Page 57 of Betrayed

Which means they’re investigating my father, though he didn’t say it. My emotions flip-flopped between grateful for the kindness and frustrated by the half-truths.

Even though he hadn’t said it, I felt the need to defend my father. “You probably won’t believe me, but he’s innocent. He’d never do anything illegal.”

I didn’t sound as strong as I had when I defended him the night before.My conviction’s waning.

“For your sake, I hope that’s true.” Empathy radiated from his eyes. He held out his arm and escorted me back to the kitchen.

Apparently, the conversation was over.

Doug was wiping down the table, stirring up a dense cloud of dust.

Which made me sneeze.

“Bless you,” three different voices called out.

“Thanks.” I sneezed again. “Can I open a window?” I didn’t think I could live with the dust and the musty smell filling the house.

“Unfortunately, no, they’re nailed shut.”

Nailed shut? That had to violate some housing code or something. “What if there’s a fire and we have to get out?”

“You break the glass.”

I didn’t appreciate Jaden’s condescending tone. He might be used to this kind of thing, but I wasn’t.

“Jaden,” his father’s tone invoked an apology.

“What happened?” AJ asked, walking in to the kitchen.

“Nothing,” Jaden answered.

“Jaden was being less than polite.” Doug didn’t hesitate to throw him under that bus.

AJ growled at Jaden, who raised his eyebrows and chuckled.

Men.

I grabbed a bottle of water and went back to my room to grab one of the books Emily let me borrow, then tried to get comfortable on the lumpy couch.You’d think they could’ve found a better place to stay. I’d happily dish out more cash for a five-star hotel. Knowing they’d tell me no; I didn’t bring it up.

I got as comfortable as I could and opened the book. Before long, the cozy mystery transported me to a fictitious English village filled with magic and mystery.

I was a few chapters in when John and Doug left. Three cars suddenly made sense. Jaden and AJ each had one, and John and Doug needed one to get home.

“Holler if you need anything,” Jaden said before closing and locking the door. He had keys so he could come in to use the bathroom and get food, as needed.

AJ sat in one of the mismatched recliners and opened a book.He reads?Probably a thriller or mystery. Looking down at my novel, I realized I had zero room to judge.

I usually played background music when I studied or read, but hadn’t needed it before the guys left. Their chatter had filled the void, but now the house was eerily quiet.

Without thinking, I reached for my phone.Right.Annoyance rushed to the surface—I didn’t have my phone or my laptop. I didn’t have any of the luxuries I’d always taken for granted.

“You okay?” AJ asked over the top of his book.

“It’s too quiet,” I admitted.

“We could talk, or I could turn on the TV.”

I didn’t want to watch the tiny, probably black and white, ancient looking, TV.

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