Chapter 40
When I wake up, Dane is already at the track. I pull his pillow to my nose and inhale his heady, woodsy scent. I miss him, and I can’t wait for him to return.
My phone rings. I pick it up from my nightstand and see Grandmother calling. Taking a deep breath, I slide my thumb over the screen to accept the call.
“Abigail, I’m expecting you in half an hour.”
“I’ll be there.”
As I change, a hundred thoughts run through my head. But my disarrayed thoughts vanish when Dane calls me.
“Hi, princess.”
“Shouldn’t you be doing laps?”
“I took a break. Missed you so much, I had to hear your voice.”
A smile tugs at my lips, my insides melting. Us being together is not a dream. It’s the best kind of reality.
“What are you doing?”
“Grandmother summoned me.”
A heavy silence follows.
“I’ll be there in a bit.”
“Baby, no. I have this.”
“Sure?”
“Yes. I Love you. See you later.”
I hang up and drive toward the estate. Thomas welcomes me inside and takes me to Grandmother’s sitting room. She’s standing at the window, holding herself up on her cane and looking at the rose garden stretching before her.
I approach her, and after I curtsy and kiss her hand, she caresses the side of my face. Strong emotions surge through me.
“Thank you for coming so quickly. Please, take a seat,” she says, pointing at the sitting area. Two elegant, rose-embroidered chairs and a cream round table resting by the window.
Is she sick? And strangely, at the thought, a queasy feeling knots my insides.
I fold my hands over my lap, and she says, “I have seen the videos.”
A shiver runs down my spine, and I lift my eyes to find hers etched in sadness.
“I’m deeply sorry for what you went through and what you lost.”
“Thank you,” I say in a meek voice. The damn bastard. If I knew she didn’t know about what they were doing, I would have ratted him out immediately.
“I imagine you’d like to hurt Felix just as much as I do. Believe me, I thought of getting him killed a dozen times ever since he got caught.”
“He has to pay for what he did.”
“I will have him killed if that’s what you want.”
I blink at her, mouth opening in incredulity.
“But I want you to think about what keeping him alive and imprisoned would do to him.”
That would be a long torture. Ignoring the blinding fury for a moment, I’d rather let him live. Death would be too merciful.
“My generation was built on ingrained respect. We didn’t question. We followed. We knew it was never about what we wanted, but about duty. I knew since I could barely talk that I would lead this family. Even with my birthright, I was a woman, and that came with its own hurdles. I had to gain respect and establish my authority. I had to sacrifice my humanity, and my heart to become the undisputed leader of the Family.”
She must see the confusion written all over my face. I have no idea where she’s going with this.
“My daughter was the only one I truly loved. I despised my husband. Oswald was weak in my eyes, always wanting attention and for me to acknowledge him. But I couldn’t, and after we had Cassandra, I sent him away. Then you kids came, and I should have paid more attention, but grief blinded me. I digress. Must be the old age mellowing me. I failed.”
She heaves herself from the armchair on her cane. I follow down the long hallway adorned with priceless paintings until we reach the vault.
“These treasures have been in the Family for centuries. I want you to choose a piece. Whatever you like.”
“This is not what I want, Grandmother.”
“What is it you want?”
It is the first time she has asked, but the answer is at the tip of my tongue.
“To be free.”
“Freedom, my dear, is the world’s biggest illusion. Don’t be naive and fall for it. We are born in chains, and they will disentangle when we die, and not a moment sooner. If you want to be free of this family, of the responsibilities, then I would say I have been truly mistaken about your character.”
“Grandmother, with all due respect, you don’t know me.”
“You used to love spending time with me, and I loved that too. You were my favorite. I saw myself in you. Both you and Kaden have that sense of responsibility ingrained in you, like the capacity to sacrifice your hearts for the greater good.”
“True, but I’m not you. I would never marry or have a child with someone I don’t love.”
“Love. I don’t know much about it, but in my position, it was something I had to forsake.”
Her hand trembles on the cane. I see the strength it takes to appear in better condition than she is. Her face loses color, and her body appears frailer every minute.
I rush to her, and she waves me off.
“Felix wanted to break you, but he couldn’t. He will pay dearly for it because I took what he wanted the most: power. The initiation I had in mind, the one he should have followed, he didn’t because he’s weak. And like every weak person, he enjoys tormenting others and establishing fake power. I told the seniors none of them would lead this family, so this is why I had you come here weekly. It was to test you, youngsters, and you didn’t fail, none of you did. This family was built on trust, respect and following the rules. None of the seniors were a good fit, but they were more cunning.”
A fit of coughing rocks her chest. I freeze when I see the stain of blood on the tissue.
“You and Kaden would have been the perfect leaders. I agreed to your union because you complement each other. I had to think about the well-being of the Family so it wasn’t a hard decision to send my own niece away. But you showed me you are a unit even without me forcing that on you.”
She looks impassively at the tissue in her hand, continuing, “You will have to lead because you were destined to do that. Make things right again. Start a new generation on the values this family was initially built on and create a legacy that will outlive you.”
“I…”
“Or be a mediocre artist.”
“Grandmother…”
“I have seen your work. They are beautiful, but so are the ones of many. Art is about passion, not an alternative plan. Embrace the role destiny entrusted to you rather than swimming in an overcrowded pond. You have never been the one to go under the radar.”
“I don’t know…”
“It’s your duty. It’s my last request. Bring the group together and be the ones I raised you to be. Sacrifices build empires, my dear. Be a queen. Queens are not chosen. Maybe that’s why they have to make the biggest sacrifices to lead. It’s nothing glamorous. Every second of the day, the Family comes first. You come second. But you have found a partner who is not afraid to be in your shadow because he shines on his own. He wants to be in your life at the cost of what he loves most. You chose right, and I give you my blessing.”
“What do you want me to say to that, Grandmother?” I back away until my back meets a golden statue. “I wanted your love. I wanted a family. Now you ask me to raise a family with the same values and duties. It’s still a cage.”
“Yes, but you’re strong, Abigail. I’m sorry I won’t be here to guide you, but you can’t walk away.”
“This is not fair.”
“Life, my dear, is not fair. Ours even less so.”
“Celine is your granddaughter…”
“I was the hardest on her, and that is my pain and my guilt to carry. My granddaughter has a heart of gold. You have one of steel.”
Speechless, my eyes sweep around the jewelry behind the wall of glass. A pair of rings catch my attention. White and gold mingle together, forming a band of intricate rope.
“Those would be fabulous wedding bands. You want to hear the story behind them?”
I nod, unable to take my eyes off the rings, and she continues, “Those were promise rings. A young king had to go to war, leaving his new bride back at the palace. If he lost, he would lose it all. If he won, he’d return to a kingdom. Every day, he would look at the ring and remind himself why he had to win.”
“Did he?”
“Of course, because he knew he had to win: to return home to his loved one.”
“But you said I can pick one piece.”
“These are meant to be a pair, connecting two people as one.”
She calls Thomas, who opens the window and puts the two promise rings in a jewelry box.
“Grandmother?”
“Yes, my dear?”
“I can’t promise you anything, but I will try. Kaden, Blake, Celine, Bailey, and even Mia and Hunter are my family. I know together we could do incredible things.” We just have to overcome the strain, and that is my biggest fear—things will never be the same in our group. There have been too many secrets, trusts broken, and individual attacks to think regrouping will be easy.
“Then my legacy will thrive because your effort means you won’t stop until you achieve it.”
Her validation fills me with resolve. All my life, I have wanted her love, and it warms that icy place in my heart where I have never received parental love. I guess she loves us in her way, but responsibility comes first—the life of a true ruler.
After I say goodbye, I drive back to campus.
Celine and Kaden are in the living room, cuddled together on the couch. She leans on his side while Kaden interlaces their fingers.
“What’s wrong?” Celine asks once she sees me and scoots up.
“I think Grandmother’s sick.”
“We’re not that lucky.”
“Kaden, don’t be a dick.”
“Did she brainwash you?” Celine asks.
I plop on the seat at the other end of the couch and say, “We’re family. If we leave to start our lives somewhere else, away from our legacy, our group will never be the same…”
“What are you talking about?” Kaden asks.
“We could start from scratch, do this better.”
“Abigail, what the fuck happened?”
“Kaden, you love this family.”
“Did you fall on your head? All you have been dreaming about is getting away.”
“Kaden,” Celine says in a soft voice.
A muscle ticks in his jaw. “I don’t care, we’re out.”
I inhale deeply, hating when he’s being a thick-headed, stubborn asshole. He wants a fight, I’ll give him a fight. Family matters, and he knows that.
“Our family is in shambles.”
“Abi, I’m not in the mood.”
“Sorry, do I sound like I give a damn that you’re not in the mood? You know, just like I do, that leaving would haunt you. Be the damn leader you were born to be. Celine is at your side now. You have no excuse. Don’t make me chase you down.”
“It’s not like I would abandon any of you, damn it. Can’t I be selfish for once in my life?”
“No, because you don’t have that luxury.”
He opens his mouth, but Celine says, “Stop fighting.”
“We have to be stronger and do better. We can do this together as a family,” I say, needing to make my point clear.
“I think we all need time. No one is making a drastic decision anytime soon,” Celine says.
Knowing she’s right, I go upstairs, feeling conflicted.
Climbing into bed, I snap the lid of the jewelry box open. Looking at the precious rings, I lose all notion of time. To stay or leave. It’s as if there are two paths spread in front of me, but one thing is for sure, whatever path I take, it has to be with Dane at my side.
Right then, he walks inside, and I snap out of my mental wanderings.
He looks at the open jewelry box.
“I’m asking, so don’t even think of doing that.”
I tilt my head, our eyes locked. “And here I thought you’d like me on my knees.”
“Only when you want to suck my dick.”
A burst of laughter tumbles out of my mouth, but when he approaches me, all amusement vanishes. Seriousness takes over his features.
“Princess, I need to be the one on my knees when I ask you to marry me. So, you’ll remember my promise to worship you all our lives. I want you to look in my eyes and see the world I’ll give you. So the moment you say yes will be branded on my damn retinas, a reminder of why life can never beat me because you choose me to do it with.”
Emotions scrape at my vocal cords. His love, adoration, and loyalty are the wonders of my life. I will cherish those and him with everything in me.
“I’d never take that moment away from either of us, but we could also use these promise rings as wedding bands. Grandmother told me I could pick anything. So, do you want to promise me something?”
He climbs into bed next to me and picks the smaller one. The air carries a sacred moment. From the first time I saw him, he took everything in me apart and put those pieces back with his stamp on them. I’ve been his since his eyes locked on mine.
This precious moment brims with reverence and a promise of forever. I am at ease, feeling with every fiber of my being that I’m his. He’s mine. We belong together.
Sliding the ring on my finger, he looks into my eyes. Seeing all those emotions battling in his instantly makes me emotional as well.
Lifting my hand to his mouth, he places a tender kiss on my ring finger and hand. He clears his throat. “I promise to love you all my life. I promise to be at your side for every step of our journey together. And if there’s something waiting for us after death, I’ll promise you and me even then. I’m yours for all eternity. There’s no beginning or end to my love for you. It just is, giving my life a purpose. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, no boundaries I wouldn’t cross. My life is yours. I bow to only you, my queen, the person who has all my loyalty.”
Tears roll down my face as I pick up his ring and slide it down his finger. They fit us so well, like they were meant for us.
Kissing his ring finger, then his palm, I say, “I promise you me for as long as I will live and beyond. All my heart is yours. All my days and nights will be yours as well. I love you with all of me. There can’t be an end to us because we’re endless in our love for each other, my king. And that is the greatest joy, blessing, and gift—the biggest privilege of my life—to share it with my soulmate at my side. I don’t want simple, I want incredible. You have been the wonder and surprise of my life. You’re all I love, all I need, all I crave. I can’t wait to experience everything this life will bring us, together.”
“Together.”
He slams his mouth against mine and says, “Let’s go on a date.”
“As your girlfriend?”
“I think we skipped that whole phase. It wouldn’t be enough for me anymore.”
“So call me yours.”
“Mine. My everything.”
And that is exactly what we do to celebrate our promise. We go out. Nothing has felt better than holding hands in public. Finally. We both grin, and I don’t know which of us is prouder or more excited.
Eyes turn, taking us in. No one is subtle as they elbow each other. We’re sitting in a small booth at a diner on campus grounds. He lifts my hand with the ring and kisses my knuckles.
“Would you love me even if I kill two people?”
I know where he’s going, and I have imagined killing Felix and Caleb so often I could come off the top of my head with at least fifteen scenarios.
“If you do that, I would be right next to you. I’m your ride or die.”
His jaw clenches, rage burning in his eyes. “I can’t fathom knowing the people who hurt you are alive. I want to burn them to ashes, then resurrect them so I can do it again and again.”
I brush my finger over the prominent vein in his hand, sipping from my cocktail.
“Or we could enjoy that we’re together while both of them rot in a cell.”
“That’s too mild.”
“It’s prolonged torture.”
“I can’t promise you that one day I won’t kill them.”
“And I won’t stop you.”
“You love my crazy ass, that’s why.”
“Your big dick is also in the top three.”
He throws his head back and laughs.
My heart is at peace. My life has just begun, and the promise of the future makes me all kinds of enthusiastic.
I can’t wait to do life with him, and I will enjoy every moment along the way.