The tension in the cabin of the small sedan was palpable. And that was understating it. Not on any account of Riley, of course, but Wrench's attitude all that morning had been—predictably—less than stellar. Before they'd left that morning, he'd muttered dark things to himself, too low for her to hear, pacing at random times, crushing the empty soda cans after he'd finished with them for breakfast, and kicked around debris at his garage. Needless to say, he wasn't looking forward to the day's events at all. Riley didn't entirely blame him.
Once it was time to leave he'd taken them South beyond the limits of San Francisco. He hadn't told them precisely where their destination was, but at this point he was in too bad of a mood for her to comfortably ask. He might snap at her unintentionally. She wasn't too worried being left in the dark, though. She trusted Wrench. But it would be nice to know how long this car ride was going to be…
There was practically no conversation for the first half hour. Wrench tried to come off as being relaxed and at ease, but his constant seat shifting told another story. He couldn't seem to sit still, or seemed to know where to keep his hands. They repeatedly changed position on the steering wheel. Riley would normally say something about it, maybe tease him a little. But she said nothing today. It wasn't the right mood or time for it.
An hour in, and they were following signs for San Jose, the closest big city to San Fran. She hadn't ever been there, truthfully. No reason to go. But she'd always been curious to see how different the two neighbors were. Traffic was just as bad going into the city as SF could get, so that didn't seem to change.
As they grew closer to their destination, it seemed Wrench became even more high strung. Shoulders rigid, hands tight around the wheel. Riley was tired of the silence then, she had to say something. Anything. She had a few questions of her own anyway.
"What are some things I should expect from this?" She asked, having no clue what exactly she was walking into. Wrench hadn't gone into any details about anything, preferring not to even talk about it.
Wrench shook his head, but eventually answered. Those angry slashes stared straight out the window. "Dad's always been a hard-ass. Intimidating. Probably won't smile at all. Mom's…" he had to think about it for a second. "…either smothering you in a way you can tell is fake, or being a bitch."
Riley raised a brow. Oddly specific descriptions, but ok. He hadn't seen them in ten+ years. Maybe things had changed? Although the experience with her own mother lead to a different conclusion. Better not to get their hopes up.
He shrugged after a moment. "I'm not really sure, honestly. I don't even know what they fucking want with me after all this time."
"Well," she started, knowing her line of thinking could cause another angry outburst on his part, "maybe Garrett was telling the truth. Is it so hard to believe that they just want to reconnect with-"
"Yes." He interrupted harshly before she could finish the thought.
"Alright." She said lightly, hands held up defensively. "I just wanted to know. I don't know anything about these people is all."
"You'll see soon enough." Was all he said, ending the conversation there. Touchy subject, obviously.
Riley was impressed that even after so many years, Wrench seemed to know the area as well as he did San Francisco. There was no hesitation in his turns or lane changes, and he didn't glance around at nearby landmarks to figure out where he was. His driving lead them past the main congestion of the city and towards the more mountainous and spacious areas within the zip code limits. The wealthy area, she examined with curiosity.
He made a turn onto a street named 'Briarwood Vineyard Avenue,'—pompous, much?—and drove up the sloping hill. The houses here were expensive-looking. Almost straight out of those realtor magazines. Perfectly green lawns, neatly trimmed, expensive cars parked in their driveways. As they drove up the street, things just looked more and more wealthy the further they went.
Until the hit the end of the street. Wrench turned right onto the connecting road and drove for a ways. There weren't any other houses this way, but the road still looked well-kept and trim. Before long, on the left side, a large house came into view through the trees.
"That's it there?" She pointed towards it, and he nodded. The house was…
Not a house.
"You lived in a fucking mansion?" Riley asked incredulously, mouth agape as a few more details of the manor came into view. How had he not mentioned this before?
The house itself was a brilliant white, seemingly even brighter with the sun shining against the surface. Once of the first things she noticed was just how many windows there were. So many rooms it must have on the inside…Some trees still blocked most of her view, so she couldn't see more than that at the moment.
As they drove closer, the road curved around to head directly towards it, and she could see a black, metal gate denying entrance to the house. Wrench slowed the vehicle and rolled down the driver's side window, coasting up next to the security checkpoint where a guard was seated inside the small post.
He peeked into the car and hummed. "Ah, yes. We were told to expect you." The man said with disinterest, unaffected by Wrench's mask or the punk-esque style clothes he wore. Either he wasn't outwardly showing his disdain, or he genuinely didn't care.
Wrench said nothing, just waiting there as the guard hit a button for the gate to open. It slowly pulled apart, and as soon as there was enough clearance on either side for the car to go through, he started towards the manor again, rolling the window back up. Riley could see in the distance a fountain directly in front of the house.
Tall trees lined the 'driveway' if you could even call this long road up to the house itself a road. The mansion lay directly straight ahead, framed by the trees to create a looming and superior feeling. They wanted you to know they were better than you, was her first thought of the design choice. The fountain she'd seen earlier was actually the center of a circular driveway, and Wrench pulled them directly in front of the entryway.
He put the car in park and leaned back in his seat, letting out a deep sigh. Riley looked over and gave him a small smile once he caught her eye. His mask switched from X's to underscores. As if preparing himself for walking in there.
"In and out, then we get some greasy fast food after?" She proposed hopefully. Wrench was in such a funk the whole way she hadn't bothered telling him she was hungry as they drove. Better to just get this all over with now and eat later once he didn't have anything else to worry about.
He nodded silently, mask finally returning to his regular X's. He turned off the engine and pocketed the keys, opening the driver's door to get out. Riley followed after on the passenger side, and they walked up to the door of the mansion side by side. Just the steps themselves were marble, and a glimmering white. How did they keep everything so clean?
Riley had never actually been in a mansion before, but her first thought was that the metal, gargoyle-style door knocker on the front was a bit stereotypical. Wrench reached up and banged it a few times, perhaps a bit harder than necessary. Just to be annoying.
Within seconds, the door was opened by Garrett himself. Dressed just as smartly as yesterday, this time sporting a light blue button up shirt instead of the white one. His black slacks were still in place, as were his black dress shoes. They wore shoes inside? How did they keep their floors clean, she thought to herself.
"You're on time. Good." Garrett said, as if he'd been expecting Wrench to show up hours late. Wrench shot him a glare and pushed past him inside.
"Let's just get this over with." He grumbled, loud enough for them both to hear.
Garrett allowed him the rude intrusion, turning to Riley and opening the door a bit wider for her, nodding his head to indicate she could come inside. She did so, immediately dazzled by the interior.
Marble flooring, of course, with another small fountain as soon as you walked into the foyer. The eye-catching piece was taller in height than her, with cherubs pouring from bowls down what was supposed to be a steep mountainscape. Each tier held another cherub, with another bowl, pouring more water down to the next tier, until it all flowed to the circular stone pool at the bottom.
White seemed to be the general theme for the home. The walls were the same bright white color as the exterior paint, occasionally adorned with a mirror or other expensive looking decorative piece. Some looked antique. Even close to something classified as an artifact. The sword and shield on the wall looked genuine, and she had half a mind to ask if it held any significant historical value.
Garrett didn't give them much more time to stop and look, and lead them back through the halls of the house to a large living room. Of sorts. It seemed too fancy to call it something so mundane. Riley's living room had a tv and couch, and carpet. This one had wood floors and sitting chairs, a few small tables. That was it. But somehow it seemed more elegant and more significant. One side of the wall, however, was entirely comprised of windows, which overlooked into an interior open-air courtyard within the structure of the house. This allowed natural light to illuminate the room. How fancy.
Two figures were seated in two of the chairs, their backs to the entrance they came through. Garrett lead in front, clearing his throat.
The man turned in his seat, facing the group. "Ah, son. Right on time, as usual. Bring them here." Before she could get a good look at his father, he turned back around, holding up a wine glass.
Wrench's description of his father was apt. By voice alone he fit one of those words perfectly. Intimidating. Deep, clear, and commanding, it was the voice of someone who held authority and expected orders followed to the letter. She swallowed, hoping that she could portray an outward confidence she didn't actually feel. Hopefully her being here wouldn't make things worse.
Before they could reach their seats, his mother stood and faced Wrench. She was wrapped in a high-end dark-orange colored shift dress. It was stylish and definitely expensive. Simple but fashionable sandals adorned her feet.
Riley could certainly see the family resemblance. He definitely got his eyes from her, those startling blues were unmistakably vibrant and similar to Wrench's. She had a beautiful face, but not a kind one. Riley was always wary of those women. Her hair fell in red waves down her back. Not a natural red, obviously dyed. Riley wondered what her natural color was.
"Oh, my sweet boy Damien!" She cried out, arms spread wide to encompass him as she walked closer. Riley saw his mask instantly become downward slashes. She had a feeling he'd be called that irksome name a lot today. "You have no idea how much I've worried for all these years. What must have happened to you!"
Before she could hug him, he backed up several steps and swatted her hand away. "Don't touch me. And don't call me that." He said with venom, and she dropped her arms with an understanding expression.
"You need time to adjust to being home again. I understand. But I'm just so happy to see you here." There was a pause, before she frowned in concern. "Why do you hide your face? Is your birthmark still there? Has it healed any?"
Before anyone could say anything more, Wrench jumped in, cutting off any of her further questions. "I'm only here to listen to what you have to say, then I'm leaving and never coming back. I'm not staying in this goddamn house any longer than I have to." He stated matter-of-factly, as if daring anyone to say otherwise. His mother looked shocked, slightly disgusted by his tone perhaps, that he'd been so cold to her.
The one person who did dare to say something stood from his seat and joined his wife's side. "Boy," he started with obvious contempt, "I'm certain I didn't raise you to speak to your mother in that way."
Riley nearly recoiled from how daunting Wrench's father could be. He was taller than Wrenc, which was no small feat; Wrench was 6'1 by himself, several inches taller than Riley. But his father was several inches above even that. In her eyes, he seemed to tower over her. He wasn't particularly muscular, but she was willing to bet he could still lift her weight easily.
The man was dressed in similar fashion to Garrett, a dark red button up with black slacks and shiny black shoes. His hair was gray and receding from age. His disapproving expression was wrought with lines and the beginnings of wrinkles. Wrench was right. No smile in his dark brown eyes or at his lips. No sign of amusement at all.
While Riley was trying her best not to retreat, Wrench stood firm in front of him, two equals signs on his mask. He crossed his arms defiantly, staring him down. Well, more accurately, up, because of the height difference. Riley glanced over at his mother, seeing her put on a front of being offended, but mostly disappointed. Her gaze shifted over to Garrett, who looked…nervous? He was at attention. Like a soldier.
The family shared a tense moment—and an extremely awkward one, at least to Riley—before his father furrowed his brow. "And what is with the atrocious clothing you are wearing? What is this?" He gestured to his mask with distaste, then his exposed arms. "Tattoos? Do you know how unprofessional someone comes across as when they have such marks marring their bodies?"
Wrench's mask became three dots on either side. "Oh, you don't like the way I look? I guess some things never fucking change."
Riley caught Garrett looking away with regret marking his expression, before returning it back to the neutral one he'd been trying to maintain. Interesting…
The father narrowed his eyes at the foul language, making it abundantly clear that he did not appreciate his behavior thus far. And Wrench made it just as obvious that he didn't give a shit.
His mother stepped closer, gesturing to the mask. "Why don't you take it off so I can take a good look at you?"
"No." Was his solid and firm answer.
She looked crestfallen then, but Riley could see how it could be fake. "You'd deny a mother the right to see her son's face?"
Wrench only shot her a silent glare, daring her to use that sort of guilt-laden excuse again. She seemed to have been expecting this, and nodded graciously. "Alright, well, is anyone hungry for a light meal? I can have the kitchen make us a snack for the afternoon."
He gave a terse shake of his head. "Not hungry."
Garrett finally cleared his throat awkwardly, indicating the empty chairs. "Why don't we all sit down and have a chat? Catch up on lost time?" He suggested, hoping that they'd take the offered transition from this tense atmosphere.
Wrench's mother jumped onto the idea, seeing as her other two suggestions failed miserably. "Yes, why don't we? I'd love to hear all about you. There must be so much for you to tell us about after all these years."
The two men didn't look away from each other, but his father seemed to compose himself finally. "It would be rather rude of us not to offer a seat to our guests." He turned away and sat back down in the seat he'd been occupying before they walked in.
Wrench gave her a glance, indicating he was alright for the time being. He was still pissed, though. This whole situation pissed him off, and he didn't want to be here, but he'd bear it much easier with her around. She walked forward to sit, and he gently lead her to a seat with a hand on her back. It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless. Riley was already feeling a bit overwhelmed in the presence of these people. But if Wrench could deal with them, the people he so hated, she could too.
When they were all sitting, Wrench with one leg propped over the other just to annoy the others, there was another small pause before his mother spoke again.
"Why don't you introduce us to your friend here?" She locked her gaze on the brunette, who tried not to let all of the wealthy attention bother her.
"This is Riley. My girlfriend." Wrench said genuinely, looking at her for support. He could tell she felt a little intimidated by his family.
"Girlfriend?" His mother asked in genuine surprise, raising one brow curiously. What was she surprised about? That she wasn't what she expected in a girlfriend, or that Wrench had gotten a girlfriend at all? How rude, if that was the case. It irked Riley to no end.
Riley suddenly felt self-conscious in the jeans and blouse she decided to wear. Not quite the designer clothing his mother sported. She hadn't realized they were going to be in the presence of such rich people. Maybe she would have thought a bit more about what to wear. Wrench hadn't seemed to mind when she'd showed up to his garage. What did they matter anyway?
"And what is it you do, Riley?" His father asked, reaching for the wine glass he'd been drinking from before they entered the room. Though it came across more of a demand for information. Perhaps he couldn't turn that effect off even if he wanted to.
"I'm…a journalist for the Tri-Valley Herald. I also do freelance writing on the side" She half-lied. It was better than 'I'm a rogue hacker exposing corrupt businessmen semi-illegally.' Plus it would be even worse to say she was unemployed, which was much closer to the truth. Better not mention that.
"Oh, a writer." His mother said with…interest? She couldn't quite tell if that enthusiasm was genuine or just pretend. There was Wrench's description of her becoming a bit clearer. She seemed the type to gossip behind your back about how much of a disappointment you were. Ugh.
"Hmm. Not much business in that nowadays. I hope you don't feel as if you wasted your time in college for a non-influential career." His father mused to himself, swirling the wine around before taking a sip. "Have you thought about the potential of a business degree?"
Riley blinked, never having had someone insinuate such an insult to her profession in that way before. Ok, maybe Wrench's description wasn't exactly accurate, because hard-ass didn't even begin to cover it. Jackass, more like. Wrench caught her eye, nearly bristling from the disrespect in his father's remark, but she shook her head minutely. The more irritated she became with their behavior, the less they seemed intimidating. She would handle this.
"I quite enjoy what I do." The brunette defended as politely as she could. "And no, I don't think I'll be going back to college anytime soon."
"Hmm." He hummed again, seeming to mull over that information. Then, he turned to Garrett on a whim. "Son, how many degrees have you acquired now?"
Garrett grimaced out of his parents' view, but answered nonetheless. "A master's degree in finance, and a bachelor's in economics."
"Yes, a very stable choice." His father went on to say, silently proving a point that nobody asked or wanted him to make. Wrench glared at his father mercilessly, unappreciative of the fact that he was trying to discredit or put down Riley in any way.
Wrench's mother leaned in with an enthusiastic smile, obviously quite proud. "Garrett is engaged to be married. His fiancé, oh she's a lovely girl." Reaching over to the small table beside her, she picked up a framed photo and passed it over to Riley. The brunette took it, see Garrett posing beside a…well, she could only describe her as extremely gorgeous woman.
"Valentina is a model in Russia. She's over there right now working, and planning the wedding." His mother added.
A fucking model. Of course. The woman, who's blonde hair looked unnaturally perfect that went to nearly her mid-back, smiled prettily into the camera with a dazzlingly white smile. She used only minimal makeup, emphasizing her natural beauty. How lucky of her to be able to look that way without concealer and a certain hairstyle to frame parts of her face. Riley sighed internally, suddenly feeling self-conscious again. Maybe she could stand to go to the gym a bit more, eyeing the woman's slender legs and visible thigh gap. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Wrench eyeing the photo as well. Did he secretly wish she looked more like her? Ugh, this was depressing.
"Huh. Congrats I guess." He said without much enthusiasm as Riley passed the photo back to his mother.
"Thank you." Garrett accepted the sentiment despite his tone, clearing his throat again. Was he…embarrassed? She understood why Wrench hated his family, but Garrett seemed a bit…different. Something about him seemed genuine. Real. And…regretful, for some reason.
"We expected him to be married by now, but work comes first, of course." His father said pointedly. "Your brother went to Italy to meet with potential clients, which postponed the wedding."
"We rescheduled for this next Summer." Garrett added.
"Surely you'd like to come to the wedding? Wouldn't that be nice, going as a family all together. Of course, you'd have to go in something a bit more…appropriate, but that can be arranged." His mother added, eyeing the mask that covered his face.
"I would rather be skinned alive than go to any sort of social function with you people." He described blatantly. His mother held up a hand to her chest with a small gasp, and his father resorted to glaring once more.
"Boy, I won't warn you again about your behavior."
"What're you gonna do, ground me?" The hacker challenged, tone rife with sarcasm, and he spread his arms out. "I'm only here because I have to be. And that means I'm not gonna make this experience easy for anyone. You wanted to see me? Well, here I am, in all my disappointing glory. How's it feel to have a fucked up son staining the family name?"
Wrench was certainly right, they didn't have much sway over his actions now. He was independent and on his own. What could they realistically do to curb his attitude? Nothing. But Riley wished he wouldn't use the self-deprecating humor to prove his point.
There was several seconds of silence, before his mother shook her head. "You've certainly garnered a filthy mouth while you've been away, haven't you?"
Wrench turned his default X's towards her. "I sure as shit have."
Riley could tell his mother was bothered, but she kept up that polite smile of hers, shaking her head dismissively. "Well, I'm sure it'll take time for us to get used to this new you, but I'm confident we can all become the family we used to be."
Wrench scoffed and shook his head. Were they even listening to him? God, she was infuriating. "Why in the hell would I want to do that?"
"Haven't you missed your family?" She asked. "Haven't you missed not having to worry about having everything you need? This is a life of comfort and safety. Surely you want to return to that. We can give you everything you need to live a happy life here." His mother reasoned.
Wrench was too pissed to respond, so he only shook his head and looked away. Riley watched with a different, unbiased perspective, and she was starting to put some pieces together.
Neither of them were sure of why they'd wanted to meet with Wrench after so many years. Perhaps to reconnect, but the hacker seem adamant that that wasn't the case at all. So far, Riley could discern that his mother was trying her best to convince him that they could start over, or become a family again. Though she wasn't certain why.
His father didn't seem to have an agenda towards this exchange, but perhaps it was just well hidden.
Garrett in particular was interesting. He almost seemed apologetic for having the exchange go so badly. Maybe he genuinely wanted things to go well. Maybe he did want to reconnect with Wrench in some way. She'd have to watch a bit more to be sure, though.
Apparently unconcerned that Wrench was upset with her, his mother stood and clapped her hands together with a perky smile. "Why don't we have a look around the garden? So much has changed since you've been home, and I'm certain Riley would love to see the lilies."
God, this whole encounter was a fucking train wreck. Really awkward conversations followed by obvious attempts to steer the discussion back in a direction that might work out, only to ultimately fail too. Wrench had been right to want to stay away. She'd have avoided this sort of experience if she were him too.
"Some fresh air may help clear some of our heads." His father said pointedly, staring at Wrench without discretion as he stood from his chair. He'd finished his wine and set the empty glass on the table.
The DedSec members didn't have much choice, seeing as when Wrench looked towards the direction of the front entrance to possibly escape, Garrett interjected into his line of sight and shook his head a bit, reminding him that the threat still stood unless he saw this to the end. Wrench sighed and followed after his parents, wishing this would be over soon.
"The gardeners did a lovely job with the dahlias." Wrench's mother prattled on, pointing out specific species of flower as they walked along the stone path in the vast and elegant garden located in the back of the house. "Oh, but my absolute favorite are the roses and the alstroemerias over here. Absolutely lovely when they bloom together. The colors side by side clash just perfectly."
Riley wasn't much of a flower person, and simply smiled politely, nodding along at each patch of garden that they examined. She'd somehow been separated from Wrench along the path, so it was just her and his mother currently exploring the grounds of the house. The men had been walking behind her but at some point they were nowhere to be found when Riley turned back to look at him. She'd panicked for a moment, but soon spotted them further back standing under a gazebo where they'd first come out of the house. Maybe this had been the mother's plan to separate them all. Or the father's. Who knew?
"Shouldn't we go back towards the others?" She asked, hoping it would prompt the tour of the garden to be cut short. But his mother only waved a hand.
"Oh, let's let Damien have some one-on-one time with his father and brother. I imagine they have a lot they need to discuss." She said, but Riley wasn't sure exactly what she meant. They walked for several more feet along the path silently, and the brunette took the opportunity to distract herself with all the flowers. It was better than talking to the woman in front of her.
"So, Riley," the mother suddenly said after another moment, turning to face the brunette in a serious tone, "what is your background like?"
"My…background?"
The red-head nodded. "Where do you come from? Who are your parents? If you're going to be involved with someone in my family, I think I'm owed at least that information."
"I-" She was caught off guard, and it took her a moment to remember the details of her own life. "I'm originally from New York. My dad passed away when I was a teenager. I lived with my mother for a few years, then went to college for my degree. After that, I moved here about a year ago."
"I'm sorry to hear about your father." The woman said, though her expression didn't seem to quite match her words. "And what does your mother do?"
"She's…" Riley trailed off, wondering whether to tell the truth or try to come up with a lie that would make her life seem better than it was. Aww, well. Wrench didn't seem to try to embellish anything about himself to please his family, so why should Riley? They weren't trying to impress them or anything. "My mom is in jail."
That stopped her short, frowning deeply. "Oh, my. Jail? What on earth for?"
"Well, drug possession, drug distribution, and a few other charges when she was resisting arrest." Riley said, finally shrugging. "So, I've been by myself for quite a long time."
"I see…that's certainly disappointing. Though now I can see why Damien grew attached to you." She concluded, and Riley cocked her head. She had to hold back the quip to not call him by that name.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
She gestured to a veranda up ahead, and they walked towards it. A bench sat within it, and they both sat at Wrench's mother's suggestion.
"Troubled people tend to accrue trouble, as I've come to understand. Damien was that way as a child, and he must see something familiar in your mutual flaws." She said curtly, eyes flicking over her outfit again discreetly. Riley probably wasn't meant to notice it, but she did.
"What was he like exactly?" She questioned, wanting to hear things from their perspective. She'd ignore the insult to her character as well. Troubled? Pff.
His mother shook her head sadly. "He was born with that horrid mark on his face, which set him up for a life of hardships and challenges that Garrett would never have to experience. The world would look at him differently, treat him differently. For a family of our status," she said in an un-ironically snobby way, "it's even worse."
Wrench's birthmark honestly wasn't that bad, Riley thought to herself. "How so?"
"Damien first attended the same private school as Garrett, but the other children began to shun him for the way he looked. It was even beginning to affect the way their parents perceived us as a family. We couldn't put our reputation at risk, so we decided to pull him out of the private school and have him educated by personal tutors at home."
Riley's eye twitched upon hearing their reasoning for making that decision. She hadn't mentioned Wrench's own wellbeing at all, instead citing their social reputation as the thing most worth preserving.
"For that same reason, we kept him occupied with a nanny during social gatherings. Why put a child through the humiliation of being the odd one out in a large group of people like that? It would be cruel of us, really." The woman said.
What…what kind of justification was that? Wasn't keeping him completely out of the public eye even worse? She couldn't imagine what impression young Wrench would have gleaned from that action alone. Did he feel as though they were just trying to erase him? Pretend he didn't exist? "How often did you have gatherings like that?"
His mother perked up, smile widening. "Oh, at least every week. We love engaging with others in the trade. It was a great way for little Garrett to be exposed to the world of business, as well. A small taste of the work that his father did. And a great way to connect to future potential investors."
Riley had the urge to punch the woman, but she somehow held it back. Every week…No wonder Wrench didn't think fondly of his mother. Or brother. From the sound of it, she'd kept him locked away all the time, hoping no one took offense to the birthmark on his face. They didn't want their own son ruining their credibility and perfect image within the community, so they locked him away.
Still, she felt there was more information to be gleaned from her. Best to pretend like every word out of her mouth didn't set Riley's teeth on edge. "I can see how he would be a troublemaker. He's quite outgoing."
"Goodness, is he? How strange." His mother said with a raised brow.
"Why is that strange?"
She tossed a hand dismissively. "He'd always been incredibly shy. He could barely put two words together, and was constantly staring at his shoes. I'm sure the mark had something to do with it." His mother continued on. "He became even more recluse after the school issue, but strangely enough, he began to act out of turn much more frequently, now that I think about it."
Shy? Well no wonder. It sounded as if he didn't have any exposure to other people besides his caretakers. Children learned mannerisms and language from play and other children around them their age. Keeping him locked away for most of his childhood would have effected how he could interact with others. So much was wrong with this scenario.
And the acting out? Riley had read somewhere in one of her college classes that children tended to make trouble in order to get attention from their parents when they felt neglected or ignored. Neglected. That was the closest word she had to describe what his childhood had been like. It saddened her and angered her all at the same time.
She may have been abused, but neglect was just as bad. To have a family that didn't care about you? How dare they treat their own son that way. What did it matter the way he looked? He was a human being that deserved the same respect as they did. She was getting tired of these people, and fast.
"How close were Garret and…Damien?" The word was foreign on her lips. She resisted the urge to call him by the name she knew, if only to keep his mother talking without annoying her in some way. She wanted to know as much as she possibly could from her.
"Not as close as they could have been. Damien's bad behavior grew worse and worse the older he became. Often times we had to confine him to his room as punishment, so the boys didn't see each other all that frequently." She shrugged then, as if it wasn't of much importance. "Besides, Garrett had other friends to play with, and we didn't want his little brother becoming some sort of bad influence."
"I see." The brunette ground out, barely able to maintain her neutral tone and expression.
The mother didn't seem to notice Riley's increasingly negative mood towards her, and continued on anyway. "Oh, but it's nice to see him back home. Maybe Garrett can take him under his wing and they can all take part in their father's business together."
Her smile was stiff and dreamy. "Damien's skills with computers and coding would be of great help to his father, as well."
They knew…about his hacking skills? She was sure he hadn't developed them until after running away, based on how he described his past before. Riley narrowed her eyes. Wrench's skills? Was that what this was about? They wanted to have him work for them? Having a hacker on your repertoire of resources could certainly give you an edge above your rivals and competitors. Suddenly it all made a whole lot of sense. Had Wrench been right, and all of this was just a sham to get close to him, to use him?
"Is that all you want him for?" She burst out, unable to hold back. "You just want another asset in the family business?"
"Excuse me?" The mother looked taken aback, being spoken to in such a fashion. That seemed to be happening a lot today for her.
Riley frowned. "Why exactly did you have Garrett track Wrench down?'
"Wrench? His name is Dami-"
"Just answer the question." The brunette interrupted rudely.
The mother, who'd until that point smiled politely at her for the duration of the visit, switched to a much more pompous and 'I'm better than you' expression. There was her true face, the one who didn't much care about you unless you could be of some use to her. Apparently she'd determined that Riley couldn't be of any use to her.
"What the members of my family do and for what reason are strictly our own business, not that of some street girl. Perhaps you're the reason my boy is so vulgar and aggressive now. You may be a nice girl upfront, but underneath that smile there's a witch hiding."
Witch? Oh there was only one fucking witch between the two of them and it certainly wasn't Riley. She stood from the seat, tired of talking with her. But she had a bit of venting to do first.
"What kind of mother sees only a tool from her children? Do you even love them?"
"Of course I-"
"For more than what they can do for you!?"
That seemed to cut her short, and the older woman glared up at Riley. "I think you've overstayed your welcome. I'll have security escort you out."
"Like hell you will." The brunette spat, already walking towards where she'd last seen Wrench. She hoped he was still in a hurry to leave as he was before, because she was going to drag them both out if she had to. But first…
The men all came into view as she wandered up the path, and she could hear the mother's footsteps coming up behind her. She ignored her. Wrench was obviously still on edge, facing away from them as he leaned on the supports of the veranda they stood under. His father was saying something to him, but she couldn't hear at this distance. And Garrett stood to the side observing. Watching Wrench hopefully.
As Riley approached, his father stopped talking, and she garnered everyone's attention. Wrench instantly saw how upset she was, and flashed questions marks. Instead of just grabbing Wrench's hand and dragging him away like she was want to do, she went straight up to the father, the extremely tall father, and stuck a finger in his chest rudely.
"What kind of fucking family do you think you are?" She seethed, leering up at him dangerously.
Behind her, though she couldn't see it, Garrett's eyes went wide, never having seen anyone speak to his father that way. Wrench on the other hand had to resist to keep the hearts from popping up on his mask. There was something about an angry Riley that was incredibly hot to him. Especially when she was aimed at someone he also despised.
"That is enough, young lady!" The mother said behind her breathlessly. The woman's arm grabbed Riley by the shoulder but the brunette shook it away.
"Don't you lay a hand on her." She heard Wrench threaten quietly, but she didn't take her eyes off the father. He looked down at her with distaste.
"I would watch your tone, my dear." He warned, expertly schooling his expression into a calm and collected mask.
"Watch my tone, my ass. This whole fucking family is fake! I've never seen people as horrid as you! You drag your son, who you both neglected as a child so much that he had to run away, back here after all these years just to try to use him for your own personal gain! And you pretend like you give a shit about him to trick him into working for you to take advantage of his skills! You only care about him as long as he has some fucking purpose in your business!"
Garrett looked down at the ground uncomfortably, regretfully, but said nothing. Wrench shot them all exclamation points, understanding finally why they'd blackmailed him to come here. Riley had just figured it out sooner. And she was pissed on his behalf. How sweet. And fucking hot.
"You're the one who orchestrated this, aren't you?" The brunette rounded on his mother, who placed a hand on her chest again. "I can spot a conniving bitch when I see one. You spent so much time making sure Garrett was the perfect son that you forgot you had another child! You don't deserve the title of mother, especially after all the shit you told me before!"
The woman gasped, but Riley wasn't done, turning her gaze onto the father. "And these are your sons, not your toy soldiers to do your bidding. They're human beings, who think for themselves and make fucking mistakes. Just because he's not what you think is correct or some shit doesn't give you the right to belittle him for it or think any less about him. He's a much better man than you could ever be."
"And you." She rounded on Garrett now, who met her gaze evenly, as if expecting and accepting anything she had to say. He wasn't necessarily to blame for all of this, and based on his actions so far lead her to believe he wasn't entirely for whatever plan his parents had concocted. Maybe he was the only one worth a damn in this family. For a moment she said nothing, just stared at him, before shaking her head. "For once in your life, think for your fucking self."
With that, she turned to Wrench and crossed her arms. "Can we go now?"
He nodded once without hesitation, before allowing her to grab his hand and drag him back towards the entrance to the house. Wrench knew the way better than her, and after a moment began to lead them.
Riley looked back once, spotting the expressions of Wrench's family.
The father had schooled his face into submission once more, ever the composed and professional gentleman he wanted others to know him as.
The mother was scowling, no doubt recalling the words Riley had spat venomously at her. Ironically, her face looked so much more natural with a scowl, instead of that fake-ass smile she'd maintained since they'd arrived.
Garrett looked thoughtful and surprisingly human. Well chastened, thanks to Riley's rant. Good. She hoped they'd all think a bit about themselves as human beings after today's excursion. Doubtful on the parents' parts, but perhaps she'd gotten through to Garrett.
Wrench was in a hurry to get back to the car, and before long they had tumbled out of the house. Riley was still very much upset, in disbelief over the sort of people he'd had to grow up with as a child. Frown locked in place, she couldn't wait to get away from this house and anything having to do with it.
Funnily enough, the hacker himself was in much brighter spirits. Seeing Riley stick up for him was—he glanced over at her, feeling a spike of emotion shoot through his chest—fuck, was it attractive. The only thing he lamented was the hour long drive back home. His insides felt wound up, and he had a hard time hiding the crotch of his jeans from the brunette. He doubted she'd want to have sex in a stolen car in an unfamiliar city after having just gone through that social nightmare. But damn was he tempted to ask.
He slid into the driver's seat, watching as she followed after on the other side only a moment behind. Her expression was still pinched and upset, but Wrench had never seen her look more beautiful to him.
After a moment, she realized that it probably hadn't been her place to go off on them like that. If anyone had reason to do that, it was Wrench. Maybe she'd stolen the chance for him to get any sort of closure from this experience by dragging him out in her whirlwind of an exit.
"Sorry if I sort of…went too far there. I just couldn't stand mmm-" Riley's sentence was cut short by Wrench's mouth pressing against her own. She hadn't even seen him lift the mask over his head, too distracted by her anger. His fingers dragged backwards through her hair, angling her head how he liked.
Her eyes shut, accepting his kiss eagerly. She didn't even care if the house staff somehow saw what they were doing through the windows, or even his parents. They could all fuck off for all she cared.
She felt more than heard the growl at the back of his throat, shots of pleasure rushing down both of their legs. He squirmed in his seat, wishing for some sort of friction against the quickly-rising tent in his jeans.
"You have no idea…how hot that was…" He mumbled between them after a moment, hot breaths fanning across her face. They were both breathing hard, trying to catch their breaths, hearts beating quickly in their chests.
"Yeah?" She asked breathlessly, mesmerized by his blue eyes, half-lidded with desire.
"Mhmm." He hummed, eyes fluttering down to her lips again. His thumb slid up and pulled her bottom lip down, before releasing it. He was drunk off those lips, could get lost with them. Enough so that he had already forgotten where exactly they were.
Riley wanted to say something mysterious, sexy even. Maybe progress the mood further than it was already going. Unfortunately her stomach chose that moment to let out the loudest, angriest gurgle it could, sending a sharp pain of hunger through her abdomen.
Wrench's eyes closed again, forehead resting on hers to settle himself. Then his mouth split into a grin, despite the interruption to their sexual tension, and chuckled with mirth. "Hungry?"
"Starving." She nodded with a pained expression, apologetic for unintentionally killing the mood, and actual pain from the cramps in her stomach.
He pulled her closer for one last kiss. This one was deep, but quick, a reassurance that he wasn't mad. When he pulled back, he reached up and pulled his mask back into place. The emotes flickered to life after a second, sporting his happy expression. "How about the greasiest place in town?"
She nodded enthusiastically, trying to smooth her hair back into place. It was mussy and wild after the quick make out session. She was eager to get her hands on something fattening and definitely not good for her.
Wrench started the car and drove away from the mansion, hoping never to see it again in his life.
ns 15.158.61.51da2
