Chapter 32
AIDEN
Maddison Everford is the first person I ever met who didn’t touch me with malicious intent.
Most people avoid touching me altogether because they’re terrified of me.
I’ve spent several years getting the shit beat out of me.
It was part of my daily training. James wanted his guards to beat the rebelliousness out of me.
For most of my life, I believed that’s all there was: pain, fear, and rage. But that changed the day I met Maddison.
I saw her before we actually met. I’d been sent to scope out the situation after James heard a rumor that an Everford was living in northside.
He didn’t have much information, other than an address.
I had shown up at the place and monitored the woman who lived there, who turned out to be Ellie.
I hadn’t spent much time in northside, so the area was relatively new to me.
It was strange to see how northsiders reacted.
While they could be cruel to each other, they were blunter about it.
Royals like to keep their dark secrets hidden in the shadows while northsiders seemed to give zero fucks.
And then there was Ellie. She was kind, which I wasn’t used to.
She helped the elderly, gave money to the homeless, and, as I learned from watching her, spent a lot of time taking care of her niece, whose parents were selfish bastards who used her every chance they got.
And yet, Maddy never let it break her. She was so strong, and I was utterly fascinated by her toughness, and yet she was also so caring and sweet.
That was part of the reason why I did what I did.
The other part was that I was fucking tired of being controlled by James.
He believed I’d never betray him, that he’d broken me to comply.
He was wrong, and I saw an opportunity to get him back.
So, on the day James sent some bodyguards to collect Ellie so he could lock her up and get some answers, I knocked on Ellie’s door and told her about James’ theory and that his bodyguards were headed her way. She had panicked, which was understandable.
But then she uttered words that would forever change the direction of my life. “My daughter is here. You have to help me protect her.”
“You’re daughter?” I had asked. “You mean your niece?”
“No, she’s my daughter.” Panic flooded her face, and her gaze pleaded with me to help her.
I already had a plan to do that, but this totally blindsided me.
“She’s in the guestroom,” she explained, getting to her feet. “We need to get her out of here.”
My phone buzzed from inside my pocket. I didn’t have to look to see who the message was from.
“It’s too late,” I told her as I slipped my gun from my holster. “They’re already here.”
Her eyes widen at the gun. “Please don’t kill us. You’re just a boy. You don’t want to do this.”
It was odd to hear her say I was just a boy, when people had been treating me like an adult for years. If she knew about all the things I’d done, she wouldn’t be saying that.
“I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to kill them.” I started toward the front door. “Just stay where you are.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but then she closed it without saying a word. I knew she wanted to argue, wanted not to be the reason I killed, but her need to protect her daughter was more powerful.
And I killed every bodyguard James sent.
With Jocelyn's help, we covered it up and crafted a story that made James believe the woman he sent me to spy on had taken off. He wasn’t aware of Maddy, and I wanted it to stay that way.
It was that same day that I first spoke to Maddy, and she shook my hand. No one had ever done that, touched me with such gentleness.
After that, I did my best to keep an eye on her, but then James started sending me on these missions to find the island, and everything Ellie, Jocelyn, and I built fell apart. And I hate myself for that, more than I already did.
But I won’t ever let her out of my sight again. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, to get her to this island where she’ll be as safe as an Everford can be. I’ve heard enough rumors to know it’ll be dangerous, but I’ll get us there, even if I die trying.