“And in the end, they knew to get him, they had to attack his biggest weakness.” His voice turns ice cold.
My eyes close, my body sinks and again this world rips apart families and lives. I don’t blame him. Not one bit. Why marry when there’s always pain?
“That’s terrible.” I shake my head and finish the drink, turning back to the cute bowties.
My heart breaks for him. But it’s a stark reminder what’s at stake. It snaps something in me. And I have to step away and remind myself, my story could end much worse than a bullet.
“This life just takes.” It’s a soul crushing vacuum, more like it. “But I think you’re onto something. My father apparently was a completely different man when my mother was alive. That’s what they say, anyway.”
I wouldn’t know. He’s always been an insane, misogynistic asshole to me. Ren takes back the few steps I’ve managed to gain and stands close by my side again.
“How did she die?”
“According to my father, I killed her.” I shake my head at his stupidity. “But to people that are sane. She died giving birth to me.”
He’s that close I can feel the exact moment his body tenses. “He said that to you?”
He really has no idea who my father is. Although, he has had the displeasure of dealing with him it really shouldn’t be that surprising. It’s not to me. For me, it’s normal. Those words lose their meaning after a while. You get used to it.
I turn and smile at him. “I have been a murderer since the day I was born. As he likes to say.”
His face isn’t smiling. In fact, it looks murderous. But it shouldn’t be. It’s such a joke, and I have way more problems than my father right now.
“Whatever, he’s crazy.” I wave it off with my hand and turn away.
I would have taken a shot, but I was out of alcohol. That’s enough eye contact with him. It needs to be measured in short intervals to stop myself from doing anything foolish.
“I’m sorry.” His breath comes up behind me. “A child should never have to hear that. Especially from their own father.”
It’s a shot right to the heart. My eyes close, taking in his words. He can’t see how much I needed to hear them, so it’s safe. Except his cologne makes me sway backwards and back into danger.
“She must have been very beautiful,” he says, close to my ear.
Another shot. This one in need of medical attention, so I take a much-needed step away, praying it’ll clear the fog in my head. I put a smile on my face, my armour back on and pray for it to work.
“She was.” I wipe my palms down my dress then turn, looking for a clock that should be somewhere in this massive living room. “Is it time to eat yet. I’m starving.”
“Hey.”
And like that, I turn back to him.
Fuck.
“I may not be your favourite person, but I’m here if you ever need to talk about things. I’m actually a pretty good listener.” He smiles.
A smile I’ve never seen before. They just keep getting better. It’s that sweet, it might just be my favourite.
My cheeks warm, and my smile turns real. My stomach flutters, even with how desperately I try and hold it together. Urgh he is maddening. Why can’t he just be a dick?
“I just don’t get you.” I blurt out, almost a shout.
“No?” He steps closer. “What is it you don’t get?”
Everything! I want to yell, but I manage to at least keep that under control.
“I’m a pretty straight forward guy.” He keeps walking.
That makes me laugh, because he’s nuts. “Really? You think so? You do remember how we met, right? Kidnapping literally means you didn’t listen. And now you’re saying you’re a good listener. That’s not straight forward, that’s in need of a strait jacket.”