Trapped (Bullied Book 4) (Bullied Series) Vera Hollins (best large ereader txt) 📖

on my plate and cut it, hoping I wouldn’t mess something up. Paying extra attention to table manners was one of the things I disliked about these gatherings, and being so close to Blake made it almost impossible to accomplish.

Our hands brushed when we reached for the salt at the same moment. He turned rigid, and his eyes went to my lips. I looked away, thinking about our recent kisses again.

“So, Blake, Nathaniel told me you’ll be going to law school?” my dad said.

I didn’t miss the displeasure that flashed over Blake’s face. “Yes, sir,” he replied, cutting his steak a little too hard. The tone of his voice revealed he wasn’t happy about law school, and I wanted to know why.

“And have you chosen a college?” Dad asked.

Blake swallowed his steak and took a sip of his Coke. “You should ask my father that.” He glared at Nathaniel. “He calls the shots.”

Nathaniel cast a quick scowl at Blake, one I could’ve easily missed if I hadn’t been looking at him. He cleared his throat. “Right. He will attend Columbia.”

I whipped my gaze to Blake. “New York?” I asked, unable to hide the surprise in my voice.

I’d accepted my music college admission in New York just a few hours earlier. It was a part of my decision to start owning my life and following my dreams instead of letting my parents decide my future—and now Blake was going to New York too?

Blake just tilted his head to the side and studied me quietly.

“Yes,” Nathaniel answered instead of him. “Columbia has one of the best law programs.”

Blake sneered at him. “But I still haven’t accepted their admission.”

“You will,” Nathaniel answered in a tone that left no room for discussion.

Blake dropped his fork on his plate; an almost deafening clank stunned us all into silence. My parents glanced at each other, struggling to keep their expressions neutral.

“You’ve got it all figured out, huh?” Blake mocked. “Ship me off to some faraway college so you don’t have to deal with me, right?”

Daniela stiffened. “Blake, this is not the time or place to talk about that matter.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. It was like I was watching a tennis match as I looked between Blake and his parents on the other side of the table, only they weren’t lobbing a tennis ball but venom. Lots of venom.

“It’s never the time or place, Mom.” He spat the last word with hot anger, clenching his fist on his thigh.

“We talked about this, son,” Nathaniel told him. “You’re meant for a better school than that measly local college.”

So, Blake wanted to attend a local college. I wondered why.

“No. That’s not it, and you know it,” Blake said. “You just want me far away from here.”

“And for a reason, Blake.” Nathaniel’s knuckles went white as he tightened his grip on the fork. “You’ll be better off there with…with your issues.”

My thoughts raced through my head as I tried to keep up with them, but then Daniela said, “Blake, why don’t you take Jessica on a tour around the house? You can get to know each other better, seeing as you’re the same age.”

I choked on my saliva. I looked at Blake, who glowered at his mother, both his hands now fisted on his thighs.

“Of course. Anything to keep this dinner civilized. Good reputation and all that.” He shot up to his feet, making the chair scrape the floor loudly. “Follow me,” he told me gruffly. He didn’t even wait for me, rushing out of the room in a few quick strides.

“Please excuse our son,” Daniela said, but she didn’t sound apologetic at all. “He’s just hot-tempered sometimes, but it will pass.”

“Teenage hormones,” Nathaniel added with a smile that was supposed to be charming, but it had the opposite effect on me.

“Of course,” my mom concurred, just to remain polite.

“Um…” I said, unsure of what to do. I glanced between Mom and Dad as I stood up.

Mom didn’t look like she wanted me to be around someone so full of negative energy, but Daniela offered another of her tight-lipped smiles and said, “It’s okay, Jessica. Go on.”

I turned my head to conceal my frown. I was astounded that she cared so little about Blake’s feelings. I felt more than grateful that I had a mother who would never treat me so condescendingly, with no care or desire to help me. My legs carried me out of the room hurriedly, my heart urging me to go show Blake he wasn’t alone in this world.

It was naïve to think he would accept my company or comfort, because just one glance at him standing with his tense back turned to me in the hallway told me he wanted to be alone.

I gnawed at my lower lip and stopped right behind him. “You don’t have to show me around the house, you know.” His breathing was ragged, and I wished I could drive that tension out of him.

“I didn’t plan to. Come on.”

Once more, he walked away without waiting for me and led me to the back porch. I followed him into the quiet night that smelled of grass and exquisite flowers; the air was cold enough to leave little chilly bites all over my skin, so I was glad I was wearing a wool sweater.

He didn’t stop on the porch like I expected him to. He proceeded down a stone path that was illuminated by a row of small garden lights, and we reached a garden that had me frozen to the spot. It was dimly lit, but the lack of light only added to its magic.

There was a small pond in the middle, and its surface glimmered under the starlit sky. A stone path that curved around it ended at a deck with a small wooden roof and a wooden bench surrounded by pots of flowers. Flowering vines grew along the lattice panels that enclosed the garden, which brought a unique touch to the space, and I was immersed