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“Why tell Edric but not Charlotte?”
Though he’s a snob who obviously knows about whatever is going on between Ronan and Eduard, and he wants me to tell Edric.
Eduard seems to be holding something over Ronan’s head, and it has to do with Charlotte. He also mentioned something about Ronan’s origins.
The information I just learnt — the fact that he’s probably not Ronan’s biological father — should delight me, because it’s this man’s downfall.
Elsa and Kim always mention Ronan’s bunny hooker fantasy.
For the following week, Ronan doesn’t leave my side. He’s there in the morning to pick me up. He’s there to drive me back home, and sometimes, he kicks everyone out of the Meet Up so we can spend the night.
He’s been having some sort of a battle against the world lately. He made it his job to announce I’m his fiancée all over RES, and he’s been plotting to ruin Cole’s books every day since the garden incident. It’s strange to see Ronan act so territorial after he did everything to get rid of me.
“The threesome with Kim and Elsa was my way to egg on Aiden and Xander. That’s all. Besides, I have no interest in threesomes anymore.”
For some reason, it feels as if Ronan doesn’t want to stay in his house for very long. I know it’s not because of Charlotte, or even Edric.
The invisible connection between Ronan and Edric always made me uncomfortable in my own skin.
There’ll be no marriage. That’s not the reason for this engagement.
We’re having a small gathering at the Meet Up after the game.
She was at the game with Elsa and Kim earlier. Kim has forgotten all about me now that Xander is back.
Dear old Dad has been acting a bit weird lately. I thought the time he spends with Mum is because he has a control freak diploma from the eighteenth century, but Lars has been saying annoying shit lately.
What does he want me to pay attention to?
She’s not. I haven’t seen her tonight, but egging him on is my favourite pastime.
I stride in their direction and barge straight between them. He — David, I think his name is — steps back as if startled.
The music and the voices fade more and more the further we stride away. We’re in the car park
A thump comes from our right, and both of us pause.
the sound comes again, and this time, I recognise from which car it is coming. A black Jeep.
Cole’s.
I might have an idea of what’s going on in that car, and it has more to do with kink activity rather than sociopathic.
I’m about to head to the car when Cole strides out of the Meet Up. He watches us for a second, probably wondering why we’re near his car.
“This particular one does.” His lips move into a sadistic smirk.
I can't wait for his book.
“Does Aiden know?”
Like a good kid with serial killer tendencies, he never does anything when others are around.
There was a moment in time where his existence was the reason I continued mine.
Her face flashes back and forth as if it’s a ghost. Terror like I’ve only felt once in my life plays in my head over and over like a distorted film.
all I can hear is that small child’s quiet sobs.
The only thing I can look at is Ronan’s face, the way it’s blackening and nearly spiralling out of control. It’s too similar to my phases.
The only people who’ve seen me at my lowest are Knox and Ronan. And now, I’m seeing him at his lowest, too.
The only reason I did this was because he always said it’s his fantasy.
He’s an Astor. So what if he could be Eduard’s son, not Edric’s? He’s still an Astor.
After all, the reason I wanted this is because of Dad, and he signed a binding contract with Edric a few days ago. I’ve been on the verge of doing it myself since then, but I always kept coming back to Ronan for more.
My mother used to tell me a lot of folk stories. She had a grandmother in the countryside of southern France and she would gather her, my aunt, and their cousins around a bonfire and tell them stories about magic, but also about the devils that come out of the flames. In return, Mum told me about her grandmother’s stories.
We used to be a happy family. We used to be a family — full stop. The crack happened when I was eight. It was Halloween. I loved Halloween.
I was supposed to be a vampire that year because Mum had fallen in love with some film named Dracula that she wouldn’t let me watch.
Since I was a special kid from a special family, Mum and Dad said I didn’t get to act like the others in public, so we always had our costume parties at home with only Dad and Lars as the audience.
That year, the Halloween celebration was cancelled — or rather, our private Halloween was. Dad said he was taking Mum to a party. I begged him not to go, and if he had to, to please take me with him.
“Your uncle Eduard will
come and take you to a party.
Mum got into the car with tears in her eyes.
I thought she wasn’t supposed to wear costumes outside.
That was when Uncle Eduard came.
Uncle Eduard didn’t come by often. Dad always yelled at him and called him useless and said he
spent a lot of his money. Besides, Uncle Eduard always looked like a clown, even without the mask.
Even at that age, I knew there was something wrong with that smile. Uncle Eduard ushered me into a van.
“Fucking Australia. He’s basically sending me to exile.”
“My friend’s party. Everyone will be wearing costumes like you.”
Mum and Dad said I shouldn’t take anything from strangers, but this wasn’t a stranger; it was Uncle Ed.
