Clover Undercover

REALITY SPANKS HARD

We've been with Luca for a few months now and Elliott and Bella are completely enamored with him. Outside of his strict rules and stupid disciplinary methods, I think he's great too, but I still sometimes think I made a mistake by coming here.

If the truth comes out, everything is going to change. It'll be like starting all over again and I'm not sure if I want to do that. I like the way things are now.

Mostly.

I'm still not thrilled about how I've been walking on eggshells. I've kept my opinions to myself whenever he speaks sternly to my siblings and I count to ten in my head after he swats them for one infraction or another. I do my best to stay out of it, but sometimes it's like a knee-jerk reaction to defend them.

Deep down, I know he's what's best for them; he's just not what's best for me. Which is fine, because if the truth doesn't come out, I won't be here for long.

*

I've got the final auction set up in L.A. again, and I'm hopeful I'll nab the person responsible for mother's death. The lucrative item that got her killed is supposed to be the gem of the show; if it's there, I'll know for sure who killed her, and I'm prepared to end them myself.

Afterwards, I'm burning every alias associated with the setup and getting out of the business. I know mother wouldn't want me continuing it after what happened to her. Then, I'll be staying in a little apartment in L.A. and attending Irvine just like I told Luca I would be. My siblings would have a normal upbringing, and I'd be free to live my life and to do whatever I want...

"Looking for something?" Luca asks.

"Yeah, my phone. I could've sworn I set it on the table while I was getting stuff for coffee."

"It grew legs and walked away, huh?"

"Yeah, and I'm betting they're four-year-old legs," I deadpan.

Luca chuckles and then pauses, his eyes zero in on my fingers tapping impatiently against my thigh. "How many cups of coffee have you had today?"

"Um.." I look up at the ceiling and try to recall. "One when I get up is a necessity. One after breakfast.. then lunch.. now it's almost dinner... five?"

His eyes bulge and he shakes his head. "Clover.. that's a bit excessive don't you think?"

I sigh and shrug. "Probably but if it's what gets me through the day..."

The Keurig stops pouring and I snatch up my coffee, dumping creamer in it and inhaling it's sweet aroma. I raise it in the air in a saluting gesture to him and he smirks, shaking his head some more before I head upstairs to find my phone.

Normally I wouldn't care if Eli or Bella wanted to use it, but I'm awaiting a call to confirm a final guest's arrival to the auction, and I can't afford to miss it.

When I walk by Elliot's room, he's on his ipod listening to music so that leaves only one other person.

I enter the room I share with Bella and see that she's made a fort connected from the bed to the dresser. Setting my coffee on the end table, I peek into her fort to find Lavender tucked beneath her arm, and my phone propped up on a pillow. With TikTok playing.

"You little shit," I hiss, reaching in to take my phone.

"THAT'S A BAD WORD!" she screams, snatching up my phone before I can get it and scooting to the very back of the fort.

"You are being bad!"

"Nuh-uh, I'm just in here doin' nuffin!"

I shake my head and glare at her. "Give me my phone, Bella."