Page 15 of Filthy Elites

I turn off the shower. There’s no point in freezing my ass when it didn’t do jack to help me out.

I’m drying my hair with a towel when my phone rings. It’s Mozart’s 5th symphony, which means my mother is calling. It’s easy to guess what she wants to talk about. I can’t deal with that bullshit right now. Thank fuck she hates Triton Cove, and comes to town only when a family event demands it.

I let it go to voicemail and get dressed. Five minutes later, she calls again. For fuck’s sake. Better get this over with.

“What?” I snap. I’m too pissed to play nice.

“Do not ‘what’ me, Jason. I’m your mother. Show some respect.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose and count to ten in my head. “I’m busy. What do you want?”

“I’m in town and unfortunately was roped into dinner with your uncle and grandfather.”

“So?” I ask only to be a pest.

I know exactly what she wants now. She can’t stand my uncle or grandpa, and the feeling is mutual on their part.

“Dinner is at seven. Be punctual.”

She ends the call, not giving me the chance to come up with an excuse not to go. Those dinners are boring as hell. Grandpa is fine, but I detest my uncle. He’s an asshole who treats his wife and children like they’re props to make him look better.

Sadly, this whole town is made of people like him. My father wasn’t much different, but at least he had the balls to marry someone outside of our family’s network. If only he had chosen better and not married a viper.

* * *

I driveup to my uncle’s mansion early but stay in the car because my mother is already there. It’s rare that she’s punctual, which means she’s most likely taking advantage of my uncle’s bar. She isn’t as bad as Finn’s mother. Auntie Marissa is a raging alcoholic. My family life is fucked up, but my cousin has it worse than me. At least I don’t live at home.

The rumble of Finn’s sports car brings me back to the here and now. He parks right in front of the house. I might as well walk in with him. He’s still wearing sweatpants and a Maverick Sharks T-shirt, and his hair is wet. He probably just came home from swim practice.

He hoists his duffel bag over his shoulder and waits for me to walk over.

“What’s up, cuz?” I hug him sideways.

“Not much. What time is this thing?”

I chuckle. “You’re the one who lives here, and you don’t know?”

The corners of his lips twist upward. “I was in the pool the whole afternoon. I know nothing.”

“You have five minutes to get presentable.”

He rolls his eyes. “God. That’s your mother’s car, isn’t it?”

“Yep.” I throw my arm over his shoulder. “Come on. We can get through this together, then after, we should head to Playground.”

His eyes widen. “Dude, I’ve tried to get into that place since it opened. No amount of dropping names and bribery worked.”

“Yeah, they’re trying to keep the young crowd away. But I know the owner. I’ll get you in.”

“Can you also get Luke, Reid, and Cam in? They’d kill me if I went without them.”

I sigh, resigned. Finn is tight with those boys. They’re the three Musketeers to his D’Artagnan. “If I must. Come on. Let’s get this torture over with.”

No sooner do I step foot inside, than I hear my mother’s annoying voice. Finn quickly disappears up the stairs, leaving me alone to face the monsters.

“Good evening,” I say as I enter one of the living rooms.

This is where the cocktails are served before dinner, but as usual, it seems Aunt Marissa has been here for hours. Her eyes are already glazed.

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