Page 36 of The Revenge Plan

Bryce: Dad’s on my ass. Any information?

I looked at Caiden. He was staring at me before he leaned back and went to his iPad.

Me: it’s fucking Suturday.

Bryce: So?

Me: I’ll see if I can get you something tomorrow.

Bryce: there better be something in my inbox tomorrow.

Fuck. He was giving me a lot of pressure. Part of me was a little relieved that he hadn’t been asking me about the deed we stole yesterday. Part of me was afraid that they would soon find out. After all, it was only mere hours since Caiden and I took it. Caiden on the other hand, was sunshine and rainbows. Between breakfast and the head last night, he seemed to be in a giving mood.

A deep swore took me out of my thoughts. He was staring at his phone.

“What is it?”

“Get ready. We need to go to a thing I had completely forgotten about.”

“Now?” I didn’t want to do anything. I wanted to stay indoors, veg out on the couch and watch Netflix all day.

“Do I have to come? Why can’t you go alone?”

“Because it was part of the agreement?”

“Why do I get the impression you keep dragging me from place to place?”

“Trust me, I would have told you earlier if I hadn’t forgotten. Plus, you’ll be in familiar territory. It’s a Polo match in the Hamptons. Most of your friends will be there.”

Oh no. If that was the case, then I definitely wasn’t looking forward to it.

20

The polo match had already started when we arrived at the club. It was an event of the season and everyone who could be there was there. Including people I would rather not see.

As if she was a wolf intuitive to our scent, Dana was the first to see us when we came. She was sitting at one of the front middle tables with Ax and some other reed-thin girl who was leaning into him. Dana waved at us. I was hoping Caiden would wave back and that would be over, but nope, we made a beeline towards them.

“I thought you were no longer coming,” Ax said. He draped his hand over the chair of his current girlfriend. Every time I saw him had a different girl on his arm. They were all model-like or actual models and never lasted longer on his arm than the milk in his fridge.

“I’m here now, aren’t I?” Caiden sounded a little irritated as he spoke. I wondered why as we took our seats. It’s not as if he had been doing anything home. Home. I can’t believe I thought of his apartment in that way. The penthouse. Or the apartment. That’s what I was supposed to call it, not home. I should never think of that place in that way.

Ax introduced his girlfriend. Her name was Sookie, and she was a model. Surprise, surprise.

Ax’s attention turned away from us and onto the match. I never saw anyone more invested. Most people came here to indulge in the social sport of seeing, being seen and getting great photos for the social media feed. Sookie seemed not to mind the lack of attention. She was more preoccupied with her phone than anything else.

Dana, however, kept darting her eye from the match to me and Caiden. When she darted back at me again, I glared back at her. She gave me a vacant smile. “Your dress is beautiful,” she said. It was a blue long floral halter neck dress I had paired with a wide-brimmed white hat.

“Thank you.” I knew I looked good, but I also knew that it wasn’t a compliment. I would be right a moment later.

“Hailey has always tried to upstage everyone around her if there’s meat around.” There it is. Caiden shifted in his seat, and so did Ax. I paid attention to the match as if I hadn’t heard what she had said. No one else said anything, and I thought it was over, but she continued, “I saw one of your old flames here. Or should I say two? Is that why you came, I wonder?”

I gave her my best smirk and hoped my hat was shielding my embarrassment, “Old is operative word. Why would I care about them?” She shrank back at my retort. Good. I thought. Caiden took my hand and placed it in his. The feel of his hand not only sent electricity down my spine, but it shocked me. It was as if he was comforting me somehow. I brushed that thought aside when I saw a photographer take a picture of us. Of course.

The match was boring, to say the least. Polo wasn’t my favorite. I was feeling hot and restless after a while I got up, “I’m going to get a drink,” I announced.

Caiden nodded, but he wasn’t paying full attention. He had been discussing some business thing with Ax and had disregarded me some time ago. I went to the bar, glad to leave the sun and enter the much cooler tent. There were more people here than were watching the game. Most were socialites taking Instagram-perfect pics. A lot of them recognized me, unfortunately. They didn’t acknowledge me. To them I was still a pariah whose mere association with me could affect their social score. Instead, they either stared at me and went back to whatever they were doing or ensured I was out of their shot when they were taking photos. I saw a few taking photos of me and their fingers furiously thumbing all over their phones. I made a mental note not to go on social media.

I reached the bar and ordered a mojito. I took a sip. It didn’t taste as good as it looked, but it was refreshing on this hot day. I was dragging my feet when I heard someone call me.

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