“I bet you do.”
And then he slides his shades down his face and turns up the music.
PART TWO
Chapter Eleven
Harper
The rolling of the ship eases me out of my slumber.
I’m home.
That thought bounces around my head for several seconds before I remember this is not home. I’m on my father’s yacht. I don’t open my eyes and I don’t stop breathing heavily. Instead, I give off a long sleepy sigh and turn over. I crack one eye to figure out if I’m alone in the room.
“How are you feeling?” my father asks.
Not alone.
“It’s wearing off, Harper. The doctor gave you a drug to make it wear off. I hope you realize we only drugged you so that Tet would leave quietly. But you became combative the last few times we brought you out of it—”
The last few times?
“—and since you’ve been known to make rash and dangerous decisions, we were forced to subdue you.”
Well. Since there’s no use pretending I’m still asleep, I open both my eyes. He’s staring down at me and he looks worried, but then he smiles.
I hate to admit that it’s reassuring. He’s my father. It’s hard to turn that off.
“How are you feeling?” he asks again. “OK?” His smile makes the corners of his eyes crinkle up. My father is handsome, even at fifty-one. His hair is not gray, it’s still dark and it’s still thick. His suit, however, is gray. And his tie is navy blue. When I was a girl I always loved to touch them. “Harper, answer me.”
I pause for a few seconds and then nod. “I’m OK.”
His smile grows and I get a warm feeling that I don’t immediately understand. I mean, who is this man? How can he call himself my father when he’s part of this organization and all they want is to marry me off?
“We’re having dinner in an hour. I’ve had them prepare your favorites to welcome you home.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I look away.
“Harper,” he says sternly so I refocus on him. “I’m glad you’re home.”
I don’t know what to say to that either.
“Did you even miss me?”
Why is he asking me these things?
“Because this ship was not the same without you two.”
I look up at him for that. “Is Nick here?”
“No.”
I look away.
“He’s hiding. But once he hears you’re back, he’ll come for you, Harper. I know he will.”
“So I’m a trap to catch him?”
“Why in the world do you think I’m trying to catch him? He’s a grown man now. He can do as he pleases. I admit, he’s messed up my plans for you two. But I’m not wholly dissatisfied about that.”
I glance at him again. “You’re not?”
“Why would I be unhappy that you were not given away on your birthday, Harper? I love you. I might not have been the perfect father, but I was present more than most parents in this modern world. I did my business on the ship to stay near you. I really do not understand where this distrust comes from.”
“You promised me to someone.”
“I had to. It’s required. Which is why I’m not upset that didn’t happen.”
“James said you promised me to him.”
“Tet is mistaken.”
“I remember him, though. From the beach party when we turned Six.”
“He said no, Harper. I gave him the opportunity and he said no. That was the end of it for me.”
“But you sent for him every year.”
This makes him hesitate. “Tet told you that?”
“James told me that.”
My father sucks in a breath through clenched teeth. “It would be a very big mistake to mix them up, Harper. James is not Tet, and Tet is not James.”
I get a really sick feeling in my stomach at that comment. “What are you talking about?”
“He’s insane. He’s been this way for a very long time. Years.”
“Then why is he still working?”
My father smiles like he feels sorry for me. “Let’s catch up over dinner. OK? Can you sit up?”
“I’m sure I can.”
“I’d like you to sit up so I can make sure you’re not dizzy.”
I huff out a long sigh and then wiggle around until I prop myself up. I am dizzy, so I close my eyes and his steadying hand is on my shoulder. “I’m OK,” I say. But there’s something poking me in the butt, so I reach around and pull out my cell phone.
I look up at my father and wait for him to take it away.
He shrugs. “You’re a grown woman, you’re not a prisoner here, Harper. If that’s your phone, you are welcome to use it.” He lets that sink in for a few seconds, and then he nods and walks towards the cabin door. “One hour, Harp. Clean up and dress nicely, please.”
And then he and the doctor walk out, closing the door behind them.
I sigh again and look around. It’s my same room. This is my favorite yacht. The sailing ship.
Why is he being so nice? Not that my father was ever abusive towards me, but I poisoned thirteen people when I left. I ran away with no explanation.
It’s true he never paid much attention. He was certainly never this doting. But this whole act right now seems to be one of… concern.
Is it real? Is it possible that Nick led me to believe we were in danger from him for reasons that were unfounded?
Do I need to start questioning my trust in my twin?
I don’t have the energy for it. The drugs might be wearing off, but my head isn’t working right. I feel a little sick. And the slight rolling motion of the yacht is not helping.
I look down at the phone and press the little button to wake it up. There’s a message from James.
I look around nervously. I can’t believe my father would just let me receive messages like this. I mean, I don’t get it. He said I’m not a prisoner, but you don’t drug someone and force them to come aboard your ship if they’re not being kidnapped.
But then again he’s my father and this is… was… might still be… my home. Is it really kidnapping?
I open the message and read it.
I’m sorry.
I bet he is. Asshole. I want to talk to him, but not yet. I need to have dinner to clear my head and think straight. I need to get a grip on what’s happening.
And then he slides his shades down his face and turns up the music.
PART TWO
Chapter Eleven
Harper
The rolling of the ship eases me out of my slumber.
I’m home.
That thought bounces around my head for several seconds before I remember this is not home. I’m on my father’s yacht. I don’t open my eyes and I don’t stop breathing heavily. Instead, I give off a long sleepy sigh and turn over. I crack one eye to figure out if I’m alone in the room.
“How are you feeling?” my father asks.
Not alone.
“It’s wearing off, Harper. The doctor gave you a drug to make it wear off. I hope you realize we only drugged you so that Tet would leave quietly. But you became combative the last few times we brought you out of it—”
The last few times?
“—and since you’ve been known to make rash and dangerous decisions, we were forced to subdue you.”
Well. Since there’s no use pretending I’m still asleep, I open both my eyes. He’s staring down at me and he looks worried, but then he smiles.
I hate to admit that it’s reassuring. He’s my father. It’s hard to turn that off.
“How are you feeling?” he asks again. “OK?” His smile makes the corners of his eyes crinkle up. My father is handsome, even at fifty-one. His hair is not gray, it’s still dark and it’s still thick. His suit, however, is gray. And his tie is navy blue. When I was a girl I always loved to touch them. “Harper, answer me.”
I pause for a few seconds and then nod. “I’m OK.”
His smile grows and I get a warm feeling that I don’t immediately understand. I mean, who is this man? How can he call himself my father when he’s part of this organization and all they want is to marry me off?
“We’re having dinner in an hour. I’ve had them prepare your favorites to welcome you home.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I look away.
“Harper,” he says sternly so I refocus on him. “I’m glad you’re home.”
I don’t know what to say to that either.
“Did you even miss me?”
Why is he asking me these things?
“Because this ship was not the same without you two.”
I look up at him for that. “Is Nick here?”
“No.”
I look away.
“He’s hiding. But once he hears you’re back, he’ll come for you, Harper. I know he will.”
“So I’m a trap to catch him?”
“Why in the world do you think I’m trying to catch him? He’s a grown man now. He can do as he pleases. I admit, he’s messed up my plans for you two. But I’m not wholly dissatisfied about that.”
I glance at him again. “You’re not?”
“Why would I be unhappy that you were not given away on your birthday, Harper? I love you. I might not have been the perfect father, but I was present more than most parents in this modern world. I did my business on the ship to stay near you. I really do not understand where this distrust comes from.”
“You promised me to someone.”
“I had to. It’s required. Which is why I’m not upset that didn’t happen.”
“James said you promised me to him.”
“Tet is mistaken.”
“I remember him, though. From the beach party when we turned Six.”
“He said no, Harper. I gave him the opportunity and he said no. That was the end of it for me.”
“But you sent for him every year.”
This makes him hesitate. “Tet told you that?”
“James told me that.”
My father sucks in a breath through clenched teeth. “It would be a very big mistake to mix them up, Harper. James is not Tet, and Tet is not James.”
I get a really sick feeling in my stomach at that comment. “What are you talking about?”
“He’s insane. He’s been this way for a very long time. Years.”
“Then why is he still working?”
My father smiles like he feels sorry for me. “Let’s catch up over dinner. OK? Can you sit up?”
“I’m sure I can.”
“I’d like you to sit up so I can make sure you’re not dizzy.”
I huff out a long sigh and then wiggle around until I prop myself up. I am dizzy, so I close my eyes and his steadying hand is on my shoulder. “I’m OK,” I say. But there’s something poking me in the butt, so I reach around and pull out my cell phone.
I look up at my father and wait for him to take it away.
He shrugs. “You’re a grown woman, you’re not a prisoner here, Harper. If that’s your phone, you are welcome to use it.” He lets that sink in for a few seconds, and then he nods and walks towards the cabin door. “One hour, Harp. Clean up and dress nicely, please.”
And then he and the doctor walk out, closing the door behind them.
I sigh again and look around. It’s my same room. This is my favorite yacht. The sailing ship.
Why is he being so nice? Not that my father was ever abusive towards me, but I poisoned thirteen people when I left. I ran away with no explanation.
It’s true he never paid much attention. He was certainly never this doting. But this whole act right now seems to be one of… concern.
Is it real? Is it possible that Nick led me to believe we were in danger from him for reasons that were unfounded?
Do I need to start questioning my trust in my twin?
I don’t have the energy for it. The drugs might be wearing off, but my head isn’t working right. I feel a little sick. And the slight rolling motion of the yacht is not helping.
I look down at the phone and press the little button to wake it up. There’s a message from James.
I look around nervously. I can’t believe my father would just let me receive messages like this. I mean, I don’t get it. He said I’m not a prisoner, but you don’t drug someone and force them to come aboard your ship if they’re not being kidnapped.
But then again he’s my father and this is… was… might still be… my home. Is it really kidnapping?
I open the message and read it.
I’m sorry.
I bet he is. Asshole. I want to talk to him, but not yet. I need to have dinner to clear my head and think straight. I need to get a grip on what’s happening.
