Bitter Heart √

Fifty Two

Skylar's POV

Once I was done with breakfast, which was so not less embarrassing than last night, I tried calling my mother.

It hadn't been that bad though, now that I think about it. The breakfast, I mean. I kind of loved the company of all these boys. They felt like a family to me.

A very embarrassing family.

"Mom, why don't you pick up on the first ring?" I asked her the moment she answered the call.

"Well, I had to learn something from you." She sounded highly sarcastic. "I was busy. Why are you calling from school?"

I looked outside from the glass doors, at the beautiful, lavish garden. "I'm not at school."

"Why?"

"There's this College Fair happening. I don't need to be there." Then I added in just as quickly before she could've interrupted, "I called to ask you something. When will you guys be coming back?"

I heard her blowing out a sigh before hearing the shuffling of something that sounded like papers to me.

"Tonight, I guess." She said. "Since your cat seems to only be sulking around without you."

I felt my heart melting into a pink, glittery mess.

"I told you she'd die without me." I pointed out. She might not, I told myself. But I loved Chicken enough to die without her. "I'll see you soon then."

When I was done with the phone call, I joined the others back in the lounge and sat down beside Adrian on the couch. Who, now that I noticed, was busy wiping a very sharp dagger along the couch's arm. Its pointed edge reminded me of the numerous knives I had seen back in that basement.

I looked up and saw that Caden wasn't here. Neither was Shane.

"Who's Kevin?" I blurted out, apparently taking all three of them by surprise.

Jesse, who was sprawled on the opposite couch, eyed me with a grin. "Someone who shouldn't be messed with, tiger."

I frowned at his words, not really satisfied with his answer. And maybe Seth saw that on my face. I realized that he was really good at reading faces.

"Blake's father," Seth said.

"Blake's father?" My voice rose up a notch.

Adrian was now admiring the knife in his hand when he added, "His biological father."

I was left a little stunned. The name had been going on and on in my head ever since Alex mentioned him. But no way in hell had I thought that he was...Blake's real father.

"Why are you asking about him, though?" Jesse inquired, raising a brow.

"Just curious." However, the grin he passed me after that clearly told me that he didn't believe me. "Is Blake involved with him?"

"When is Blake not involved with him?" Adrian asked, and since he was sitting right beside me, I noticed the swirls of black ink crawling up his bicep, almost the exact same shade as his charcoal-black eyes.