Dangerous Desires

Twenty-Two

Introductions were made between Galveston and Estella before he went to settle in at his rental home after we had all eaten a dinner of pizza. Stella chose to stay the night in her room at home before going back to school the next day. I peaked into her room to find her sleeping soundly in her bed then went to find Annabeth setting on the back terrace, a glass of wine setting on the arm of her lounger and a cigarette between her fingers looking up at the stars.

"Hey," I sighed slumping into the chair beside of her. I grabbed her drink and took a long swallow from it feeling her eyes turn to me.

"I'm sorry Tavin," she breathed and I met her eyes as I set the glass back down.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"For what Analyze said to you because of me. I saw how her words affected you."

"Annie," I breathed and reached out a hand to take hers. "Yes, what she said hurt but I don't blame you for it."

As we looked at one another I could see something weighing on her mind and my brow furrowed. "What's wrong?"

She took a long drag of her cigarette and exhaled it so it floated up into the night sky. "When you went to the party last night I found my way into Liz's craft room. Did you know her worktable has a secret compartment?"

Slowly I shook my head. "It was a gift from Analyze."

"Of course it was. I found a box in the compartment."

A brief silence settled between us before I spoke again. "What was in the box?"

Her eyes left mine and she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "My mother and sister with Estella when she was a baby. On the back it said 'the Christening of Estella Brooke Kennsington'."

I downed the rest of the wine and drug my hand down my face. "So Stella getting in with those girls wasn't a coincidence."

She shook her head. "It really doesn't look that way. I asked Gal if he thought the order could be like a sorority and he thinks that type of exclusiveness is my its numbers have stayed so low and why there are so few mentions of them."

"Annabeth, what are we going to do?"

"I don't know Tavin, I really think we just have to let things play out."

I let out a slow breath and nodded.