Page 48 of Endgame

Their conversation paused when Lila put down their drinks, along with a small bowl of freshly sliced lemons for King’s mom. “In case you want more than one,” she said with a wink as she whisked away to another table.

Eleanor’s expression was one of pure elation. “She’s getting a great tip.” Then she focused back on King. “As I was saying…King…I do wish you’d respect your father. He’s a great man who has provided a charmed life for the both of us.”

King suppressed a frustrated groan. “Look, I don’t want this to come out the wrong way, because I think you did the best you knew how, but I wish you would have protected me from him. I wish that instead of laying your hands on me, you would have left that lying, toxic bastard behind and started over.” He cleared the emotion out of his throat. “I would have been happier sleeping on a dirt floor with a hungry stomach than feeling like a prisoner in that man’s mansion.”

Eleanor rocked back like she’d been struck, and her eyes filled with tears. “How dare you.” She shot forward, apparently forgetting that A: They were in public, and B: There was a table in the way.

“Are you going to slap me, Mom? Gaslight me when I come to you crying that I’d seen my father having sex with my nanny?” King sighed and ran a hand over his face. “This was a terrible idea. I honestly thought we could attempt to have a civilized, adult conversation about all of this, but we’re not there yet.”

“I’ll never be ready to hear you disparage your father in such a manner,” Eleanor snarled as she shot out of her seat. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re cut off.”

King shook his head sadly. “I’ve been cut off for a long time, Mom. Going on two years now. You just never noticed.”

Eleanor paled, just a little bit, and then stalked out of the restaurant.

King sat there in silence, trying to modulate his irregular breaths.

“Scoot over.”

Lila’s voice penetrated his daze, and he automatically shifted down the bench. She sat down, putting her head on his shoulder, and he could feel her soft braid grazing his arm.

“That looked intense, King.”

“Yeah” was all he could muster.

“I don’t know the circumstances, but I’m sorry regardless,” she sighed. “I’m sorry she doesn’t appreciate how wonderful her son is. Because you’re pretty damn great.”

King slid his arm around her waist and squeezed her in a side hug. “Thanks, La.”

She lingered a minute more, which helped King calm down. Gave him a quick kiss on the check. Just a brush, but he felt it down in his core. Too soon, she was back up on her feet. “Be right back.”

A few minutes later, she brought his meal out in a to-go box. “Lunch is on me today.” She held up a finger to silence King’s protest. “Nonnegotiable.” Lila gestured her head toward the box. “It’s boxed up so you can take off, or you’re welcome to stay as long as you want. Let me know if I can get you anything else, okay?”

King couldn’t look at her because his eyes were blurry, so he just murmured his thanks in the direction of the table. She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently, and then she was off to work again.

Chapter 26

“And this…” Wren’s phone camera scrolled across the square, “is the Trevi fountain. Obvi.” She flipped the view back so that Lila could see her face again as she wandered to find a place to sit down in the busy square. From her vantage point sitting on her bed, Lila was delighted to see that Wren looked serene and happy. Spain, Greece, and now Italy had been treating her friend well. Thank heavens for technology so they could FaceTime each other.

“It’s beautiful, Wrenny. We’ll have to go back together someday.”

“Trust me, bestest, I’ve already planned our itinerary.”

“I’d expect nothing less.” Lila grinned. “I’m impressed you’ve been able to travel so much and do school at the same time. I need my summers at least partially off to recover.”

“That’s because you get 4.0s in college like that’s normal or something,” Wren snorted. “Some of us are fine with Bs. They get degrees, after all.”

“Fair point.”

“Besides, it’s actually easier in a way, because we’re seeing all of the art and architecture we’re studying in real life. Ionic columns are a lot cooler once you’ve seen them at the Parthenon, you know?”

“You mean the ones at the admin building on campus don’t do it for you?” Lila teased.

“Dammit, I miss you,” Wren sighed.

“Same. But I’m proud of you. I think the distance is just what you needed.”

Wren looked pensive for a minute. “How’s Knight doing?”

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