter.”
Trollop? I felt myself sinking into my seat.
“No. Isabella admitted it. Now go. Both of you.” He waved his hand to gesture them out of the dining room.
Isabella gave me a look of pure fury before stomping after her mother.
The awkward silence stretched between us as doors slammed upstairs. Mr. Pruitt finished his salad right before the main course came out. And then he held up his hand before the plate could be placed down. He looked at me. But it felt a lot more like he was looking through me. “Is there anything else you need tonight? Anything at all?”
I shook my head.
Isabella was right. His wrath was terrifying. Even though it wasn’t directed at me, I still felt my accelerated pulse. Mr. Pruitt was scarier than Isabella and her mom put together. I wanted to tell him that all I needed was to leave. I didn’t want to be here. But no words escaped my throat.
“I’m going to finish my meal in my bedroom. I’ll see you in the morning. And don’t worry about shoes,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Please just come to breakfast however you wish.” He walked out of the room without another word and the chef’s assistant dropped a plate in front of me before rushing after him.
Instead of getting up, I just sat there and I watched the red wine drip down the paint. I was too scared to move. My plan had failed. Isabella hadn’t gotten me kicked out. She’d gotten herself kicked out. I cringed as I heard another door slam upstairs. All I’d done was make Isabella hate me a thousand times more.
Chapter 9
Friday
I wanted to crawl under the table and cry. I’d been brave all day. Or at least, I’d tried to be. I’d alienated myself from all the Pruitts by standing up for myself. Matt had treated me poorly, so I’d pushed him away. And now? Now I was all alone in a place that could only be described as a haunted mansion in apartment form. I looked at the creepy portrait of the Pruitt family above the fireplace. It felt like all of them were staring at me. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that the two females in the picture wished I was dead.
I couldn’t stay here. If I did, I’d probably never wake up. I looked behind me at the door to the kitchen. No one was watching me. If I was going to escape, now was my chance. Felix was somewhere in this apartment building. All I needed to do was sneak out.
I stood up and looked down at my feet. I guess it would have been a good idea to wear shoes so I could flee. But I didn’t necessarily need shoes to roam the halls of this apartment building. I was sure the fancy carpets in the halls were regularly cleaned. And even if they weren’t? I’d risk the cleanliness of my feet to stay alive.
A floorboard creaked as I tiptoed out of the dining room. I cringed even though I was pretty sure Isabella and her mother had left. Running into them without Mr. Pruitt there to protect me was my worst nightmare. And why had he protected me? It didn’t make any sense. He’d kicked out his legitimate family and taken my side. To someone else, it may have been reassuring. But it wasn’t when I knew for a fact that he’d never wanted me. It was just odd.
I took a left down the hall past the room with the piano. The way to the front door was the only thing I’d remembered about this whole stupid place. I was relieved when I reached it without running into anyone. I grabbed the handle, but it didn’t turn. I turned the lock and pulled again, but it didn’t budge. What the… I stared at the keypad to the side of the door. Oh no. It was just like the one by the elevator in the other apartment. What kind of maniac made it impossible to leave? This was a fire hazard. The apartment complex shouldn’t allow it. I tried the handle again to no avail. Damn it. Freedom was just on the other side of that door. I hadn’t come this close only to be stopped by a stupid code. Come on. I pulled again.