Casing ✔️

Chapter 24

All my stuff was placed inside a spare bedroom in the Davis' mansion, and I'd slept in the bed in there—alone. I was tired and emotional when we finished carrying everything inside, and James left me alone after I'd fallen asleep waiting for him to bring me dinner.

It looked surreal, seeing everything I owned somewhere so different from where I grew up. I didn't hate it, but I certainly had something heavy weighing my heart down. I ran my fingers over the boxes containing books, and I sighed, before finding my way downstairs to the kitchen.

On the kitchen counter I found a note.

Help yourself to anything in the kitchen, princess.
I had to leave early to help out with something about the latest gun trade. (Damian's a damn cockblocker.)
See you tonight,
Prince James

P.S. Borgen is ready to take you to meet Nina.

It was hard not to smile at his very impressive handwriting, and his words. I kept coming back to reread it as I opened cupboards and drawers to find something light to eat. I ended up finding some rice crackers that I nibbled on, before making my way outside, where poor Borgen was waiting inside the black car.

When he saw me, he got out and opened the door, without a word.

"You could've come inside and had something to eat or drink while you waited," I told him. When he didn't answer, unsurprisingly, I added, "Thank you," and got into the back.

I stared up at the ceiling, exhaling and inhaling slowly to make myself stay calm. I had lots to talk about with my sister, and I needed to get so much off my chest. I'd been unfairly avoiding her since after the ball, and she'd been acting more and more interested in nothing but power.

Or maybe I was imagining that.

The whole world was overwhelming to suddenly have at my feet. A little mistake here and there was unavoidable, so if I'd ruined our relationship because I was full of emotions—

"Where are you going?" Borgen's rough voice startled me, and as I looked out the window, I realized we hadn't moved yet.

"Sorry," I muttered, clearing my throat, "Nina said to meet her by some mall a couple blocks from the club, I don't know what it's called."

He only nodded in response before the car started moving. I leaned back and closed my eyes, trying my best to relax and not think too much about the day ahead of me.

Nina was busy on her phone outside the entrance to the mall as I jumped out of the car. I told Borgen he didn't have to wait for me, but I didn't catch the response he grumbled—and the car didn't move when I was out. So I assumed James had told him to wait, or at least make sure I found Nina before leaving.

It was kind of sweet, if that was true.

"Hi," I greeted her when I walked up, but she didn't hear me. "Nina?"

"Oh, hi!" She locked her phone and put a smile I was pretty sure wasn't entirely real on as she looked at me. "Ready to spend some of daddy's money?"

The wink she gave me made me believe she wasn't exactly referring to our dad...but I didn't dare ask. I was too shocked, for once in my life, to open my mouth as she pulled me into the building.

We went into one of the most high-end stores I'd ever seen—not that I'd seen many at all, really—and Nina flew around like she knew the place like the back of her hand, checking behind racks for new items, or hidden items.

With her pace and lack of patience, there was no time at all to slow down and talk—even if she agreed we had to talk some things out. I ended up carrying so many bags my arms were aching in no time, and I was more stressed than I'd ever been, my heart rate spiking every time she gasped and pointed at a new store.