Chapter 31
Alaric and I aren’t suddenly at this good place where we’re walking hand in hand smelling the roses, no, we are still at odds but have reached that understanding. The place where all people, no matter where you come from, reach.
The car ride was a silent one as we kept on driving, I didn't need to ask him where we were going, I already knew.
It was back home, back to the place where everything started and where everything would end.
So many thoughts are swimming in my head like going from being the princess in your family to murder to being a wife to finding out you can see a ghost and now, discovering that the ghost was murdered.
Godric was the only perso—, ghost, that was nice to me.
He didn’t pass judgment or ask questions here, instead he just made me smile.
Made me feel like I was just a person. One who deserved to work hard for whatever she wanted and then he left alone.
But of course, fate didn’t see it simply that way, fate made me a detective and because of Alaric, there was more than one Crowne in my life.
Godric was sweet and I already know Alaric is getting revenge for his brother’s murder but his other brother, Dane. I don’t like him and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t like me.
I’m okay with that because that means he can stay the hell away from me.
My hands are full with one Crowne man and I don’t want another coming my way to wreak havoc in my life.
With Alaric, him being mean and rude doesn’t do anything but be a constant reminder that I’m paying for my sins, my crimes but with Dane, I owe him nothing.
I won’t tolerate him being rude or mean, I don’t know him but I don’t like him.
“Is Dane going to be a problem?” I ask without thinking about it.
“Do you want him to be?” Alaric asks.
“Answering a question with a question isn’t really an answer.”
“You sound like my mother.”
This is the first time I’ve ever heard Alaric even mention his mother and it makes me realize that he has a family just like I do. I miss my mother and father, my brother and sister.
“Well, I’m not your mother. I’m your wife so will he be a problem for me?”
“There’s nowhere that Dane needs to be that’s around you for him to be a problem to you.”
Alaric answers as if I offended him and I won’t apologize for my tone either. He’s the one who created this monster and now, he has to face the consequences of someone like this.
While I don’t think I will ever be truly cold-hearted like he is, I know that there are parts of me that died in that prison. A part of me that won’t ever become like the old Juliana but I don’t know if I want that girl back, she was weak and she let people walk all over her.
I should be better than that. Don’t I deserve some part of that?
Happiness doesn’t have to come with it and I know it’s selfish to think it can but I just want a slice of happiness even if it means leaving Alaric and being holed up somewhere by lonesome.
I want that.
I no longer dream of more.
My mind travels back to the conversation that Alaric had with his father.
I don’t know what to even think about when it comes to that, I may not have had the most loving of parents but I knew they loved me and they did nothing wrong, it was all me.
I pulled away. Yes, I let myself be influenced by someone like Edwin who didn’t deserve my time or money but my parents did warn me.
They did want better for me but I refused to listen.
“Parents can be fools.”
“Come again?” Alaric asks and I know that I’m no longer going to back down. I almost want to keep what I’m about to say to myself but he deserves to hear this.
“I said parents can be fools. You did what needed to be done for your brother that you loved so much so for your father to act like you had no right, is nonsense. You had every right just like you have every right to tell him not to come see your son now. You’re protecting him.”
“Are you paying me a compliment?”
“I’m not trying to stroke your ego, Alaric. What I’m saying is he’s wrong and you’re right. That’s it.”
“Ah, it's because you’re my wife, right?” He asks.
“What do you mean?”
“Seems that’s your reason for being so fucking bold all of a sudden now. You’ve said it about three or four times while in this car ride.”
“Is that going to be a problem?”
Alaric doesn’t say anything but from his side profile, I see the smirk forming. The one that comes with consequences and issues. I’ve seen him use that smirk on me when he first told me that I had to go home with him after I was released from prison.
A dark, sinister feeling makes my stomach drop as it wraps its hand around my throat tightly. I can’t breathe but at the same time, the only thing he’s really physically doing is tapping his hand on his steering wheel.
“A problem is nothing to someone like me who always has a solution and will remain a step ahead of you, Juliana. You couldn’t beat me on your best day. Now, think about how we’re approaching everything as soon as we step back into town.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’ll figure it out, wife,” he says with emphasis. “You’re smart as hell.”