Covet (Clann)

thrown back on your butt. And trust me, you’d remember the experience afterward.” At my raised eyebrows, she added, “What, you think you’re the only one around here who’s ever been grounded?”
    Grumbling under my breath, I dropped onto the edge of my bed again with my back to her. Man, this sucked. Why couldn’t I have been born into a normal family?
    “What in the world are you listening to? Is that…Phil Collins?”
    It was. Not that it was any of her business. Rolling my eyes, I leaned over and turned down the volume on my docking station. Then I flopped back on my bed.
    “Raiding Dad’s music collection again?” Grinning, she stepped the rest of the way into my room.
    I sighed and stared at the ceiling. “Come to gloat that you’re the angel of the family again?”
    “Well, it’s not like you make it a hard achievement for me.” She sat down on the corner of the bed nearest the door. “Seriously, little brother. What in the world were you thinking, pulling that stunt out there? Did you really expect the Clann to just roll over and give you whatever you wanted because you threw out an ultimatum?”
    “No.” Well, maybe I’d hoped.
    “Then what exactly did you think would happen?”
    I shrugged. “Either they’d accept Sav and me, or I’d leave the Clann. Just because I was born into this family doesn’t mean I don’t have a choice about anything.”
    She snorted. “Yeah, right. Like Mom would just let you quit and throw away all her plans.”
    Honestly, I didn’t care what Mom wanted anymore. This was my life, not hers. “Any idea when they’ll let me out of here?”
    “I heard Mom on the phone. Sounded like she was leaving a message with the school office. You’re out with the flu for at least a week.”
    A whole week ?
    As I stared at her in disbelief, she added, “They want you to have some time to calm down and see reason. Well, that and for the gossip to die down.”
    Unbelievable. They still didn’t get it.
    I slammed the heel of my fist against the mattress. “I need out of here now . Savannah just lost her grandma. And no telling what hell she’ll be catching from her parents, too. She needs me to be there for her.”
    “Well, I guess she’ll just have to face Hades on her own for a while, because you’re not getting out of here anytime soon.”
    I cursed loudly. Emily didn’t even flinch.
    “You know, you could get out sooner.”
    That got my attention. “How?”
    “Just tell Mom what she wants to hear. Tell her you’re sorry, and you were wrong, and you still want to become the next Clann leader.”
    “And that I’ll never see Savannah again?” I didn’t bother to keep the sneer out of my tone.
    One blond eyebrow arched in her trademark well, duh look.
    I returned to staring at the ceiling. “Not gonna happen. I meant what I said out there. They can’t make me stay in the Clann. And if I’m no longer a member, their rules don’t apply to me anymore.”
    “Maybe the Clann rules wouldn’t. But our parents’ rules would.”
    I clenched my teeth and focused on not breaking anything.
    Emily huffed out a long and noisy sigh. “Lord, you’re hardheaded. I know you like Savannah and all, but honestly, she can’t possibly be worth all of this.”
    “She is. And I don’t just like her. I love her. I’ve never felt like this for anyone. Ever. I’m not giving her up just because our parents are a bunch of bigots.”
    “So you’re going to stay grounded for the rest of your life?”
    “They can’t keep me in here forever. Eventually they’ve got to let me out for school.”
    “Not if they sign you up for homeschooling.”
    I raised up on one elbow. “They wouldn’t do that.”
    She shrugged. “They might if you push them far enough.” When I kept staring at her, she glared at me. “Do you really not know our parents at all ? They’re going to do whatever it takes to get it through that thick skull of yours that she’s off-limits! Just let her go, Tristan.”
    “Never. Not as long as we love each other. Besides, our parents can only control me till I turn eighteen. Then I’m out of here and they won’t be able to do anything about it.”
    “Oh, I see. Planning on falling back on that trust fund.”
    “Yep.”
    “Except who do you think holds the strings to that, too?”
    Mentally I cursed. I hadn’t thought of that, but I should have. This was why Emily was the brains behind most of the trouble we used to get into as kids. “Fine.