Free Entangled (Vice Games) by Alice Cooper Page B

I remembered our little conversation back at the restaurant yesterday. When he said he needed to pick someone that would not offend Anna, I did not realize that he meant me. ‘No. I can’t do this. Lying to them is one thing but to Anna? No.’
    ‘What you choose to disclose to my sister is up to you. But I would advise that you do that after the dinner. Her reaction is vital in convincing them of our ruse. I will discuss the arrangement with you later.’
    ‘We could have discussed about this during the day,’ I pointed out, ‘or early in the morning before you left for work.’
    ‘I had other businesses to attend to.’
    ‘Like buying a new car?’
    ‘You looked uncomfortable in the old one,’ he said without pointing to the fact why it made me feel that way. He knew and there was no need to talk about it any further.
    ‘How long am I supposed to stay engaged to you?’ I asked.
    ‘Until it is necessary to terminate.’ Tristan released my wrist and looked at his watch. ‘We need to go.’
    He opened the door and stepped aside for me. I frowned as I made my way down the stairs where Anna waited. Her eyes immediately caught the rock on my finger. Lorraine was next to her and their mouths dropped instantly.
    ‘Is that mom’s ring?’ Anna asked as she came forward and took up my hand to observe it. ‘It is mom’s ring. ’
    I turned to Tristan who descended the stairs with elegance. He nodded for me to keep walking and did not answer my enquiring look. On my finger was a family heirloom and it made me feel like an imposter to be wearing it. Everything seemed to be happening so quickly that I did not have time to comprehend it at all.
    ‘To the car, Anna,’ said Tristan.
    ‘Did you just propose to Phoebe? I didn’t know you two were…when did this happen?’
    ‘ Anna, I’ll explain later but for now, well, come on, let’s just get this over and done with.’
    Tristan opened the car door for me and Anna bounced into her seat. She pestered us with questions but Tristan did not answer any of them. I remembered what Tristan had said to me earlier and held my tongue to prevent it from bursting Anna’s elated bubble. I dreaded how she would take it when she finds out that it is only a lie.
    It was dark when we arrived at the mansion and it was slightly over six. The traffic had not been kind and it took an extra half an hour to reach the Main House.
    ‘Anna, compose yourself,’ Tristan said as he moved to stand beside me. Anna pulled a face at her brother but did as she was told.
    I felt nervous as we walked together up the front steps and guided us through the house by one of the waiting butlers. The place was illuminated with a harsh white glow and every inch felt cold. The dining room was large and the table big enough to seat at least fifty table. Seated at the head of the table was Elliot Vice and to his left was his wife Karen. I was surprised to see Lauren seated next to her. She wore a bright low cut dress that placed her pair of melons on display. Her hair was set in the same perfect curls as Karen and I thought that it made them look almost like twins. The similarity made me think that these two are somehow related, or perhaps it was just Karen’s surgical modifications. Their perfumes were strong and it felt as they had showered in it.
    The two women’s eyes immediately glanced towards the ring on my finger. With their taste in money, a rock of this quality and size was not hard to miss. I saw Elliot Vice’s eyes moved in the same direction and it deduced a flicker of emotion through his stone face.
    ‘Sit,’ he said.
    Tristan led the way and sat on the opposite side from Karen and Lauren. Anna and I followed. I noticed that Anna remained unusually calm i n the presence of these two women and I quickly realized that it was probably due to the false fact that I am engaged to her brother. It prevented her from having a panic attack as a different sort of thoughts moved through her