EPILOGUE #3
"We should warn her."
"She wouldn't believe us." I say it quietly. "And even if she did—it's already too late. Landon's made his decision. And once Landon decides something belongs to him..."
I don't finish. Don't need to.
We both know how this ends.
Landon Ashford is going to trap Hazel Bloom in the most beautiful cage imaginable. He's going to make her dependent on him. Make her need him. Make her believe she chose him when really, he orchestrated every circumstance that led her to that conclusion.
And by the time she realizes what happened—if she ever realizes—she'll be so tangled in his web that escape will be impossible.
You may think, what am I? I did the same with Aurora but...
you don't know Landon. We all are—Tristan, Lucius, me—psychos but at least we show them openly.
You can never understand someone who plays the perfect heir, prince and many more but inside?
They are the most insane person in the world. And Landon is exactly that.
I pull Aurora even closer. Bury my face in her neck. Try to remind myself that we got out. That we found our way to something real despite the manipulation and control and systematic destruction of autonomy.
But we're different. Aurora fought me every step of the way. Challenged me. Refused to break even when I tried my hardest to shatter her.
Hazel is soft. Kind. The type of person who offers flowers to strangers and smiles with genuine warmth.
The type of person who's going to be devoured alive by a predator and never even see it coming.
Across the room, Landon sets down his empty glass. Straightens his suit jacket—the one with Hazel's lily tucked carefully over his heart.
And walks back toward the kitchen. Toward her.
"Hazel." His voice is soft. Gentle. "I believe you promised me a dance."
She looks up, surprised but pleased. "Oh! Right now?"
"No time like the present." He extends his hand. "Unless you'd rather finish the flowers?"
"No, no—they can wait!" She wipes her hands on her jeans, leaving slight water stains. Takes his offered hand without hesitation.
The moment their fingers touch, Landon's entire expression shifts. Just for a second. Just long enough for me to see the absolute possession in his eyes.
Then the mask snaps back into place. Pleasant. Charming. Safe.
He leads her toward the open space near the windows where there's room to move. Someone—probably Tristan being an asshole—turns on music. Something slow. Romantic.
Landon pulls Hazel into a proper dance position. One hand at her waist, the other holding hers gently. Appropriate. Respectful.
Except I can see his fingers tightening on her waist. Can see the way he's positioned her so she has to look up at him. Can see the dark hunger in his eyes that he's hiding behind that gentle smile.
"God help her," Aurora whispers.
"God help us all," I correct. "Because when Landon finally shows her what he really is—when the mask comes off and she sees the monster underneath—it's going to be spectacular."
"Or devastating."
"Both." I press a kiss to her temple. "It's going to be both."
Across the room, Landon spins Hazel carefully. She laughs—pure, genuine delight—and he smiles down at her with something that looks almost like affection.
Almost.
But I know better. I know what that expression really means.
Landon Ashford just found his drug. His obsession. His reason for existing.
And Hazel Bloom has absolutely no idea that she just became the madness of the Golden Prince.
The lily in his pocket—symbol of purity and devotion—is perfectly fitting.
Because Landon is going to worship her. Devote himself to her. Build his entire existence around keeping her.
And she's going to drown in that devotion without ever realizing she's drowning.
"Welcome to the family, Hazel," I murmur too quietly for anyone else to hear. "Hope you survive the experience."
Aurora shifts in my lap, turning to look at me with those warm brown eyes that anchor me to sanity.
"We're going to help her, right?" she asks quietly. "When it gets bad—because it will get bad—we're going to help her?"
I think about that. About whether we can help someone who's already been claimed by Landon Ashford. About whether intervention is even possible at this point.
"We'll try," I finally say. "But Aurora? Some cages are too perfect to escape. And I have a feeling Landon's building Hazel the most perfect cage imaginable."
She's quiet for a moment. Then: "Maybe she won't want to escape."
"Maybe." I pull her closer. "Or maybe she'll learn to love her cage the way you learned to love yours."
"Is that what happened?" She's smiling slightly. "I learned to love my cage?"
"You learned to love the person holding the keys." I kiss her properly. Deep. Possessive. "There's a difference."
She kisses back, soft and sweet and everything I don't deserve but am keeping anyway.
Across the room, Landon dances with Hazel. Lucius argues with Skye. Tristan corners Iris. Liam builds LEGO spaceships.
My brothers' lives are about to implode in the most spectacular ways imaginable.
And I'm going to watch it all unfold from the safety of Aurora's arms.
Because I already fought my war. Already faced my demons. Already burned my mother's empire to the ground to keep the girl I love.
Now it's their turn.
God help them all.
Especially Hazel Bloom.
The sweet, innocent girl who just offered a flower to the devil and sealed her own fate without even knowing it.
THE END OF BOOK ONE