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"Cross your thoughtless heart

Only liquor anoints you
She's the albatross
She is here to destroy you
Devils that you know
Raise worse hell than a stranger
She's the death you chose

You're in terrible danger"

The Albatross - Taylor Swift

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Chapter Twelve:

< James >

The loudspeaker crackled with static as Dean Lexington cleared his throat, signaling his unscripted announcement. Everly sat across from Alistair and me, flanked by Lydia, nervously reviewing her notes one final time before we began our exams.

"I apologize for interrupting the start of final exams, but will Everly Calloway please come to my office immediately," he announced, his voice tinged with anxiety. My girlfriend turned to me, her confusion evident, as if she thought it might be a prank.

"James?" she whispered, her concern growing, suspecting that Cyril might be pulling a stunt to get us all out of exams. I shrugged, glancing at Cyril to see if he was laughing, but all of our friends wore the same blank, confused expressions.

"Miss Calloway," our professor interjected, pausing the exams to excuse her. Everly stood up, trembling, clearly having a panic attack. This was a girl who never got into trouble, never received a bad mark, and never spoke out of turn. She was the student body president, top of Maxton Hall's class for grades, and the cheer captain. Everly Calloway epitomized the good girl. I couldn't let this happen without being there to defend her against whatever accusations were being made.

Struggling to maintain balance on my crutches, I stood up urgently. "Professor Marx, my mother just informed me I have a doctor's appointment. I'll escort Everly to the Dean's office," I explained swiftly. Our professor, well aware of my father's influence, nodded without hesitation, permitting me to accompany Evie.

"James, you have a doctor's appointment? Why didn't you tell me!" Everly scolded, her concern shifting back to me.

"No, Evie, I lied. I'm going with you. I have no idea what's happening, but I won't let you face this alone," I declared, exhaling heavily. Evie nodded in understanding, steeling herself as we approached the office door. The dean welcomed us with a tense expression on his face.

"Everly, James, I was actually just about to call for you as well. I'm glad you're here," Dean Lexington said, though his tone conveyed fear and worry rather than happiness.

"Dean Lexington, what's happening?" I inquired, settling beside Everly in his office. She stared at her feet, her leg twitching with anxiety. As I placed my hand on her knee, a wave of calm washed over her.

"Miss Calloway," the dean turned his attention toward my girlfriend, "Your grandfather has just notified me of a very credible threat that has been made toward your family. Your father who was supposed to return to England today, has redirected his plane to an unknown secure location. Though the police are involved and Mr. Calloway is cooperating, I've been told this threat was not just directed at your father...but unfortunately you as well. In your father's absence, he and your grandfather who is stepping in for him have asked for you to stay with the Beauforts permanently. Your safety and protection are of utmost importance to the Calloway Trust. This news will be made public as soon as you are off the premises."

"So he's gone into hiding and left me as bait? I am very confused," Everly's voice quivered as her head spun from Dean Lexington's statement.

"The police are fully involved in the situation and your safety is your family's top of mind. Once the person of interest has been apprehended things will return to normal.," Dean Lexington explained. "But as of right now, you are at risk being here." My girlfriend, normally the epitome of poise, was struggling to hold herself together. She dug her nails into her palm, clearly fighting back tears.

"So what you're telling me is, my father made a reckless deal and screwed over the wrong person. Shockingly he didn't think there would be repurcussions for that? Now he's gone into hiding and didn't even request that I join him?" she sighed, her voice trembling.

"Miss Calloway, I unfortunately haven't been privy to all the details." he admitted.

"I knew he had done something stupid, that's the reason he sent me to France for spring holiday. I was told after the fire, he had to sever ties with one of his partners. He assured me it would be solved by the time I returned. But of course, I was wrong. Now he's left me to be collateral damage, hasn't he?" Tears mixed with mascara streamed down Everly's cheeks. I placed my hand over hers in a futile attempt to comfort her.

"With your father in hiding for the foreseeable future and your mother removed from the Trust, you are the one with the target on your back, Miss Calloway. Your family and the Trust board want to ensure your protection. Your exams will be marked as a full pass due to your impeccable grades. You and James can end the term one week early. I'm sorry for the distress this causes you, Miss Calloway. Your grandfather has arranged a car to pick you and James up, let me check and see if it's here now." Dean Lexington said before leaving his office.

"James," Everly turned to me, her voice trembling, "I think I'm going to be sick." She hurriedly grabbed the office trash can and placed it in front of her. I gently rubbed her back, feeling utterly helpless in that moment.

"He's ruined everything, and now I'm the one who has to suffer for it. How is any of this fair? I feel like I can't even breathe," Everly managed to choke out between sobs, burying her head in my shoulder and collapsing against my chest. I held her as tightly as I could, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief that I was by her side.

"You're staying with my family, and I know my parents will help us make sense of this. Our priority now is getting you out of here before the press swarm Maxton Hall," I said urgently, trying to keep my voice steady despite the chaos. Everly tried to stand, but her knees buckled under the weight of stress. I quickly caught her with one arm while steadying myself with my crutch in the other. This couldn't have happened at a worse time."Evie, I swear I will not let anything happen to you," I whispered as she clung to my jacket, her fingers gripping tightly.

"James, promise you'll stay with me. I don't want to be alone. For the first time in my life... I'm terrified. And I just want my mum, and she has washed her hands of me." Everly cried as we walked out of the Dean's quarters and down the hall together. I had one arm tightly wrapped around her waist, pulling her as close to me as I possibly could.

"You couldn't push me away right now if you tried, Evie. I'm not letting go," I assured her as we stepped outside. Four black Escalades pulled up, and Everly clung to me as the driver exited the lead vehicle.

"I am so sorry to create such a spectacle, Miss Calloway, but your grandfather has given strict instructions," the driver said, opening the passenger door.

"Grandfather, like my father, loves to make a real show of things," Everly sighed, using the sleeve of her uniform shirt to wipe her tears as she climbed into the car. I joined her, the tension thick in the air.

"Is this entire brigade necessary just to go to my house? I could've had Percy pick us up in a more discreet manner than this," I scoffed at the driver. Everly sighed, directing my attention to the trunk.

"I don't think either of us are going home, James. I fear this is worse than even Dean Lexington is aware of," she said, pointing to a suitcase bearing my JMB initials next to hers. Moments later, we watched as my sister, Cyril, Alistair, and the rest of our friends were escorted out of the school and into the cars. Lydia was brought to our vehicle.

"Never a dull moment," she sighed, glancing at Everly and me. The second we were all accounted for, the cars took off one after another.

"Oh, Lyds, there's nothing dull about me. You should know that by now," Everly half-teased my sister. But I could tell she felt awful that we were all roped into this. The weight of the situation hung heavy, every moment feeling more precarious than the last.

"Can someone tell me where we are all going?" I asked the driver. But he didn't answer, Everly leaned her head on my shoulder.

"James," she whispered urgently, her voice tinged with fears. "What if Jasper lied? What if he just wanted to scare me into thinking he started the fire? But that text I received—it was from the person my father screwed over. Remember? It said, 'Your family will pay for everything they've done with your life.'" The sense of impending doom hung heavy in the air.

"I just texted with Father. We're definitely not going home, but he wouldn't share where we're being taken. He also advised that we all turn off our phones. I'm starting to think someone knows exactly where we are, and that's why this has all happened so fast," Lydia said, staring at Everly. My girlfriend's head was buried into my shoulder, trembling with fear.

"I want to know if Mortimer is involved in this. I wouldn't put it past him," I muttered, my disgust evident as I looked down at Eve still shaking.

"I was thinking the same. It could be the merger he and Gerald were working on. I heard rumors it wasn't exactly a squeaky clean deal, and the loaned money... well, it wasn't paid back," Lydia sighed.

"Oh my God..." Everly lifted her head, recalling something dreadful. "My mother... she said my father deserved everything he had coming to him.... She knew. She knew I'd be in danger and she let it happen. I was never her daughter, always just a financial burden she wanted to rid herself of. And it appears... she could get her wish. It's one thing for me to have a target on my back, but it's another for all of us to be dragged down because of it," Everly looked up at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and guilt.

"Evie, I am not going to let anything happen to you. Once we get to wherever the hell we're going, we'll regroup. Clearly, it's not just us. Cyril, Alistair, Wren, Kesh, and Lin were all brought out and put into the cars as well. This is bigger than we think," I said, trying to steady my voice despite the rising tension. My heart ached seeing Everly so distressed, her health visibly deteriorating under the immense stress. I pulled her closer, determined to protect her no matter what.

"When I was in Berlin..." Everly stuttered, her gaze fixed on the other cars following us. "I spent my free time at the Trust, filing documents for my father. Someone came into the office, and I sensed something was off. The employees scurried, and my father had his assistant tell me I could leave early. I didn't. The meeting lasted two hours. I could barely hear the argument, but when the man walked out, he looked right at me and smiled. I gave him a polite nod, not thinking much of it. He stopped at the elevator and turned to face me one last time.'See you soon, Everly. A shame what your father's done,' he said with a crackle in his voice. I assumed he was annoyed with my father and would be returning later that week. But he didn't come back, and I left to come back to you, James. But something felt wrong about the whole interaction, and now I understand why. My father's a powerful man who makes deals with powerful people, often those without the best morals. My mother left just in time, didn't she?"

The driver glanced at Everly through the rearview mirror. She noticed and decided to confront him. "Well, out with it. I'm sure my grandfather briefed you. What else should I know?" she demanded.

"Miss Calloway, you haven't been in contact with your mother recently, have you?" he asked, causing Lydia and me to exchange puzzled looks.

"I'm sorry? I don't have a mother. Isabella Calloway was barely a babysitter. The last time I spoke to her, I told her she no longer had a place at the Trust," Everly sighed.

"We have reason to believe she may have assisted the person of interest. As you know, Isabella and your father had a terrible end to their marriage. She left a note when she left both of you, threatening your father. She claimed she had exposed his wrongdoings to the wrong person and that he was finally going to get what he deserved. It appears... this could be what she meant," he explained. Everly's face fell into a look of utter devastation.

"Oh my God... I need you to pull over," she said abruptly.

"Evie..." I placed my hand on her leg, trying to calm her down.

"I need you to pull over now. I will not say it again. NOW!" she demanded, causing the Escalade to come to a screeching halt. She jumped out, collapsing to her knees on the grass beside the road, sobbing uncontrollably. I threw myself out of the car to reach her.

"Evie... Evie... I'm right here," I said, rubbing her back.

"She did this to us. My own mum... she did this, James. My father didn't want me to know she left a note. I wouldn't have felt guilty all this time if I knew she was out to destroy our family. That's why he went looking for her... he wanted to silence her, not bring her home. But she had already shared the information. It was too late. It's always been too late. My life is falling apart. I'm as good as dead right now," Everly cried as I pulled her up off the ground. My knee brace had to bear both our weights as I picked her up.

"We'll fix this. The debt will be paid, and our lives will return to normal. I swear to you, Eve. Just promise me you won't let this affect you more than it already has. I don't want to have this conversation on the side of a road in the middle of nowhere, but I have no choice. You're not sleeping, not eating... you're giving so much of yourself to everyone else. You have no bandwidth for yourself. Let me take care of you, Everly... please. Let me do what I've been trying to do for the last year we've been together. You need that now more than ever," I pleaded as she nestled her head into my shoulder.

"Only you would get out of the car to get me, James, not thinking twice about your knee and without your crutches... you picked me up. How has this become our life?" she sighed.

"It's our legacy, Eve. It seems it's our turn to walk through the ring of fire for the sake of our family name. Let's just hope these new Young Beaufort suits are fireproof," I tried to joke, noticing a small smile on her face. Once I got Everly settled back in the car, I looked down at my phone and saw a text from Alistair.

From Alistair:

James, is that you with Evie in the grass? Is she okay? We have no idea what the fuck is going on. But I'm told we're being taken deep into the country somewhere. I suppose this will have to be our post-finals celebration. Let's hope there's booze. Cyril's backpack only managed to hold two bottles of scotch.

"Leave it to Alistair to make a joke at a time like this," I grunted, readjusting my knee as I handed the phone to Evie.

"Oh, I know where we're going then," she murmured, a mixture of fear and resolve in her eyes. "It's Grandfather's country home, way out in the middle of nowhere. Clearly, he thinks we need that level of isolation while this is being handled."

Everly's voice was fraught with exhaustion and pain. The vibrant girl who had confidently come down the steps in her uniform this morning was now a shadow of herself, her once rosy cheeks now pale and lifeless. Her head leaned heavily against me, and I was more concerned than ever for her— not just for her safety, but for her health. The stress of her life was visibly taking a toll. As the Escalades paraded through the woods, I felt Evie's body shaking next to me. My sister grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"It's okay, we're in this together. All of us," Lydia assured her. Everly nodded, but she was already too deep in her spiral to be pulled out. It became evident the second the car pulled down an opening in the woods, leading to a driveway.

"Have you ever been here before?" I asked her. Everly stared out at the house, and it was as if a lifetime of trauma flooded back to her without her even realizing it. She swallowed hard as the driver opened the passenger door for her.

"James, I think...I might..." Before Everly could finish her sentence, her eyes rolled back. I caught her in my arms just in time. Panic-stricken, I couldn't catch my breath, my heart pounding out of my chest.

"Evie... Eve!" I yelled as one of the clearly undercover security team members approached me.

"Take her inside, and read this when all of you are settled," he said expressing great concern.

Everly's body was limp and sweat-soaked in my arms. Grunting as I struggled to put weight on my knee, I managed to carry her inside, with my sister running behind me. Our friends, who had watched the scene unfold, deboarded from the cars and followed suit in concern.

Lin and Lydia took turns fanning Everly, while Cyril grabbed a bag of ice for my knee. Alistair handed me a cold compress to put on Evie's head. Frustrated, I threw the envelope on the table. "What in the fuck... is going on?" I said, shaking my head in fury.

Everly still hadn't come to when one of the security team members walked in to speak to us. "You'll understand more when you read what's in the envelope. Now please hand over your phones. Once this is over, they will be returned. But we reason to believe you're all being tracked," he said as my sister copped a fit. I threw mine in the bag immediately, and the others followed my lead. What choice did we have?

As he left, with all our questions still unanswered and Everly still unconscious, Alistair suggested reading the letter might help us make sense of this. So, I opened the envelope and began to read aloud a message from Arnold Calloway, Everly's grandfather.

Hello Everly and James,

I am sure you're both extremely confused by all that has just taken place. Let me start by saying, James, your sole responsibility right now is the safety and support of my granddaughter. This is going to be a trying time for all of you.

That being said, I'd like to do a roll call to ensure everyone is accounted for:

Everly, James, Lydia, Alistair, Lin, Cyril, Wren, and Kesh. If anyone else has been pulled into this, it is strictly due to their association with my granddaughter and her friends.

In the last 24 hours, Gerald reached out to me after receiving a message at his hotel—a credible threat, not just to him but to Everly as well. The individual is aware of where Everly lives and who her friends are. Yes, James, they know she is dating a Beaufort too.

Her father has chosen to keep you in the dark, Everly, but we have reason to believe your mother has given this person of interest your location in return for your father's suffering. We haven't been able to locate Isabella either, and we believe she has done this on purpose. The fire as I'm sure you've figured out by now was no accident. Your father was supposed to make good on this deal while you were in France. Of course he did not. Now I must handle it my own way.

We're working with police supervision so this can be resolved with haste, you will all be staying here—no phones, no outside communication other than letters delivered by the security team between you and your families. We believe this should only take two weeks. Do not leave the premises, and I will arrive to let you all go home as soon as this is resolved.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation. Mr. Beaufort, Please look out for our girl. She's the last one of us who actually has a heart. James, don't let me down. Your father is a very close friend, and I would hate for something to jeopardize our business relationship.

The house has a full staff, a security team, and yes, Cyril, a liquor cellar to your heart's content. Please make sure to lock all doors and keep your voices at an appropriate volume to avoid drawing attention. No hiking in the woods, and do not go out at night. Follow my rules, and everyone will stay safe. In the event of an emergency, there is a panic button under the counter in the kitchen. Do not press it unless it truly is an emergency. You will regret it.

Best,

Arnold Calloway

"Well, that was equally as terrifying as sitting across from him at the dining table on Christmas. Trust me, once you've met the man, you'll understand why he can scare even the ghost of Christmas future," I said, my voice trembling slightly as Everly opened her eyes.

"It felt like he was in the room with us..." she murmured, sitting up in a daze. She had been listening to me read the entire letter.

"Eve, easy does it," I said, gently holding her hand. "You need to get some rest. This has been an incredibly long day for all of us. I suggest we all head to bed. And yes, Cyril, go enjoy the liquor cellar." I waved him off, giving him the green light. Everly didn't resist as I helped her to her feet, her face still pale and flushed. The pain in my knee was completely forgotten as I focused on her.

"I'll bring you some water," Lydia offered as we all dispersed to pick out our rooms, knowing we'd likely be here for at least a month. Arnold was optimistic to think this mess would be resolved in two weeks.

"Have you... ever wished you were someone else, James?" Everly sighed, sinking into the bed in our temporary room.

"I think everyone has at some point, Eve," I replied, sitting on the edge of the bed and looking up at her.

"It's going to get worse, you know. This is just the beginning. My father isn't stupid. He took money from the wrong person. He knew what he was doing, but he didn't think anyone would come to collect, but they always do." Everly's eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling.

"I think Arnold will fix it. The fact that your grandfather has stepped in means he might just pay the money back, right?" I asked, trying to sound hopeful.

"Oh, you would think... but don't be naive. He and my father aren't good people, James. They're the ones who keep the good ones in their place. I don't deserve that to be my destiny. I've done everything to fight against it. Grandfather acknowledged I'm the last one with a heart in this family. Sometimes... I wonder if that's true. I feel like it's cracked down the middle, James. I think you're the only reason I'm still standing right now." Everly sat up in bed, her face etched with worry.

"It's not fair that we're treated like children when the adults are the ones making critical mistakes. I know my father's involved in this deal. Aside from us being together... I'm sure he's worried he put Lydia and I at risk." I sighed, laying down beside her.

"I'm sorry I scared you before. I just... lost it for a second," she said, her voice trembling. I held her hand, feeling the weight of her words. She still looked unwell to me, and I was determined to do everything I could to ease her burden. Even if it meant putting more pressure on myself. My knee was the least of my worries now.

"You need to focus on getting a good night's sleep. I'm going to check on the boys and make sure Cyril didn't empty out the liquor cabinets in one sitting." I joked, kissing her gently.

"Be careful with your knee. I've already put too much pressure on you," Eve said as I tucked her in under the covers. She fell asleep almost instantly, but sleep eluded me. I limped down the steps into the family room, where a wall of picture frames caught my attention. Despite what Everly thought, she was a loved girl. Her grandfather had countless photos of her, and a few of us together, including one I'd never seen before. It was from last summer, taken at one of the fundraising parties my mum had thrown at our beach house.

I smiled as I stared at it and then saw one from when we were kids. It was just as Everly had talked about—the invisible string. This wasn't just love; it was fate. The way we were looking at each other... it's like everyone knew but us. How did I miss that sparkle in her eye? Look how happy we were... how do we get back to this place?

"You two are like royalty in this house," Alistair teased as he joined me, sitting down next to me in the living room. "Cyril and I were just staring at a photo of you both from the deb ball last year. Arnold must like you deep down, James."

"In a threatening, 'I'll kill you if something happens to my granddaughter' kind of way," I said, collapsing into one of the lounge chairs. Cyril came in with a bottle of scotch.

"So, we're trapped in this huge house in the middle of the woods with no parents, tons of liquor, and no curfew. I don't really see a problem. I didn't even need to take my exams. I'm so happy I didn't bother studying," Cyril laughed, handing me the bottle.

"Ah yeah, that's exactly what I need right now," I rolled my eyes, placing the bottle on the coffee table.

"James, we're not going to solve anything if you don't chill out. You could use a good buzz, to be honest. Since you got your arse kicked, you've been uptight," Cyril sighed.

"Since I was jumped trying to leave our lacrosse game, one I didn't even want to play in. But you and Alistair forced me. Thanks for that one... you're quite a dick sometimes," I said, getting ready to go check on Everly.

"James, ignore him. He's drinking for all of us. Do you really think our phones were being tracked?" Alistair asked. I shook my head, unsure how to answer. I wanted to say yes, most likely for longer than we think, but I just stared at my hands.

"If we're going to be stuck here, we might as well have some fun. Let's have a theme party tomorrow—costumes, whatever we can find in the house. We'll eat, drink, and be merry if it kills us. That might help settle Everly down. I've never seen her like this; she's having one long panic attack. I just don't want anything to happen to her. You saw the letter; Arnold put me in charge of her, which Everly already hates. So instead of making this feel like prison, let's make it a vacation." I suggested.

"I like the way you think, Jamesy boy. Let's do it," Cyril said as he and Alistair headed to their rooms. 

My mind was racing, trying to make sense of the last 24 hours. One moment, we were all sitting in class, talking about the party Cyril was throwing on Friday. The next, we were whisked away to a secret location, told our lives were in danger. To answer Everly's question, had I ever wished I was someone else? Constantly, especially growing up in the same house as my father.

I took the brunt of the abuse, sparing my sister as much as I could. Nothing I ever did was good enough for the old man. Not making lacrosse captain, not my near-perfect grades—he only cared about me taking over the family business. Which was the last thing I wanted to do. I wanted to see the world, not confine myself to an office. But our destiny was never ours to choose. Evie and I knew that well, and her understanding it in a way most people couldn't begin to made me fall in love with her even more. 

Since I probably wasn't going to sleep anytime soon, I decided to put my nervous energy to good use. Everly's birthday was coming up in a few weeks, and I'd been struggling to find the perfect present for her. Jewelry was always a safe bet—she loved the initial necklace I got her. When she was anxious, she'd reach for it as a source of comfort. I loved that I could provide that for her. But this time, I needed something more personal.

I decided to choose one of the portraits her grandfather had hanging on the wall of her and draw it. I spent all night working on it, pouring every bit of my love and anxiety into each stroke. By morning, I found myself falling asleep on my sketch pad. But it was done, and just in time too. Everly was as beautiful as ever, coming down the stairs, wearing nothing but my lacrosse sweatshirt.