The Mind Readers (15 page)

The words hit home, pierced my
chest.

“What is it?” He cupped the side
of my face, forcing me to look at him. He had a shadow of whiskers on his cheeks.
It made him look older, rugged. Gorgeous.
 

“Nothing.” I forced myself to
smile. “I’m being silly.”

“Tell me.” His palm was warm on
the side of my face. So warm, so comforting. He shifted so his body was closer
to mind. How I wanted to sink into him!
 

“It’s just… I understand. My mom
didn’t exactly want me.” My mom, and there she was again, hovering on the edges
of my world.

His blue gaze grew soft. He grasped
my shoulders and pulled me against his warm body. Tossing my nerves aside, I
wrapped my arms around his waist and allowed him to hug me tight.
 

“You don’t have to worry about
that anymore,” he said. “I want you here. We want you here. You’re home Cameron.
Exactly where you belong.”

********

I couldn’t sleep after Lewis had
left me at my door, which was why, at six in the morning, when it was still
dark, yet the morning birds could be heard, I made my way down the hall where
I’d seen the blonde girl and Sam disappear. For some reason, this close to
dawn, the house wasn’t as intimidating. I stuffed my hands into the pockets of
my hoodie.

Home. Lewis had said I was home.
But this massive mansion didn’t feel like home. Not yet. I turned the corner,
expecting… I don’t know what. But I wasn’t expecting more silence, more
emptiness. A short corridor, two doors and a narrow staircase that went down to
the first floor and up. I looked behind me, making sure I was still alone. Had
the children gone down the steps, or up? A few hours ago, it had been too dark
to see. It was an old house with one of those massive attics, or so Lewis had
said. What could possibly be up there? But it was still too dark and my nerves
got the better of me. Maybe Aaron was awake. I swore I could smell the scent of
pancakes coming from somewhere below.
 

I started toward the first floor
steps, but something made me pause. An invisible line that practically pulled
me toward those stairs leading up to the attic. Slowly, I turned. At the top of
those steps was a door. Aaron had told me that his home was mine. Still, I
doubted that was a pass for snooping. But what was the harm in looking in an
attic? I started up the stairs, each step creaking so loudly I thought surely
someone would hear, but no one came running.

When I wrapped my fingers around
the ancient looking porcelain handle, I expected the door to be locked, but it
opened easily under my touch. As Lewis had said, the attic was huge, running
the length of the house. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dark
light. Windows lined both long walls, gray squares allowing the dull, morning
light to enter. It was your typical attic with boxes and trunks stacked like
small mountains around the room. I wondered why Aaron would have so much junk.
He didn’t seem the hoarder type. Although half the room was in shadows, I felt
oddly comfortable here.

Not ready to return to my room,
I moved across the creaking floorboards and to the windows. The ocean sparkled
below under the quickly fading moonlight. Dawn was turning gray skies a
brilliant orange. A few gulls hovered in the air, their screeches high pitched,
but comforting in their normalcy. Everything was as it should be, so why
couldn’t I shake the feeling that something was off?

I started to turn when a
whispered warning caressed my skin. Someone was here. My heart slammed wildly
against my ribcage. “Hello?” my voice quivered.

A shuffle interrupted the quiet,
like mice scurrying from a cat. From behind a pile of boxes a small form stepped
into the light. Golden hair glinted under the rising sun coming in through the
windows. The girl who had come for Sam. “You,” I said, realizing how stupid I
sounded, but I was too surprised to care. “I didn’t get your name.”

She wore a blue woolen dress
that came to her knees and white tights. Her hair was pulled into a lopsided
ponytail, her long bangs hiding her eyes. My fingers curled as I resisted the
urge to reach out and fix her hair. She’d obviously done it herself. I wasn’t
sure how old she was, maybe seven or eight. Too young to be without a mother.

She didn’t look surprised in the
least to see me and settled down again, hidden behind her box. “I’m Caroline,”
she whispered.

I moved around the boxes to see
her better. She had an entire little world set up here in this dingy, dusty
attic. An old, stuffed bear sat in the corner, his button eyes hanging on by
loose threads. She’d propped a box up for a doll house. I supposed most kids
would have loved their own little hiding place, but for some reason this just felt
sad.
 

“Hi Caroline, I’m Cameron.”

“I know,” she whispered, not
looking at me as she picked up a little doll. She smoothed its hair from its
porcelain face.
           

“What’s your dolls name?” I
settled on the ground beside her.
 

“She’s not mine.”

“Oh.”

“I… found her.”

Was she nervous I’d take the toy
away? “Well, I’m sure no one will care if you play with her.”

“Maybe not.” She held out the
doll and looked at me expectantly.

“Uh, thanks.” I took the toy,
cradling it close. I’d never played with toys much as a child. Maybe because
I’d had to grow up too fast. I realized, as I held it, close that the doll was
old. The lace dress was stained yellow with age. Her pale, porcelain face was
crackled, the paint flaking.

“It’s the mother and this is the
child.” She picked up another doll, as old as the first.

“Neat,” I said, handing her
back.

While she settled them down near
their house, I studied her little area. Under the rising sun it was easier to
see and I was startled to notice a blanket in the corner of her nook. “You
don’t sleep here, do you?”

She shrugged, glancing at me
through her lashes, as if judging my reaction. “Sometimes, but only if I need
to be alone.”

“Alone?”

She sighed, her narrow shoulders
sinking. “There are so many. Sometimes they cough, or sneeze and they wake me
up.”

“They? Who?”

“The other’s like me. Like you.”

Her gaze was so sincere I didn’t
dare doubt her.

Others? Dear God. I knew there
were others, but I figured two, three at the most. “And how many are there?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know.”
She tucked her dolls into their house. “He’s awake, you should go.”

“He?” I stumbled to my feet.
Nervous, although why, I wasn’t sure.

“Lewis, he’s looking for you.”

“Oh.” I looked back at the door.
I didn’t exactly want to be caught snooping. “You know because…”

“I’m like you.”

That didn’t really explain, but
I didn’t have time to ask more questions. If I didn’t want to get caught
snooping, I needed to hightail it out of there. “Well then, I’ll see you
around.”

She nodded, watching me as I
made my way to the door.

“Cameron,” she called out.

“Yeah?”

“You won’t tell? About my secret
hiding place?”

I shook my head. “No, promise.”

She nodded, looking relieved.
Pausing, I rested my hand on the wooden railing, worn smooth with age. I
couldn’t help but wonder why she didn’t want me to tell. Merely because she
didn’t want other people stealing her hiding place, or because she’d get in
trouble? She turned back to her dolls and began to hum some song, dismissing
me.

I felt odd leaving her alone, but
she’d lived here longer than I had. Maybe Aaron didn’t care if she was there. I
glanced back one last time, seeing her placing her dolls in their house, then
made my way down the steps.

I was out of breath by the time
I’d made it to my room. As if sensing me, just as I reached for the handle,
Lewis’ door opened.

He was dressed in jeans and a
t-shirt, his hair no longer messy. He looked perfect, too perfect, and I
realized I preferred him rumpled and warm as he’d been last night. His guard
down.

“Hey! There you are.” He smiled,
that dimple flashing and my insides warmed. “I was looking for you.” He was
watching me curiously.

“In the bathroom,” I blurted
out. “I…didn’t hear you knock.”

It was a lie, obviously.

He nodded. “We’ll have
breakfast, then do some more meditating, if you’re up for it.”

“Yeah, sounds great.” I smiled
too and followed him down the hall toward the front of the house.

“Did you sleep well?”

I nodded, but the entire way
down that impressive front staircase, I couldn’t help but wonder why I’d lied
about being in the bathroom. I was only in the attic, it wasn’t as if I was
working on a plan to take over the world.
 

Lewis chatted amicably beside me
as we made our way toward the breakfast room.

He was cute. He was kind. He
cared about me.

Yet, something niggled at the
back of my mind, something that made the smile on my face quiver.

I trusted Lewis, didn’t I?

Chapter 11

I’d never really had the
opportunity to dress up. At last year’s prom I had pretended I would be out of
town, partly because I couldn’t afford a dress, partly because I was afraid no
one would ask me. Hearing about how much fun everyone had had made me wish I’d
gone. I’d been planning to go this year. Now…well, I was no longer a student
and the realization that I’d miss out on something so major made me somewhat
sad. That is until the dress Aaron had bought me for the dinner party arrived.

Instead of prom, I tried to
focus on the fact that I was wearing a totally cute dress with a halter type
neckline and an A-line skirt that landed at my knees. It was more mature than I
normally wore, but not too sexy. When I’d put the dress on, I’d noticed the tag
said Louis Vuitton. I was no fashion expert, but I knew expensive clothing when
I saw it. Once again I was aware that Aaron had money. But how? From what I
could see, he didn’t work.

I pulled on my Gucci high heels.
Blue, to match the dress. The heels weren’t high, but it didn’t matter. I
wasn’t used to wearing dress shoes and for a moment, I wavered on my feet.

“Must be nice.”

I spun around, teetering as I
did. Olivia stood in the doorway, chewing on a strand of her hair while she
glared daggers at me.

I resisted the urge to grimace.
I’d only been here a few days and already had an enemy. “What must be nice?” I
grabbed onto the post of my bed, regaining my balance.

She slumped against the
doorjamb. She was wearing a black sweatshirt and jeans, apparently her normal
garb. “I said it must be nice to be Aaron’s new favorite toy.”

I bristled at her comment. “I
don’t know what you mean.”

She laughed, but didn’t look me
in the eyes, instead focusing on the floor. “Right.”

She was jealous, obviously. I
didn’t blame her. Aaron was awesome and I was taking his attention away from
her. But she probably had no idea that Aaron was practically an uncle, so of
course he felt a connection with me. “Listen, Aaron knew my dad…”

Her black eyes darted up to me.
“So?”

So I can’t help it if you’re jealous.

She narrowed her gaze into a
glare. “I’m not jealous, for your information.” She took a step back. “Just be
prepared when he tosses you aside for someone new.”

She left me standing there in
shock, hugging the bedpost. Surely Aaron wouldn’t toss me aside. We were
practically related. She was just jealous, I repeated to myself. In fact it
made me feel a little good, in a twisted way, that finally someone was jealous
of me. Aaron thought of me as a daughter, it was obvious. And little miss dark
and dour couldn’t stand that. I sighed. I really hated having enemies.

“You ready?” Lewis appeared in
the doorway looking like a model in a magazine.

Butterflies fluttered in my
stomach, sighing with oppressed lust, those little sluts. He wore a black suit
that made his blue eyes pop. I noticed almost immediately that the blue shirt
underneath matched my dress. Had he worn that shirt on purpose? I took my lower
lip between my teeth. Dang, he looked great. I was gawking, I realized and
quickly looked away.

“Yeah, I’m ready.” My voice came
out a little breathless. I wished I could read his mind, wished I knew what he
was thinking…

He cringed, his hands jerking to
his head.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, just…a little headache
all of a sudden.” He frowned, his gaze piercing mine. “Did you try to read my
mind?”

Confused, I shook my head. “I
don’t think so.” I’d wanted to read his mind, but I hadn’t, had I? So why was I
flushing like I was guilty?

He smiled, but it didn’t quite
reach his eyes. “It’s nothing, it’s gone. Come on.” He took my hand and I
practically fell into him. My body hitting his in an embarrassing display of
awkwardness.

“Sorry,” I muttered, pushing
away. “I’m not used to heels.” I blushed at the admission and seeing my red
face, Lewis laughed.

“All right, then just hold onto
me.”

Yes, sir, no problem there. I’d
gladly cling to Lewis. I looked down at the carpet and slipped my arm through
his, my hand sliding over the smooth, cool material of his jacket. “I didn’t
realize this would be so formal.”

He shrugged and led me into the
hall. “We’re always kind of formal.”

In other words they were rich.
Rich people were always formal, at least in my experience. I frowned, wondering
once again how they made their money. “What, exactly does Aaron do?”

“You mean for work?”

“Yes.”

He shrugged. “To be honest,
Aaron comes from family money. His parents were rich, his grandparents.
Railroad, oil, something or another. But don’t worry, I mean…no one’s a snob or
anything.”