Page 99 of One Wild Ride

“I don’t want to be a senator or the president, Mom. You can’t force me into a career that I have no desire to be a part of.”

“It’s not about what you want, Alexander. I wanted a normal, happy family where I could raise my children in peace, but your grandfather made that impossible.”

“But Grandfather is dead. Who are you trying to get back at? The men who hurt you are dead.”

My mom frowned as her nose flared. “Don’t you think I know that! Who do you think made sure they died?”

Deep in my heart I knew it was true but refused to acknowledge it. My hand went to my forehead as I rubbed the deep ache that had been building all day.

“You killed them,” I said and was surprised she heard my whisper.

“No, I didn’t lay one finger on them. But I knew people who would make sure they didn’t live any longer. Your grandfather was easy. Most of his servants hated him and were happy to slip the drug into his nightly whiskey. They thought it was a sleeping medication. I told them I needed to get my hands on the paperwork he had in his bedroom. They drugged him so he wouldn’t wake when I did that. They didn’t realize he would never wake up. They were upset but I told them I would turn a blind eye if any jewelry found its way into their pockets.”

She laughed and shook her head. “When the police found he had been poisoned and some of his diamond cufflinks and an antique pocket watch in the cook’s home, it was an open and shut case. Of course, the cook tried to blame me, but really, who were the police going to believe? Especially, when I donated so heavily to their annual Widows and Orphans fund. Not to mention I ‘helped’ a few of the cops working on the case.”

My mouth hung open but she kept talking. “As for your uncle, who you thought was your father growing up, well, he proved to be more difficult. I didn’t want to have to kill him but he was going to take you from me. I had to make sure his plane went down. I knew why he suddenly showed interest in you that Christmas twenty years ago. It wasn’t because he cared—he knew you weren’t his. It was your grandfather whispering in his ear to take you away from me.”

“Look at what you did? You have blood on your hands, Mom. How can you say what you want to do is for the best when so many lives have been taken?”

My mother’s eyes grew wide and I believed in that moment what I said might have gotten through to her. I saw horror on her face but it disappeared as quickly as it came. Covered up by her usual steely façade.

She opened her mouth to speak but Aria’s hand on her shoulder caused her to turn. “Mrs. Hawthorne, why don’t you go check on the minister. See if he’s here yet. I’ll keep an eye on them. Make sure they understand why we are doing this.”

I saw the same hardness in Aria’s eyes as she held my mother’s gaze. This was a nightmare. It was one thing to lose Aria but to watch her turn into another version of my mother was unbearable.

“Good call, Aria,” my mom said and Aria followed her to the door, closing it behind her.

“Why, Aria? I get that you don’t love me, but why help her?” I stared at Aria’s back as she faced the door.

She stood there because she couldn’t answer me. Aria couldn’t face the truth that by helping a monster, she was turning into one herself.

After a moment, she faced me. I stared into her large, chocolate eyes and found nothing but fear mixed with determination.

“It’s not about me, Alex. This is about the bigger picture,” Aria said.

Alexa gasped. I should have been angry. Maybe screamed to wake her from this horrible dream. But I didn’t. Even after all that has happened, I walked over to her to put my arms around her.

Maybe if she felt my love she’d wake up.

But Aria held out her hand to stop me.

“Please, no, Alex. You don’t understand.”

“Then help me understand! I don’t want to marry Alexa,” I said as I glanced over at Alexa before turning back to Aria, “and Alexa doesn’t want to marry me. I want to be with you, Aria. But if you really don’t want me, then I’ll walk away. But please, don’t help my mother. She doesn’t care about you. Emma Hawthorne only cares about herself and her sick need for power.”

Aria smiled and placed her hand on my chest. “I’m not helping your mother. I’m feeding into her gruesome fantasy to help us escape. I love you, Alex, and I think it’s time to leave.”

I hadn’t noticed but she had placed her bare foot, as neither of us had shoes on when we were kidnapped, between the door and the wall so it wouldn’t close completely.

Aria opened the door and waved for us to follow her out.

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