Page 14 of Promising You
“Fine. If you won’t get rid of Jade, I’ll throw her out myself.” I hear footsteps walking quickly toward the door. My heart stops mid-beat as I prepare for Katherine to catch me standing there.
CHAPTERFOUR
“Katherine!”I hear Mr. Kensington racing after her. “You will not interfere in this! I will handle Jade and Garret as needed. If you eventhinkof interfering, there will be consequences. Do you understand me?”
The way he says it scares the crap out of me, but it doesn’t seem to have the same effect on Katherine.
“Fine, have it your way,” she says in a calm but caustic tone. “Besides, we both know those two won’t last.”
“I’m going into the office.” I hear him walking farther away from the door, probably toward the bathroom.
“Why do you have a such soft spot for that girl?” Katherine asks in a syrupy sweet voice. “Is it because she reminds you of Garret’s mother? Another trashy girl from the wrong side of the tracks?”
“Fuck you, Katherine!” A door inside the room slams shut, rattling the door next to me.
I hurry back down the hall. I’m no longer thirsty. Well, I kind of am but there’s no way in hell I’m going to the kitchen now. I just want to hide away until I can get out of this place.
I knew Katherine hated me, but not that much. She honestly thinks I’m dating Garret to get a piece of the Kensington fortune? That really pisses me off. I’ve never once asked Garret for money and I never would. I have no interest in his money or his family’s money. If she only knew how much I fight with Garret every time he tries to buy me something.
The woman is mean and hateful and all kinds of crazy. And what was the big plan she was talking about? Apparently she thought it was important enough to sacrifice Garret and me. She probably would’ve been happy if Sinclair had killed me. But did she really think it would’ve been okay for him to kill Garret? Who says that about their own stepson? And why the hell is Garret’s dad still married to this woman?
I’m back in my room now but it feels different. It feels cold and scary and really dark. I can’t be in here. I sneak back out and quietly make my way to Garret’s room. He’s sound asleep.
I didn’t think I could love Garret any more than I already do, but after overhearing that conversation I somehow love him even more. He never told me how Katherine treated him all these years. And he never told me how his dad basically ignored him when he married Katherine. It sounds like Garret’s life went to hell after his mom died. And although most people would say my life has been a million times worse than Garret’s, I feel worse for him than I do for myself. I guess it’s harder to accept someone you love being hurt than it is yourself.
I go over to Garret’s bed and slip under the covers, trying not to wake him.
“Jade?” He yawns. “What time is it?”
“A little after 5.”
“Come here.” He puts his arm out and I snuggle up beside him, resting my head on his chest. “Is something wrong or did you just stop by to say hi?”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to be next to you.” I pull the blankets up all the way to my chin. This house seems so much colder now.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” Garret kisses my forehead. “I feel like you’re not telling me something.”
“I’m okay. What time are we leaving for New York?”
“I have the car scheduled for 9. Why?”
“Is there any way we could leave earlier? Like maybe 7 or 8?”
“We’d have to get up right now if we did that.”
“Yeah. I guess. Goodnight.”
He falls back asleep. But I can’t. I keep replaying that conversation in my head. Parts of it made no sense. Like when Mr. Kensington said that I know their ways? What ways? What does that mean?
He said I was one of them now. I don’t want to be one of them. If Garret and I ever got married, I’d want to run as far away as possible from them, or at least Katherine. I still don’t know what to think of Garret’s dad. Part of me thinks he’s okay, but another part of me knows he can’t be trusted. He’s definitely involved in something I probably don’t want to know about.
I can’t decide if I should tell Garret everything I heard. I’m thinking I should only tell him some of it, like the part about Katherine trying to get rid of me. But then again, maybe he’d be mad at me for listening in. Maybe he doesn’t want me knowing about the things I heard. I decide to keep quiet for now.
At 6:30, I go back to my room to shower and dress. Then I pack everything in my suitcase. On a chair by the bed I spot the Katy doll that Lilly gave me. It’s ironic she gave me a doll that has the same name as her mother. I consider poking pins in it and making it a voodoo doll. But that would be stooping to Katherine’s level and I’m better than that.
I pick up Katy and take her over to my suitcase. But before I can pack her I hear faint knocks on the door. I open it to find Lilly standing there. She has on her pink pajamas, pink robe, and pink bunny slippers.
“Mom said I’m not supposed to come in your room without asking first. So can I come in your room?”
