Page 76 of Forbidden King (Magnolia Falls)

“The oldest boy,” Constance said, looking at her two children, and I raised a brow as our eyes locked.

“I am not done speaking, Constance.” I waited for her to look at me. “Yes, my brother is your husband’s oldest child. One of the kids that he abandoned. But I think, in the end, we were actually the lucky ones.” I paused to chuckle, not hiding my anger. “Hayes didn’t go to college because he went to school to be a firefighter so he could provide a home for me. Because he’s a really good man. He didn’t want to leave me in a bad situation with my mother’s second husband, so he sacrificed his own life for mine.”

“He’s the best, and so are you,” Kingston said.

“Thank you. I feel lucky to have a brother who knows what it means to be a man.” I turned to look at my father, and he quickly stared down at his plate. “I hope that’s shame that you’re feeling right now. And I hope you feel it every single day until you take your last breath.”

“Excuse me,” Destiny said, in a normal tone for the first time since we’d arrived. “But this meeting was not aboutDonald or Constance or you, Saylor. This was about me. So, I’d appreciate if you’d stop with your little trip down memory lane. You seem to be just fine. Today is about me having a sister. Something Donald and Constance promised me.”

I fell forward in laughter. “Are you kidding me right now? You don’t get to decide that you want a sister and then have a tantrum and pull my hair and behave like a ridiculous child. That’s not how this works.”

“Are you going to allow her to speak to me like this?” she yelled again as she looked at her parents, and Constance shoved her chair back.

“You will not speak to my daughter that way.” Constance pointed her finger at me.

“Beef. Fucking. Cake!” Kingston shouted, and everyone turned. “Put your fucking finger down now, and don’t you ever point it in her direction again.”

“Excuse me?” Constance gaped. “How dare you speak to me like that in my own home.”

“Phoenix, I think your mother could use a little hit from that joint, if you know what I mean, buddy. I see why you’re sitting out there, trying to check out before you enter crazy town. What do you say, Dandelion? Time to blow this popsicle stand and go get some chicken fingers and road trip food?”

I chuckled. “Yes. I’ve definitely had enough. Don’t reach out anymore, Dad. I should have stopped trying when you left all those years ago, but I’m finally at peace with it now. Thanks for the closure.”

“Atta girl. Let’s get out of here.” Kingston held his hand out and waited for my fingers to intertwine with his.

“What is happening!” Destiny shrieked, and I stepped forward and placed one finger from my free hand on her lips, and her eyes widened.

“I’ll tell you what’s happening. I’m leaving. If you want a relationship with me, you can reach out on your own. But the way that you have behaved today—you wouldn’t last in my world for two minutes. Call me when you grow up.”

Phoenix moved to his feet, his head falling back in a full fit of laughter. “Fucking balls to the walls. I love it.”

“Phoenix,” Constance hissed.

Phoenix held his hand out and high-fived me and King on our way out of the dining room.

And we waltzed right out the front door, and I made no attempt to hide the smile on my face.

This was what I’d longed for all those years?

To know this man? This family?

Note to self: Be careful what you wish for.

Kingston opened the passenger door, and I slipped inside. He leaned over and buckled my seat belt for me, as if he thought I was too shaken up to do it myself.

I let him because I was still processing the scene I’d just walked out of.

He got into the car just as I caught something out of my peripheral, and my father came jogging toward the car. I put my window down and looked at him.

He reached for my hand. “I’m sorry, Saylor.”

“You should be.” I tugged my hand away and rolled up my window as he stood there watching as we backed out of the driveway.

It didn’t hurt to see him fade into the distance.

It felt like closure.

And I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was goodbye.

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