Chapter 34 #2
We didn’t live here for long, so it isn’t like memories are dancing around me.
Plus, in almost every place I did live in, the memories weren’t great.
Although, since some of my memories have randomly been resurfacing, I’m not positive I trust most of what I remember.
Not that I don’t believe the ones I can remember.
I just question how many of my memories have been blocked out—
“Maddison,” someone whispers from close by.
I spin around, my hair whipping around me as I scan the flashlight around in a panic. “Who’s there?”
I can’t spot anyone, and as the air grows quiet, I question if I’m losing my damn mind.
Shaking my head at myself, I begin to lower the light of my phone when a figure appears in the doorway. They’re wearing a suit and tie, their shoulders are broad, and they’re tall enough that the top of their head nearly touches the doorway.
I open my mouth to shout for help when I note another suited guy looming behind the doorway.
Crap, this is bad.
“Maddison Averly, you need to come with us,” the man in the doorway demands.
I snort a nervous laugh. “Yeah, hard pass, dude.”
“You have to—Grey Devenport has requested to see you,” the man continues as if that means something.
I recall the name as belonging to the man in the grocery store who knew my aunt, but that guy creeped me out.
“Good for him.” I step back toward the window, planning to bail.
The man sighs as if I’m a mere nuisance. “I guess we’re going to have to do this the hard way.”
I raise my fists instinctively, preparing to fight. But the man doesn’t try to come at me. He turns to the man behind him and says, “If she doesn’t come with us, plant the drugs in the car and call the cops on the Aversons.”
I grit my teeth from side to side. “Are you freaking blackmailing me?”
The man turns toward me. “Nah, I’m just giving you a bit of motivation.”
I shake my head from side to side, the muscles in my jaw ticking. On the one hand, I could bail out the window and run, but after everything River and Finn have done for me, that’d be a shit move.
“Fine, just leave River and Finn out of this, whatever this is.” I step forward with my hands clenched at my sides.
The jerk smiles. “Good choice. Smart girl.”
“Yeah, you can shove your fake compliments up your ass,” I inform him with a sugary-sweet smile.
He returns it as he steps aside and gestures for me to go ahead.
I do, but the man standing just outside of my mother’s room ends up walking in front of me, and the other guy stays behind me. When we step outside, I find five other suited bodyguard-like guys standing around, two of which are forcing River and Finn to stand by their SUV.
The moment I step foot outside, River’s gaze finds me. “Maddy, don’t go with them.”
“I have to,” I tell him with a pressing look, begging him to understand.
“No, you don’t,” he calls out as I get herded toward a sleek, dark car with tinted windows.
I want to tell River everything, but the man behind me urges me to climb into the back seat of the car.
Once I’m in, he ducks his head into the cab. “Give me your phone.”
I cross my arms. “No way.”
“You’ll get it back,” he tells me in a tolerant tone. “We just need to make sure no one tracks where you’re going.”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” I reply without moving to grab my phone.
As he continues to patiently wait, I finally give up, shove my hand into my pocket, and begrudgingly give him my phone. He closes the door then, and the car rolls forward. There’s a dark window blocking my view of who is driving.
The car ride feels like forever. Every time the vehicle comes to a stop, I contemplate jumping out, but then I worry that the bodyguard guys will do something to River and Finn.
So, I stay put and stare out the window as the car drives me to the outskirts of the Royal City, where the most lavish and expensive houses are.
The scenery is mostly made of hills encompassing the city, and they also make up properties belonging to some of the most wealthy people.
The house I end up at is settled on the edge of a hill that has a view of the city.
The place has a lot of windows and definitely has a modern vibe, along with a gated entrance.
Once the driver punches in a code, they drive through and park in front of the front door.
I wait, unsure what to do when the divider window cracks. “You can get out and go inside,” the driver instructs.
I can’t see their face, but their voice is feminine.
I want to ask if I just walk in, but they roll the window up.
Summoning a deep breath, I push the door open and get out. The night air is cool against my skin as I make my way up the brick path and to the front door. I decide to walk in, figuring I was forced to come here, so there isn’t any need for politeness.
On the other side of the doorway is a high-ceiling entryway, and the walls are a mixture of brick and blue paint. A massive light dangles above, and on my left is a doorway that leads to a living room. Inside is a fireplace and light blue velvet sofas. And sitting on one of these sofas is Grey.
He looks how I remember him—a middle-aged man with dark hair and eyes. He’s wearing slacks and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and he has a half-drunk drink in his hands as he sits with his arms resting on his legs while staring at the rug.
He must not hear me come in since he doesn’t glance my way, so I clear my throat.
He jolts, and his gaze lifts to mine.
“Shit, I didn’t hear you come in,” he mutters as he sets the glass down on the coffee table and quickly rises to his feet. “You can come in.”
“Can I?” I question without moving. “Or do you need your bodyguard dudes to come threaten me first?”
He scratches the back of his neck. “I’m sorry for that, Maddison. It was just imperative that I get you here as discreetly as possible. No one would’ve hurt you, though. I promise.”
I eye him over. “What do you even want from me?”
He shifts his weight then gestures at the sofa across from him. “Will you please come sit down …? What I have to say is going to be a lot for you to process.”
I stubbornly stay where I am for a few seconds longer before doing what he asks.
He sits down as I do and reaches for his glass to down the rest of his drink. Then he studies me, staring at me in an uncomfortable way, just like he did in the grocery store.
“You look so much like her,” he tells me in an awed tone.
“I’m assuming you mean Aunt Ellie,” I reply, sinking back in the chair.
He nods, slanting forward. “Has she ever told you anything that seems, I don’t know, strange?”
I don’t respond immediately, and he must take my silence as a yes because he continues.
“I don’t want to scare you.”
“I’m not scared.” It’s a lie. “But I’m annoyed.”
“You don’t need to be annoyed,” he assures me. “I didn’t bring you here to hurt you. I brought you here to protect you.”
I let out a dry laugh. “You have a weird way of doing that.”
“I wanted to make sure no one knew where you were … because if anyone found out—if someone figured out what I think might be the truth—then you’re in so much danger, Maddison.”
His words send a surge of uneasiness through me.
Does he know about the necklace?
I play dumb. “Why do you think that?”
He rotates the empty glass around in his hand.
“Because … because …” Shaking his head, he sets the glass down and sits up straighter.
“Because I think I might be your father, which would make your aunt Ellie your real mother. And if this is true, and anyone else has found this out, you’ll be in much danger. ”
I stare at him. And stare. Then a laugh bursts from my lips. “My aunt Ellie isn’t my mother.” I rise to my feet. “And I’m done here.” I start to leave, but he rushes after me.
“Does the name Everford mean anything to you?” he calls out in a panic.
I slam to a halt, my breathing quickening as I twist around. “Am I here because you want to kill me?”
He shakes his head as he steps toward me. “No, not at all. Like I said, I want to protect you.” He swallows audibly. “Because if you are my daughter—which I really do believe you are—then protecting you is going to be hard.”
“Why?” I wonder as I face him. “Your last name isn’t Everford.”
He hesitates. “Before I can tell you more, I need to have you take a DNA test.”
The thing is, he doesn’t have to tell me anything—I can see it all over his face. It takes me a moment to put it together, but it makes sense. People do it all the time in northside, especially when running from the police.
People may know him as Grey Devenport, but his actual name is Everford. And if he is my father, that means I am, too.
But how?
How can this be possible?
I could run, refuse the DNA test, and try to live my life. I mean, how could this be the truth? That means everyone in my life has lied to me.
It’s that thought that gets me to agree to it, because my parents—fake or not—have always lied to me. And I just found out my aunt Ellie has, as well.
“Okay,” I agree. “I’ll take the test.”
The sad part is I’m not even sure if I want it to be positive or not.
Do I want to keep my old life that was full of secrets, lies, and corruption?
Or do I want to enter a new world, full of the same things?
In the end, I’ll still always be at risk of being hunted, either by royals or by people my “father” has pissed off.
Will I ever be able to live my life without being afraid of being hunted?
I have no idea, and that is more terrifying than anything else.