TWISTED FATE (Twisted Path Book 1)

Chapter 15

Shane

"Took you long enough," I growl under my breath, which I immediately regret. As stressed as I am about everything, I have to remind myself that none of this is Nick's fault any more than it is mine.

"I told you; he's not fucking here."

"I know, man. I just have this thing, and now I'm going to be late."

"Look, you're the one who called me at an ungodly hour, demanding I get up so I could ride to school with you. A school I don't even go to anymore, remember? College freshman here." He points at himself, his annoyance clear.

"I'm giving you my car for the day, which beats sitting at home waiting for one of us to drive you around like you're Miss Daisy. So quit complaining. Now, about Amanda..."

"I had Con pick her up like you asked. Any particular reason you don't want her here for this conversation?"

"You know why," I say matter-of-factly as I pull out of the long, winding driveway that surrounds the pretentious mansion. Though my family's net worth is nearly double that of the Klines, Nick's father's tendency to flaunt his wealth is something that's talked about with great contempt in our circles. Not that anyone would dare say it to his face. That's the twisted quirk of the rich—they only associate with people who have as much money as they do, pretending to be friends while secretly despising one another. "I wanted to talk to you first. Make sure you and I are on the same page."

"Look, Shane, all that matters to me is my sister. She's the one with the most to lose."

"You don't think I know that?" I run a frustrated hand through my hair, looking both ways before pulling onto the main road. My tires spin out, screeching in complaint, as I push on the gas pedal harder than I intend. "I thought I made it clear that I care about your sister, too. Making sure she comes out of this okay is my top priority."

"That's not good enough, and you know it," he snaps, frustration crackling through his voice. "Our parents control everything we do. Everything! Where we go to school, where we work, even our damn trust funds. Essentially, every single thing that happens to us." He lets out a bitter sigh. "There's no way in hell you can keep that promise if you go against what they want."

He's not wrong. I'm quite familiar with the reach our parents have and how tightly they hold the reins when it pertains to us. But...

"We have time, Nick. That's what I wanted to talk to you about." I grip the steering wheel a little tighter, forcing a determined calm into my voice. "I talked to my dad last night. We've got another four years to figure this out. That's plenty of time to come up with a plan, some way that will ensure our fathers' ambitions are met without Amanda and I getting shackled to this bullshit arranged marriage."

"Oh, well, woopty-fucking-do for you, then!" His voice drips with sarcasm. "Glad you've got it sorted." He slaps my shoulder far harder than is necessary. "Now tell me, oh wise one, in the meantime, how in the hell do we protect my sister from the abusive asshole who calls himself our father?"

His words land just as he intended. I know exactly who Charles Kline is, and thanks to Nick, I'm intimately aware of what he's capable of. But I can't let my best friend see me flinch, any more than I'm willing to give in to the fear of his father's retaliation.

"I don't think we'll have to. I told my dad about the breakup. He's the one who confirmed we have time—until we graduate from college. When we meet for that stupid dinner, I'll tell your father the same thing. That Amanda and I are taking a break. That we'll be using the next few years to live our own lives, independent from one another, before we have to settle down."