Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
YORICK
Past
“You have to get up,” William says, shaking me.
“I don’t want to,” I grumble.
“You need to get dressed!”
I jerk awake and look over to see William swiftly dressing. My mind snaps into awareness as I push out of his bed and hastily grab my clothes. I tug them on an instant before there’s a knock on the door.
“Your guests are here, my lord,” the butler says before pushing the door open without permission. I think his goal in life is to try to catch us together so he can tell William’s father.
But by the time the door opens, I’ve thrown myself into a chair and cracked open a book that I make sure to look especially bored while reading. The butler scowls at both of us as William looks up from his desk.
William appears surprised. “Oh… already? I thought they weren’t coming until tomorrow.”
“Yes, my lord, already. They will be joining us for dinner. I’ve prepared a spot for the young earl as well,” the butler says, referring to me.
While I might not actually be an earl, I might have pretended that I received the title after my father’s death.
William knows the truth, but we toss it around in front of others since they’re all upper class and love titles.
William shakes his head. “Oh, Yorick needs to get going.”
“No, I’m fine,” I say, uncertain why he’d want me to leave. He tells me all the time how awful it is to have to deal with his father’s many acquaintances. Wouldn’t it be better to have his lover there, even if no one is allowed to know it?
“Perfect,” the butler replies as he turns and heads off.
Before I can follow, William grabs me. “Why don’t you head home? This is always dreadfully boring, and I don’t want to subject you to it.”
“I don’t mind,” I say. “It’ll be fun to keep you company.”
And truly, I don’t really have anywhere else to go.
I may have taken on my father’s title, but it’s not like I can return to that land.
I’ve been busy living wherever I could find a room while taking odd jobs for the past year.
After selling most of the jewels I’d stolen from Atticus, I procured a room, but I was afraid to waste too much money on a room I had to pay for by the day, so I got something cheap.
I want to save up enough money to get my own place…
or possibly move in with William when he moves into his own place.
I don’t know how long the money from the jewels will have to last me, so I’ve been careful with it.
“I love you,” I whisper.
William smiles at me and glances around furtively before stealing a kiss.
It makes me smile, and I feel like I’m floating as I head for the stairs.
He steps up behind me. “Will you please leave?”
Turning, I notice the serious look on his face, which wipes the smile off mine. “Why?”
“Because I asked you to.”
“I will… but I want you to tell me why later.”
I walk down the stairs and look around for my overcoat, knowing I tossed it somewhere in a hurry yesterday.
“You can wear mine,” William says, directing a maid to fetch it. He hands it over to me as the door opens and a group of people enter. But my eyes are immediately drawn to a beautiful woman who’s a few years older than me but still younger than William.
“Will!” she shouts, rushing over and quickly taking his hands in hers.
“I wish we could kiss,” I hear her whisper as I freeze and stare at her.
“You two are just adorable together. The wedding is right around the corner. I can’t wait,” an older woman within the group says. “She’s going to look exquisite in her dress. It’s too bad the wedding was delayed by two months, but now we have mere weeks to wait.”
Months?
“If you can’t tell, my mother is extremely excited. I swear it’s all she’s talked about since you asked me to marry you,” the younger woman tells William.
I didn’t know William was courting someone, let alone set to marry her. How have I not heard of this?
Then again, it’s not like I run with his crowd, and the men at the sawmill I’ve been working at care very little for nobility nonsense.
“Did you not know, my lord?” the butler whispers in my ear. “That’s strange as you’ve been coming here since before he even met her.”
William is refusing to look at me.
“W-William, before I head out, a word if you don’t mind?” I ask, nearly choking on my words. It’s a wonder I can even look like I know what I’m doing. I’ve known William for two years and we’ve been together for almost all of it, and this… this is how it ends?
“Who is this?” the young woman asks.
“Oh, a friend.”
“I see,” she says, seeming barely capable of letting go of him so he can talk with me. The second we’re alone, I stare at him while wishing this was all a fucked-up dream.
“You never thought to mention this?” I hiss.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. We knew this was just fun.”
“Did we?” I ask, trying to keep my emotions in check.
“You spun me tales about how we’d be together forever.
You told me lies about how you would always love me, and that you’d never marry because you’d never need anyone but me.
You said that last week! Last week while knowing you were getting married! ”
“She never needs to know. We can keep having fun.”
“Fun? Is that all I am to you? Do you even love me?”
He gives me a warm smile. “I love you more than anything in the world. But my father… you know with my title I eventually have to get married. It’ll all be a farce.”
“Is that the second or third young man you’ve told that to this week, my lord?” the butler asks from the doorway.
William’s face turns sour. “Do you wish to be beaten?”
The butler bows his head and utters his apologies, but my world is crashing down around me.
William always forbade me from being around the butler and told me it was because the butler would expose us to his father…
but was it because he didn’t want me to know the truth?
Was the butler trying to save me from this pain all along?
“I see,” I whisper.
“Come on, don’t listen to him,” William says.
“How many men have you been sleeping with while telling me that I was the only one?”
William shakes his head. “He’s lying! He’s just trying to stir up trouble.”
“Why would he even care to?” I ask.
I pull my arm away from him and slowly start toward the door.
“Fine! Fucking leave, then. I don’t need you. All you ever were to me was someone to fuck!”
Ah, here I am…
Alone again.
He never did love me, did he? He just wanted to use me.
Everyone only wants to use me.
I step out into the room where everyone stands and his fiancée rushes back over to him. William’s watching me… is he disappointed he won’t have anyone to fuck?
Probably.
I give them my best smile. “It was lovely meeting you all. I must take my leave. After all, I just learned that I am but one of the many men William is having intercourse with, all while engaged to this lovely lady. How delightful,” I say, shocking the room into silence.
“William, I’m taking your prized horse, and you’re not going to say a fucking word about it. ”
I head out to his stable and wander over to his prized stallion which I saddle and bridle while imagining how the world must be crashing down around William just as it’s crashed down around me.
And why do I feel slightly guilty for announcing that to the others?
I’m sure his father will have it all cleared up by the end of the day.
I ride the horse to where I’ve been staying, gather my belongings, and decide that I’ll find another hellish place to hole up in.
When I get far enough away that no one will recognize the horse’s brand, I will sell it… or maybe I’ll keep him just because he’s pretty and I’ve always liked pretty things.
My journey sends me up north, taking weeks while I scavenge, steal, and barter my way through cities and towns.
All the while questioning why I bother.
Eventually, I arrive at the large stable I stole a horse from a little over two years ago.
Over the years, I’ve found myself seeking out Atticus here and there.
Last time, I took a pretty mare he’d been planning on selling…
I merely sold her for him and haven’t been back to give him the funds.
I put this horse in the same stall and step in through the front door where the vampire grabs me by my throat.
“Have you come to return everything you’ve stolen from me?”
“Nope.”
“I should just kill you.”
“No one would notice.”
“What is that?” a man I didn’t notice asks.
Atticus huffs as he shoves me away from him. “An irritation.”
“I see,” the man says, eyeing me with interest. “He’s very pretty. I would let him irritate me too.”
“Then you may have him, Morpheus. Actually, I insist,” Atticus says.
“Can I go sleep?” I ask.
“You just waltz in here after two years and still believe there’s a spot for you? You come and go as you please, annoying me every time you do. How many times has it been now? Four times? Five? I’ve lost track of how often you stagger in and steal from me.”
“You must enjoy it if you allow him to live,” the man called Morpheus says.
“No, he’s so inconsequential that I simply can’t be bothered,” Atticus growls. “How will I make his life more miserable if he’s dead?”
“Does that mean I can sleep?”
“No, you can work off all the shit you stole from me.”
“I brought back a fancy horse. Maybe that’s enough?”
“I can assure you it’s not. You can start by working out in the fields.”
“It’s really hot outside, and I don’t want to be burnt to a crisp.”
Atticus drags me toward him and throws a rag on my head. “There you go. That will keep you nice and shaded.”
“He’s precious. Why would you ever want to toss him out in the fields?” Morpheus asks. He waves to me. “Come here.”
I walk over to him and he grabs my face and examines me, making me feel like livestock.
“He’s a thief and a liar,” Atticus says.