Forever Golden: Dark High School Bully Romance (Kings of Cypress Prep Book 3) by Rachel Jonas (beach books TXT) 📕

A disgusting sound assaults my ears when she clears her throat and barks a rattly, mucus-infused cough.

“Then what the hell do you want?” she presses.

There are no formalities. No questions about how her three grandchildren are faring in this world. No questions about her son, other than to ask if he’s dead.

“I… was hoping I could ask you something. A favor.”

“Just say it, would ya?” she gripes, making it clear this is going to be a million times harder than I thought.

I swallow hard and close my eyes. “It’s Scar. For reasons I can’t really explain, she needs to get out of Cypress Pointe, and your house is the only place safe I could think to send her. So—”

“She pregnant?”

Caught off guard yet again, I stutter a clunky response. “She… I… no.”

“Sure about that?”

“Of course, I’m sure,” I say.

There’s a long pause, a sigh so deep I can tell she’s regretting picking up the phone this morning.

“What is she, eleven? Twelve?”

I roll my eyes, grateful the woman can’t see me. “She just turned fifteen yesterday.”

“That’s a terrible age,” she complains. “Teenagers think they know it all and don’t listen to a damn thing. No. I’m sorry. I can’t help you.”

“Grandma, please.”

It isn’t until those words leave my mouth that I understand the level of my own desperation. To be begging a woman to take my sister in who I know for a fact has never cared a thing for anyone’s wellbeing but her own.

She’s quiet again, either considering what I’ve asked, or she’s thinking of a more effective way to tell me to go fuck myself.

That hateful sigh hisses into my ear again.

“Don’t make me fucking regret this,” she snaps. “I’ve got a paying tenant in the spare room and I ain’t screwing up that arrangement for anyone. That means Scarlett will be on the couch and she and Hank can share the guest bath. If things don’t work out, she’ll be the one to go.”

Hank—a strange man I don’t know from the next guy.

Under the same roof with my sister.

“…Thanks,” I force out. “Can you text me the name of the local school district when we end the call? So I can get the enrollment process started? I’ll likely be bringing her to you early next month.”

“Shit. How the hell did your problems become my problems this morning?” she says. “I’ll get to it when I get to it. I’m going back to sleep.”

With that, the line beeps in my ear. She hung up.

I stare at my phone when the call ends and I’m sick to my stomach at the thought of… well, all of it. My grandmother being my sister’s sole caretaker, Scar being so far away.

Hank.

I take note of the time and toss my phone to the bed. I’ve got the breakfast shift this morning and I really don’t need this shit.

I pull my hair into a ponytail and drop my towel, slipping into the powder-blue uniform I’ll be wearing until at least three this afternoon. It’s freezing outside, so I slide on a pair of leggings I’ll take off when I get to Dusty’s. I’m nearly done, swiping on some lip gloss when my eyes dart to the phone again. Grandma Riley isn’t my only option. Hell, she isn’t even the best option, and I’m starting to think I know who might be.

Before I can overthink things, I dial the Cypress Pointe Police Department and ask for Detective Roby. I’m on hold for what feels like forever, but that’s mostly my impatience making it seem that way. By the time I hear a familiar voice on the other end of the line, I’ve lost my nerve.

What if he can’t be trusted?

“This is Detective Roby,” he says for a second time.

Just talk to the man. You know him. He’s a good guy. At least he used to be.

“Good morning, Detective. This is… Blue. Blue Riley.”

He’s quiet for a moment and I don’t know how to read his silence.

“It’s been quite some time, Blue,” he says. “You doing all right?”

I’m shaking so bad I can hardly hold the phone, listening to the ambient chatter and shuffling of paperwork in the background.

“I’m good.”

“I stopped into your uncle’s diner a few weeks ago. He said you’ve been waitressing for him.”

“I have. Headed there in a few, actually,” I say. “How’s Dez?”

“She’s well—graduated from Everly with honors last spring. Now, she’s having a great first year according to the grades she’s bringing in. I don’t hear from her much now that she’s all grown up,” he adds with a laugh.

“And Mrs. Roby?”

He pauses this time. “She passed away a few years back. An aneurysm. Completely unexpected.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “I’m so sorry.”

“You couldn’t have known,” he reasons. “Is there something I can help you with this morning?”

The spotlight’s back on me, I guess.

“Actually, yeah. I saw your interview on the news the other night and I… wondered if we could talk about that. You mentioned that you’ve formed a task force just to look into the missing girls.”

“I did,” he says. “It’s been an uphill battle, but we’re making some headway now. I suppose I still don’t understand what this is about. Were you friends with one of the girls who’s disappeared? Do you have some information you think might help?”

I’m losing my nerve, but it’s either Detective Roby or Grandma Riley.

“I think I might know who’s involved,” I confess.

Dead silence again. This time I’m pretty sure it’s because of the bold claim I’ve just made.

“I’m listening.”

“Something happened to me last week. I was confronted by someone and he alluded to having the means to make me and my sister disappear.”

“Those are some pretty serious allegations,” he says, concern heavy in his tone. “Have you spoken to your parents about this incident? Made a police report?”

If only it were that easy.

“My parents aren’t exactly available at the moment, and I didn’t go to the police because, honestly, I’m not sure who I can trust. Which is why I