The Protectors Series Bundle - By Nana Malone Page 0,3
getting stronger. She knew she shouldn’t, but she forced her mind to focus once more just to make sure she wasn’t losing her mind. “Peter, I just want to know why.” The resulting thick silence was as if a heavy fog had settled in around her. Again his lips didn’t move but his thoughts floated into her mind as if they had. Because you’re much too valuable to have running around at parties. Symcore will do anything to have you and you’re not ready yet. I will not have you endangering what I’ve worked towards.
When Peter did speak, his voice was weighted with icicles. “We’re done talking about this.” As he strode to her door, he paused. “And don’t bother trying to sneak out, Cassie. I’ve been a teenager. You run, and I’ll come after you. Reynolds will stay outside your door and the alarms will be on.
“Peter—“
“Yes, Cassie.” He turned to face her.
“I’ll stay here tonight. But this is wrong. You know it and so do I. Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to hide in here. He wouldn’t recognize you if he saw you now.” She dragged in a breath. “You might have cured me, but I know it’s somehow for your own benefit and not for mine.”
“You and your conspiracy theories.” He turned to Reynolds. “Make sure she stays in tonight. This weekend we’ll move her to the labs.”
The labs? What the hell? Her treatments had stopped months ago. She was better. Peter stalked into the en suite bathroom and came back thirty seconds later with a glass of water and something in this hand.
Cassie glared at her brother as he dropped two pills into her hand and handed her the glass of water. He could force her to take them, but he couldn’t force her to enjoy it. The pills hit her tongue with a soft click as they knocked together. Next came the cool water sluicing down her throat.
Peter gave her a satisfied nod as he watched her throat constrict in a swallowing motion. “Cassie, you’ll learn that this is all in your best interest. This is important for your future and mine. I’m protecting you. Eventually you’ll see that.”
Deliberately, she turned away from him and faced her window. All she could see was the pitch of night, but she knew right outside her window, was a fifteen foot hedge, a guard and two Dobermans who were trained to kill. Lucky for her, she spent enough time feeding them meat that they were unlikely to hurt her, but that wasn’t a chance she was willing to take. No. She wouldn’t be going out that way. It was too risky and there was no telling what Peter would do if she got caught. No one would be safe.
She heard the soft click of her bedroom door and quickly spat out the nasty pills into her hand. Reaching under her bed, she’ pulled out a Red Bull that Mallory had left behind on her last visit and chugged the whole thing. The super sweet, tart flavor made her wrinkle her nose, but the caffeine would counteract the sleeping agent in the pills. For months, Peter had been forcing them down her throat. Sometimes she had to swallow them. Sometimes, like today, she was able to quickly tuck them into the side of her mouth. Other times thrown them up. It had been three months since she’d willingly taken them. At the very least Peter was up to no good, at the worst, he was up to something sinister. No matter what, he wasn’t the Peter she knew. Cassie wasn’t going to play nice anymore.
Cassie watched the front grounds as Peter’s Mercedes meandered down the driveway. Immediately she burst into action. She brushed out her hair and tossed on a T-shirt and sweats complete with a hoodie. On her feet, standard issue bunny slippers. She at least had to be able to sell the whole going to bed scenario. Yanking open her door, she poked her head out.
Reynolds looked up startled. “Yes, Miss Reeser? What can I do for you?”
“Reynolds, do you mind if we go downstairs and make some hot chocolate? Sometimes it takes the sleeping pills a few minutes to work and I’m pretty worked up after fighting with Peter.”
His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Hot chocolate runs weren’t out of the ordinary with them since, in essence, he served as bodyguard, teacher, nanny and confidant. “Sure, Miss Reeser. After you.”