Page 57 of Like You Know
Even though Momhad calmed my fears about the party, I’d still figured out where Raine’s building was and how to get there from school and from Nicola’s. So I didn’t waste time looking it up—I just ran. I cursed the Louboutins on my feet but didn’t bother taking them off. I spent more time in heels than I did barefoot; removing them wouldn’t make me any faster.
As we turned the corner—the building entrance just a few feet away—my phone rang.
“Mom!” I yelled into it as soon as I accepted the call, coming to a stop.
“Amaya?” She sounded as panicked as I felt. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
“Are you OK?” I was panting, and even Jet was breathing a little heavier next to me as he rubbed my back.
“Am I OK? I have, like, a thousand missed calls from you! What is going on?” The party noise in the background lowered significantly. She must’ve just stepped into a quiet room, but she was definitely still at Raine’s.
“Can you please come downstairs?”
“Downstairs? Are you here?”
“Yes. I’m outside the building. Can you come out, please?”
“I’m on my way. Don’t move.” She hung up before I could insist she stay on the line. I went to call her back but decided against it. I didn’t want to delay her for even a second.
I paced the sidewalk, my feet beginning to throb now that I’d stopped running and my body was catching up. I ignored them. Jet said something in soothing tones, but I ignored that too. I ignored everything and just paced while I watched the entrance to the building.
After what felt like hours of torture—but was probably merely a few minutes—Mom rushed through the brightly lit lobby and out onto the street, her eyes searching.
We ran into each other’s arms. She squeezed me so tightly it almost hurt, but I finally felt as though I could breathe.
“You’re scaring me, sweetheart,” she said as she finally pulled back, scanning my face. “What’s happened?”
“You didn’t check in,” I croaked, and it sounded pathetic. I sounded like an irrational child.
Mom blinked slowly, then sighed. “Seriously, Amaya Ann? I was having fun at a party. I am sorry I forgot to text you. But holy shit, you just gave me a heart attack.” She turned to Jet. “Why didn’t you stop her from coming all the way down here?”
He glanced between us, looking like a deer in headlights.
“It’s not just that.” I drew her attention back to me. “It’s Calvin. I just found out and then you weren’t answering and I panicked.”
She frowned in confusion. “What about Calvin?”
“He’s not who you think he is, Mom.”
“What?”
“He’s Raine Clayton’s son.” I dropped the bombshell, but it didn’t seem to hit its mark.
“Yeah, I know ...” Mom’s frown deepened. Shit, maybe she didn’t fully appreciate the danger she was in, or maybe they had her brainwashed—my worst fucking nightmare.
“Viv?” someone called from behind me. “Is that you?”
Mom stepped around me, putting on her people-pleasing smile as she looked down the alleyway that ran down the side of the building.
“Ella? Nessa?” she called to the two women waving at her. “I didn’t see you upstairs.”
“Oh, we just got here! Come have a drink with us,” the second one called, gesturing for Mom to come join them.
“I’m just talking to my daughter. I’ll be up soon.” Mom turned to face me, effectively dismissing her two drinking-buddy friends.
Whatever she’d been about to say was cut off by the screech of tires.
I turned just in time to see two men step out of an average-looking white SUV right across the alley. I’d barely had a chance to process the situation when an arm wrapped around my middle and yanked me backward.