“Darling,” my mother said as she appraised my appearance with disgust.
Darling? I almost laughed. For most of my life, she called me Little Bitch as if it were my name. Little Bitch, you took everything from me. This is all your fault.
But when Pops showed up in Haven, he saved Aiden and me after years of suffering. She stopped calling me names. All of her mental and emotional torture ended. It was the only way he would give this pathetic bitch a cent.
My dad was a mediocre architect, my mom a wannabe contemporary artist. We lived off the scraps the Salvatores threw my mother’s way. Arlo had to ensure his son’s future wife wasn’t living in poverty. Growing up, I never understood how we had any money when my parents rarely had a regular gig. It didn’t become clear until I met Luca, and he explained the tragic story between our parents.
“You look a mess,” my mother said in a clipped tone. “Wash your hands. I can see acrylic paint under your dirty nails.” She scoffed as if the thought of using acrylic paint was beneath her.
I used acrylics for all of my Devil’s paintings. The snotty art critics and cynics could suck it. I didn’t give a single fuck what anyone thought.
I inspected my hands with a casual shrug, then wiped them down the front of my new dress to annoy her. “A simple hello would have been nice, Mother.”
The smug bitch rolled her eyes as she took a drag of her cigarette. Perched on a white leather couch that looked as stiff as its occupant, Blair Wellington, my grandmonster from hell, pursed her lips. Her eyes lifted from my hands to my face with a disapproving look. She had raised my mother with impossible standards no human could achieve. It was no surprise why my mother ran away. I hated Blair with a passion and avoided her at all costs.
“Founders take pride in their appearances,” Blair said with a sharpness in her tone. “You would be wise to remember that. We can’t have you embarrassing us in front of our peers.”
“I’d be more than happy to go back to Haven,” I fired back.
“Leave the poor girl alone.” My grandfather yelled at her from a small sofa at the far end of the room. “She has enough to worry about without the two of you jumping down her throat. Go find something to entertain yourselves with until dinner.”
He tipped the snifter in his hand to his mouth and winked at me.
Thanks, Pops.
“I’m going to freshen up before dinner,” Blair said to my mom.
Mom took a puff of her cigarette, focused on me as she blew out the smoke. “I’ll join you.”
Later, bitches.
They left the sitting room, heels clicking on the tiled floor as they stormed down the hallway. I let out a sigh of relief. The last twenty-four hours had been hell. I didn’t need a lecture from my grandmonster or my absentee mother. They could save their advice for someone who cared and for someone they cared about.
Pops shook his head, annoyed. “Don’t listen to them. They’re snobs.”
I crossed the room and launched myself into his arms. “Pops,” I whispered, seeking comfort in his warm embrace.
He patted my back in a soothing, circular motion. “How are you holding up, princess?”
I settled on the cushion beside him and shrugged. “Okay, I guess. I’ve been through worse than the Salvatores.”
Pops sipped his brandy, one eyebrow raised. “How are the Salvatores treating you?”
“Marcello took me shopping today.”
He nodded in approval. “Marcello’s a good man.”
“You think so?”
“I would have preferred to marry you to Marcello over Luca.”
“He’s not much better,” I pointed out. “Marcello takes orders from Luca. They won’t even let me sleep by myself. Last night, Marcello shared a bed with me. Someone is watching me every second.”
“I’ll talk to Arlo.” Pops shoved a curl behind my ear, his face twisted with a mess of emotions. “You won’t have to live this way for long.” He sighed, his eyes drifting to the Roman sculpture on the opposite side of the room. “I’m sorry, princess.”
“I accepted my fate a long time ago.” My shoulders slumped as I leaned back against the couch. “I guess I just thought we were free of them.”
“Luca needs an heir,” he said as he drank his scotch. “Arlo is blackmailing me into doing what he wants.”
“Why is it so important Luca has an heir with me?”
“Because Luca is about to become the leader of The Devil’s Knights.”
“He’s mentioned the Knights to me. It’s a secret society, right?”
He nodded. “Things are different for people like us. We don’t have as much say in our lives as others. Marriage is about power in our world, not love. I know it’s hard for you to understand this concept, but I didn’t marry Blair for love.”