Page 133 of Love Me

Inhaling deeply, we move inside. Everyone is gathered in the kitchen.

Celine grabs a bottle of water and downs it.

“What did you do to dehydrate yourself like that?” Blake says while eyeing Celine.

A tint of blush covers her cheeks before she makes a face at him. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

I can’t wait to finish this meeting so I can go into her room and lose myself in her. This will be the last night before we start raining hell. Even though I am prepared, none of us can predict the outcome. I don’t want to think about it, but the idea of losing her paralyzes me. Instead, I will focus on my end goal—to be together.

“My father is alive,” Celine says.

The room falls silent as Abi, Blake, and Bailey snap their gazes at Celine.

Blake blinks. “What did you just say?”

She drags a chair across the floor and drops down on it with a plop. Then she begins to explain the whole sordid story.

“And I am pretty sure I didn’t cause the accident. It was intentional.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” says Abi.

“Why aren’t you sure?” asks Bailey.

“Instead of a memory, there’s this blank space in my head—”

“Felix found you,” Blake interrupts.

They all look at me. Felix has always craved power, but would he go against the matriarch, playing games with her?

I shrug. “They’ve killed before.”

“Then why would they put that on Celine? Grandmother treats her as if she’s personally responsible,” Abi says.

Mia and Hunter step inside. They glance at each other.

“They already know. There’s no need for secrecy since we all want the same thing,” Celine says.

The group shares a look of understanding.

“Here’s the plan,” I say.

And just like that, we are bunched over the table, working toward the same goal, and it feels right. I wrap my arms around Celine and place my chin on her shoulder.

My family is complete. That knowledge injects a high dose of strength that makes me feel undefeatable.

As they bicker over who will take which role, Celine and I slip up the stairs and into my room.

“If that’s true, and Grandmother blames me for killing my mom… If Felix has kept her, that changes everything.”

“Where are you going with this?”

“It’s the perfect cover-up. Imagine how betrayed she’ll feel. And he couldn’t have acted alone.”

I nod. “Caleb has to be in on it as well.”

“That would cause mayhem. We could just disappear afterward.”

I flop on my back with her caressing my chest. “We need answers. I am paying Felix a visit tomorrow.”

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