Page 84 of Degradation
I stare at Daisy’s door. Mav doesn’t seem to think she’d object to all three of us being with her. But I’m not sure. I don’t know her as well as I’d like to. Blake was right about what he said regarding her being a grown up. I’ve spent the weeks since she got here assuming she was the same as she was before, but of course she isn’t any more than I’m still the gangly teenager who loved playing video games with my quiet best friend.
Still thinking, I go down to the kitchen. I hear the laugh before I see her, and I frown. What the fuck isshedoing here?
I round the corner and find Laurie sitting on Marcus’ lap at the table. Her shirt is half unbuttoned. A couple of the other guys are watching with unconcealed interest like they’re at a peep show.
‘What the fuck is this?’ I growl.
A couple of the guys look at her and then at me nervously. Maybe they didn’t get the memo that Laurie isn’t my girl and never was.
Marcus smirks at me as if he thinks he’s won something. I ignore him completely.
‘Pussy in the house is for parties in the house,’ I say. ‘That’s the rule. Always has been. Now,’ I glance at the other guys, ‘it couldn’t have been changed because all rule amendments and additions have to go through the committee of seniors, and I haven’t been to one of those meetings this year yet.’
Marcus laughs. ‘You broke the rules when you brought the retard to live here.’
I look him up and down, a faint smile turning my lips upward as I imagine breaking his jaw. He looks a little uncomfortable.
‘Actually,’ I reply, ‘I didn’t break any rules. Bylaws state that if an alumni makes a request of the current members of the house, the seniors can choose to overrule any rules necessary. John Novelle requested; we acquiesced.’
Marcus’ eyes narrow. Laurie is ignoring the exchange. She’s kissing his neck. He pulls her hair sharply and she hisses.
‘C’mon, baby, I know a place we can go.’
They get up and she gives me a pouty smile. I move in close to her and her expression turns seductive.
‘It could still be you,’ she whispers as Marcus collects his belongings from the counter.
‘Oh, Laurie,’ I groan and watch as her eyes light up in triumph, ‘get the fuck out and don’t come back, or I’ll call campus security.’
She practically bares her teeth at me as she turns away, looking every inch the scorned woman.
‘You’re going to regret ever meeting me,’ she says sweetly.
‘I already do,’ I mutter, turning my back on them.
I leave my house and get in my car, heaving a sigh.
Time to get this over with.
The drive to my father’s doesn’t take long and I pull up in the semi-circle driveway of the house, taking in the grand manor’s façade. How is it that I grew up here and it still doesn’t feel like home. It might as well be a rental in a place I never go to. Whatever value it holds for me are the memories of April and how she tried to make this place happy for Andy and me over the years. She ultimately failed of course. My father would never allow that kind of softness in his sons.
I glance in the sun visor’s mirror and make sure my hair is combed.
‘Old habits die hard,’ I mutter with a roll of my eyes.
Exiting the car, I take in the house again, feeling the loss of April a little more keenly than I have recently. As I get to the top of the marble steps, the door opens and Stevens gives a short bow. ‘Master Jack.’
‘Morning, Stevens. How are you?’
‘Very well as always, sir. And you?’
I shrug at him as he closes the door and shuck my coat. He takes it from me, but instead of bowing and going off to do whatever butlers do with coats as he normally would, he stands in front of me.
‘Was there something else?’
‘Indeed, sir. If I might have a moment.’
I nod.
