The Forbidden: A Huntress Novel (The Huntress Series Book 1) (12 page)

Chapter Thirteen

I was running a comb through my wet hair as I sat on my bed in nothing but my bathrobe watching television on my flat-screen when Chelsea came running in the room with a look of disbelief on her face.

“What?”

“Have you seen Cameron?”

Oh no, this is about the bruises I was responsible for. Chelsea couldn’t know that I had caused her injuries because she couldn’t know that I went out on a date with the enemy. I have to play it off as best as I can.

“No, what happened?”

“She was involved in a fight and the person who did it messed her face up pretty bad. The rumor around the manor is that a huntress was responsible for it, but they don’t know who. I think she was in a brawl with someone outside of the manor because I had her go out tonight.”

She grabbed on my arm and tugged. “Come on, I have to return your book to your library and get a new one.”

“I can’t go to my library right now I am naked under here.”

She pulled me to my feet. “No one will realize you’re naked, for all they know you have shorts and a tank top on under your robe.”

“Fine, let me get my key.” Opening my side table, I grabbed the key.

“Let’s go.”

I cautiously walked out of my room and into the hall, thankfully there was no one around. The teenage boys in the manor are girl crazy perverts and would without a doubt lift my robe up to get a peek of what’s underneath. I wanted to avoid the embarrassment of having my lady parts shown to half of the boys that live here. I would surely get a bad rep. for that one.

“See, no one is out here.”

“What did you mean when you said you had Cameron go out tonight?”    

“Oh, I paid her fifty dollars to follow you and see who the mystery guy was. She is an expensive little thing, her negotiating skills are good because she wouldn’t agree to do it if I went under fifty dollars.”

I blinked in surprise as my mouth fell open. So Chelsea is the reason why I had Cameron following me. She is the reason why I had to practically bully Cameron into not telling. Bullying isn’t my style and it was actually the first time I have ever done it. If only Chelsea wasn’t so damn curious about who I was going out with, this whole problem could have been avoided. I couldn’t yell at her for it because she had no idea who I was out with. She obviously went to see Cameron, but it looks like Cameron kept the secret to herself. Good, that is exactly how I want it.

I shook my head. “Nosy, much,” I mumbled.

“Well, if you weren’t so damn secretive about the guy, then I wouldn’t have you followed.”

“Don’t tell me you turned into some stalker best friend who obsesses over the guys I am dating.”

She glanced at me before scowling down at the floor. “You have never been so secretive with me before. I am not used to this; I am your best friend, you used to tell me everything.”

“Sometimes there are secrets that people have that are better left unsaid.”

I put the key in my door and unlocked it before pushing it open. A gush of cold air hit us both as I turned on the light of my own private library.

Chelsea rubbed her arms as the hair on her arms raised and a chill crept up on her skin. “Why is it so damn cold in this room?”

“It’s always cold in here.”

Long, wide bookcases filled with books of every genre were on every wall of the spacious room. Romance; fantasy; thriller, the list goes on. The library was a gift given by my father, well; it was more like a bribe really. After I ended my relationship with Isaac,  my dad tried to bargain with me. He had my own private library built to bribe me into taking Isaac back. I refused and when my father threatened to take my gift away, Mrs. Wilson wasn’t having any of that, she chastised him and forced him to let me keep it. She may be our housekeeper but she is a part of the family and my dad has grown to care for her and does listen to her when he is being scolded for being unreasonable.

“Your library is an avid readers dream…I could live in here.”

I beamed. “I know it’s book heaven in here.”

Chelsea stood on the stool and placed the romance novel back in its spot. That’s the third romance novel she has read recently.

“On a bit of a romance kick I see.”

“I was, but I’m thinking about reading a thriller this time.”

I pointed straight ahead. “Thrillers are over there.”

“There’s some more gossip going around.”

“Oh yeah, would you care to fill me in on the juicy details?”

“It’s about you.”

My brows raised as I nibbled on my lip. Please don’t be about Lucas.

“What about me,” I asked, wary of what she was going to say.

She turned and crossed her arms as a smile slowly formed on her lips.

“Do you have a thing for a certain rookie?”

I smiled and nodded. “Brody, this is about him.” I was sighing in relief inside. I am so glad that my plan is actually working.

“I heard you guys went out on a date tonight and then you went to visit him during his class. I thought you said you weren’t going to give him a chance.”

I shrugged. “He grew on me.”

“I see that. So he is the mystery guy. Why would you want to hide him from me, I was the one who told you to go for it.” She turned around and searched the shelf for a book.

“I don’t know, I guess I am a little embarrassed because he is a rookie.”

“That’s nothing to be embarrassed about. He’s a babe and all of the girl’s here are jealous of you because you are dating him. They all would die to have him show at least an inkling of interest in them.”

Now I feel bad. I’m not actually dating him, he is only a cover up and I can’t help but feel that I am robbing him of finding a nice woman...and he can’t find that with being linked to me. I really wish she would have kept that to herself.

“Oh,” I mumbled.

“So, If I were you I would appreciate your man. Could I ask you something?” She bit down on her lip as she smiled.

“Of course.”

“Have you guys been intimate?”

I smirked and shook my head. Yes, only my best friend would get this personal with me. “No, we haven’t.”

Her mouth fell open as she looked at me in disbelief. “And why not?”

I shrugged. “We just haven’t.”

She rolled her eyes. “Athena, you haven’t been intimate since you were with Isaac. It’s been over a year, how do you go that long without it?”

Well, to be honest I don’t think of Brody in that way. Sure he is attractive, but there is only one person that I want to get intimate with and I don’t even know if I have a future with him. 

“I’m sure it will happen,” I mumbled.

She smirked and grabbed a book from the shelf. “Well, when you happen to dust the cobwebs off, your stalker best friend would sure love to hear about it.”

“I’m sure you would,” I said dryly.

She wrapped her arms around me, giving me a nice squeeze leaving a kiss on my cheek. “Don’t be mad at me for having Cameron follow you. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again, forgive me?”

“Of course I forgive you.”

“Alright, I’m going to take this book and turn in for the night.”

“Good night.”

“Sweet dreams, sleeping beauty.”

****

I flopped down on my bed and shoved my feet in my heels as I exhaled. I haven’t even laid eyes on my father yet and I am already annoyed. Tonight is the dinner with my father and Isaac and even though I have Brody coming along, which I should be excited about, I have a bad feeling about tonight. I know the dinner won’t go as smoothly as I would like and that has put me in one sour mood. In fact nothing that involves my father ever goes smoothly. I suspect he has something up his sleeve, I don’t know what, but my father doesn’t request dinner with me if he doesn’t have a reason to. I am hoping Brody will take the spotlight away from me for most of the dinner.

I stood up and carefully ran my hands over my curled hair, my brows furrowed as I walked over to my door hearing an argument outside in the hallway. I opened my door slightly and peaked out.

It was Brody and Aubrey. Aubrey was really letting him have it, while he stood there leaning on the wall and scowling. I have never seen her so flustered and ill-tempered before…well, there was that one time at the dinner table. Crap! I forgot about her little outburst during breakfast. She had gotten angry because he was flirting with me, how could I forget about this…then the answer was obvious, Lucas, I have been too wrapped up in him to remember anything. If only I remembered her hostility at breakfast then I wouldn’t have brought Brody into this mess.

She pointed her finger in his face. “You do not have any business going out on a date with her!”

“What was I supposed to do? She asked me and I didn’t have the heart to say no.”

She gasped as she took a step backward. “You like her, don’t you? Oh, just forget about me and pretend I don’t exist. Guess what buddy, she is next on my list!”

He scowled in confusion. “What do you mean she is next on your list?”

“It’s confidential,” She hissed.

She stormed down the hallway cussing like a sailor.    

Okay, so I am next on her list. I’m not sure If I should take that threat seriously or blow it off thinking she was only venting. I had no idea Aubrey could be so spiteful…this was a side to Aubrey that I wasn’t used to seeing and that is quite suspicious to me. Now I am going to have to figure out what she is doing. Brody won’t be much of a contribution in helping me figure this girl out, he had no clue what she was up to.

I took in a breath and emerged from my room as I made my way down the hall to go meet my father, Isaac and Brody in the foyer. I tried not to think about the confrontation between Brody and Aubrey. I knew I was the cause of their arguing and now I have put myself in a position with Aubrey that I wanted to avoid. My guess is that they had a fling and Aubrey wanted more but Brody didn’t. I will have to ask Brody about their relationship later, I really don’t have time to dwell on her, not when I was about to go battle it out with Lucifer.

I held onto the banister as I carefully walked down the staircase. I was concentrating on every step I took trying to avoid falling down the stairs and breaking my neck in these heels.

My father was impatiently waiting in the foyer with Brody. He looked pissed already and I was smiling on the inside.

“You’re wearing that?” My father said as he gave a look of disapproval.

And so it begins. I looked down at my flowing knee length blue silk dress wondering what is was he didn’t approve of. “What is wrong with my dress?”

He shook his head. “Never mind,” He said dryly.

Brody smiled and kissed my cheek. “You look beautiful as always.”    

“Thank you.”

“When were you going to tell me you were bringing Brody along?”

I shrugged. “I never intended to. Where is Isaac?”

“Isaac is taking care of Cameron. Apparently, someone did quite a number on her face. You wouldn’t happen to know about that would you,” He eyed me speculatively.

“No, actually I haven’t seen her for a couple of days.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Maybe.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“Do you have a guilty conscious, Athena?”

I shook my head. “I don’t like to be doubted, especially not by my own father.”

He turned and opened the manor door. “Come, we wouldn’t want to be late I have a reservation.”

I looked at Brody and scowled. My father was getting under my skin already.

“Relax. Everything will be okay if you keep civil.”

I folded my arms and pouted. “I have no patience for him.”

“Yeah, I can tell.”

I had the urge to run up the staircase and hide out in my library so I wouldn’t have to endure this dinner with my dad…he wouldn’t find me if I was in my library and he wouldn’t be able to get in either I am the only one with a key.

A black limousine was waiting for us outside with an older gentleman holding the door open.

Brody looked at me in surprise. “Wow, I wasn’t expecting this.”

“You obviously have never stepped foot in a limousine.” I said.

My father grinned. “I ride in style.”

I sat down on the black leather and immediately raided the mini bar.

I smiled as I opened a small glass bottle. “Ah, Mr. Daniels we meet again.”

“Athena Megan Bram, you put that bottle down right now!” My father yelled.

I shrugged and took a nice big drink. I could feel the liquor burn all the way down to my stomach as I took another drink, finishing the bottle in just three drinks.

I reached for the mini bar deciding on another drink when Brody grabbed my arm, stopping me from drinking anymore. “I don’t think you should be drinking, it’s strong and we are dining out. I don’t want you drunk.”

In other words, I would advise you not to drink anymore or you will feel my wrath if you embarrass me in public.