She arches her perfectly shaped black brow. “Murder?” she questions.
“Yeah, it’s like the third one since I’ve been here. This time it was some rich asshole’s rapist son.”
“Well, I hope whoever did it made it hurt. Now, let’s go. I’m going to show you how to use these,” she commands, pulling out a pair of metal hair sticks.
Intrigued, I stand. “I’ve always wanted a pair of these.”
“Once you learn how to use them, I’ll have custom ones made for you. Now get to work,” she states, training me until the door opens.
My father and grandmother step inside.
“Good to see you again, dear girl,” my grandmother greets her.
The tough exterior of the woman who’s been training me for weeks melts away, replaced by a warm smile. “Miss Tabby. How are you?”
As they talk, my dad calls me over, and I can tell from the look on his face this is what I’ve been waiting for.
“It’s time, Ry.”
EMMA
Today feels heavier than any day has since I arrived.
Something is brewing in the air, but I can’t pinpoint what it is. At first, I thought the uneasiness was because my dreams were filled with glimpses of my time with them before they ripped out my heart. It felt so real.
When my eyes snapped open this morning, I swore I could feel the lingering presence of someone in my room hovering over my bed, but much like last time, no one was there. Now, I’m starting to wonder if my sleeping meds are making me hallucinate or if my subconscious mind hasn’t caught up to the fact the guys are no longer mine.
Shaking myself of my earlier dread, I tilt my head up and bask in the August sun. Who knows how long it will be before I can do this again. With summer coming to a close, the mounting pressure of what I need to do presses hard against my solar plexus.
“We’re here,” Jamie squeaks in excitement, pulling me from my thoughts. A place in which I feel like I’ve been trapped more often than not.
Lowering my gaze, I see the clearing ahead where Dad and the twins are set up. Yesterday, Dad mentioned having one last trip up the mountain. This time, we’re having a late lunch before we hike back down.
I smile, watching them. Dad instructs them where to put the cooler, and they’re goofing off. Kellan and Kylan are in true form.
Colorado has been good for them.
For us.
We’ve had time to mourn the loss of the mother we once knew and come to terms with the evil woman I killed. We’re not entirely healed, and we don’t pretend to be. We’ll always mourn the person she was before she showed her true colors.
Now I need to do the same with them.
My smile melts from my face, tears building in my eyes. I squeeze them shut, trying and losing the battle to prevent them from falling.
Needing more time, I quickly wipe them and tell Jamie, “Go on. Tell Dad I’ll be there soon.”
She looks at me, confused. “You’re not coming?
I force a smile, hoping she won’t notice my mounting sadness. “I’m going to walk for a little longer,” I explain.
Her emerald eyes narrow, studying me for a moment. I watch as she processes what she’s seeing. She must observe something because she doesn’t question me further.
I watch, ensuring she makes it to Dad before turning down one of the trails. Not wanting to venture too far from safety, I walk another five minutes. Even with Reign only steps behind me, I wouldn’t put it past someone to sneak onto our property with everything going on. The wooden bench and river I’ve visited a handful of times since arriving at our family home appear on my left.
“I’m going to sit here for a bit,” I inform Reign. He’s been with me out here each time I decide to visit.
The only acknowledgment that he heard me is the dip of his head. It’s all I need to walk down the path.
A warm breeze blows the wisps of my hair out of my face as I sit down and watch the water flow by. Purple Lewisias line the embankment, growing amid the rocky terrain. There is something magical about this place. It’s the only space I can truly clear my mind, and I desperately need a clear one to make this decision.
Am I finally ready to face them?
While the past eight and half weeks have been precisely what I needed, knowing the stakes, I can’t hide anymore. I’ve trained, spent time learning about the Bradford role in the Fraternitas, and started healing. It’s time to go back. I won’t allow what happened to me to be the fate of anyone else again. The Fraternitas needs change, and neither the Council nor those assholes who somehow still make my heart ache are capable of doing it. I’ve wallowed enough. It’s time to end the Fraternitas’ archaic system.
After the conversation I had at dinner that night nearly two months ago and the one I had with just my grandfather when I was introduced to my protection detail, I know there’s a power struggle. No one believes the Filiae Bellonae is done trying to stage a hostile takeover, but we all agree that if the mission were to merge organizations under the Bradford line, then killing me wouldn’t be their plan. The question is, are the Heirs in on it?
The more time I’ve had to think about everything that’s happened, too many signs point to a hostile takeover with their help. Selection girls were murdered until Samantha was able to become a pick. The rapid rate at which Rowan went from hating me to doing everything in his power to earn my trust was partially why I made him work so hard. He hated me and was vocal about how beneath him I was. Yet somehow, I slowly fell for him. Then, Liam, who can’t stand to be touched, allowed me, of all people, to touch him like I’m some anomaly. The quintessential “not like other girls.” I should’ve recognized their game.
My guess is that they quickly learned bullying me into submission wasn’t an option. I should’ve prepared myself for the emotional tactics. But how could I? There was so much vulnerability and sincerity in their actions. I’m usually a great bullshit detector. I mean, like being able to sniff gaslighting from across the globe, but I didn’t see this coming until it was too late.
I think the added bonus to the plan we’ve devised is that I get the opportunity to make each Heir regret the day their dads decided to nut inside their moms instead of on their faces.
“Emma,” Reign’s gravelly timber shouts.
I twist to where he stands. “Fifteen more minutes,” I reply to his unspoken command.
“We can’t. Your dad wants to be back at the house before it’s dark, and you know he wants you all together for this one,” he explains.
He’s right. Dad brought jumbo Jenga and Tic-Tac-Toe for us to play. “Okay, five minutes then,” I sigh. I’d stay in this spot forever if I could.
I hear his muttered curse before he presses the com in his ear to relay our ETA.
Twisting back to the river, I watch the way the water beats against the rocks in its path and think how metaphorically perfect this scene is. Water is a force that wears the most jagged pieces smooth, given enough opportunity. It has the ability to both destroy life and rebirth it, much like fire. And while water is not entirely undefeatable, it’s one of the most vital elements.
So, do I burn their world down or beat it into submission?
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.