Beautiful Heist

6. Apparently, Your Anger Management Class Pisses You Off

Six

Apparently, Your Anger Management Class Pisses You Off

Later that afternoon, it finally stopped raining, though the clouds still rolled in the sky. I hadn't left my room since my encounter with John. And by the sounds of continual pacing on the floor above me, he hadn't left either.

When car doors slam from the street, I stood up and quickly went to the window. Elena, Paul, and Rosaline were back, but they weren't the only ones.

There was a second car parked behind them, a black Range Rover, and an older man stepped out. He was dressed in an expensive-looking suit, which his smoothed out as he walked toward the front of the SUV. His head turned up in the direction of my window as if he could feel me watching. His eyes crinkled as he smiled, though I could barely see it through his gray beard.

After a few words, the four of them walked toward the sidewalk and to the steps leading into the house.

Since I was up on the fourth floor, I couldn't hear the conversation happening downstairs. This was what I'd been waiting days for. Hopefully, they'd tell me something to make more sense of everything.

The sound of heeled footsteps echoed on the hardwood floors as they made their way upstairs. As I walked toward my bed to make it seem like I wasn't doing anything but watching television, they passed my door, heading for the stairs. I huffed, dropping back onto the bed in defeat. Maybe I wasn't going to get any answers.

That didn't mean I couldn't snoop.

I jumped up and tip-toed to the door, pressing my ear against it to hear.

"Hey, Dad wants you downstairs for this," Elena's voice said, floating down from the top of the stairs. "Put on a shirt and come on. He's tired of you moping around up here like a little kid. You haven't even made it out of your room since you got back."

"I'm not going down there. Why should I when I already know everything. I don't even want to be in the same room with that girl."

"That girl, John? Really?" she asked, laughing humorlessly. "You're the one who dragged her into this mess. I'm sure she would have been just fine if you..."

"Not when the Knights were right behind me, she wouldn't have," he growled. "They would have taken her if I hadn't. Hurt her, torture her to get any information out of her..." His voice was strained as he trailed off. I could almost hear when he gulped.

There was a slight pause before Elena gasped quietly. "John, do you...?"

"I don't want to be down there, Elena. I already told you I didn't want to see her again, no matter what. You were the one who thought it would funny to piss me off by getting to know her, and now you actually like her."

"Yes, I've been talking with her because I actually like her. She's like the little sister I've always wanted, but instead I have you for a brother. I mean, really, John? You need to get your head out of your ass and be a man for once. Quit taking out your anger on her. I haven't seen you this bad before, but now I'm beginning to understand just why you're acting the way you are right now. It's because you like..."

John cut her off. "If you finish that sentence, I will...I'll..."

"You will...what? Come on," she said, dropping her voice lower as she spoke. I could only hear the first part of her sentence. "You don't really think I'm blind, do you? I mean, even Dad and Rosaline..."