Page 42 of Tarnished Embers

CAS

We spend the next few days holding Ember, trying to get her to eat and drink, but it’s like she’s not there, and I know my brothers are as worried as I am to see how blank her blue eyes are, how she appears to just be going through the motions of living.

We’re sitting in the living room, Prince and I on either side of her, Oct at her feet, and Kit off making something for her in the kitchen when the door opens with a slam. We all flinch, and Odette strides in, her usual pantsuit pressed to perfection, make-up on point, and sky-high heels sinking into the carpet.

“The lawyer will be here in a minute to talk over the will,” she announces, looking at Ember between us.

“W–will?” Ember asks, her voice quiet and a little scratchy from disuse. Her face crinkles, and she looks far too fucking pale for my liking. I tuck her closer into me, my arm around her shoulders, and a warmth unfurls within me when she nestles into my side without question. Odette’s nose wrinkles as she looks at us, but I couldn’t give a fuck. Ember is ours and she can’t take her away from us.

“Yes, your father’s will,” Odette states, but her condescending tone has my hackles rising, a growl trapped in the back of my throat. Fuck, I hate not being able to tell her to fuck off, but everything is so up in the air right now that we dare not piss her off in case it backfires on us or Ember.

“Oh, okay,” Ember replies, still in that quiet voice. My nostrils flare, I hate how small she sounds, like she’s missing a vital part of herself.

“We’ll be there,” Prince announces, and Odette’s gaze snaps to him. It’s hard to read her expression, which may be on account of all the botox or because she is a master fucking manipulator.

“Fine. We’ll be in the study.” She turns on her heel and strides out, all of us breathing out a breath as she takes some of the tension with her. Prince kneels in front of Ember, taking her hand in his and ducking his head to catch her eyes.

“We’ll be beside you, Sugar, if that’s what you want?”

“Yes, please.” She blinks down at him, her words like a plea.

“Always, Cinders. No please required,” I tell her, kissing the top of her head and inhaling her incredible scent. It makes me think that anything is possible, as long as she’s there, which I know sounds fucking stupid, but there it is.

We hear the doorbell a moment later, then the indistinct murmur of Reginald and another male voice. Their footsteps echo toward the study, and Ember straightens, pulling out of my grip so she can stand. I miss her warmth immediately, my hand twitching with the need to pull her back to me.

I get up too, Prince and Oct following. Then Kit walks in, sees us all standing there, and sets the snacks he brought in aside. “What’s up?” he asks softly, his gaze darting over us, his brows furrowed.

“We’re going to the study to hear Richard’s Will,” I tell him, my eyes trained on Ember as she flinches. He nods, and I hold out my hand to her, waiting as she takes a deep, shaking inhale. Finally, she takes my hand, hers slightly shaking.

“It’ll be okay, Sugar,” Prince reassures her, and I watch as her shoulders rise and fall with her slow inhale and long exhale.

Then we walk out of the room, down to the study, and can hear Odette’s flirtatious laughter along with a deep male baritone. Ember stiffens when Odette giggles again, and I wince, knowing what she’s thinking. How can she laugh so soon after losing her husband? It’s the same thing I thought after my dad died. Odette never seems to take that long to grieve before moving on to her next conquest. I shake the dark thoughts from my head, focusing on Ember beside me.

“We’re here with you, right beside you,” I whisper, stepping forward and pushing the door open further, Ember’s hand clasped in mine.

They both glance up as we step in, the man’s cheeks flushing like he’s been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Given how close Odette is sitting to him, that’s not far off.

“Ember, honey,” Odette gushes, getting up and rushing to Ember, who freezes when Odette wraps her arms around her in an embrace. I keep hold of Ember’s hand, rubbing her knuckles with the pad of my thumb in reassurance. “Mr Wilcox, this is Ember, Robert’s daughter, and these are my stepsons.”

The man, Mr Wilcox, stands before tugging his tailored suit jacket down and striding over to us as Odette finally releases Ember. I don’t miss the flash of a gold wedding band on his ring finger. Fucking dick, flirting while his wife is probably at home.

“Miss Everly, I’m so sorry for your loss. Your father was a great man,” he says, and to give him some credit, he looks sincere, taking Ember’s free hand in both of his in a comforting gesture.

“T–thank you,” she mumbles, blinking rapidly, and I want to punch his posh asshole face for making her sad again.

“Shall we?” he asks, letting go of her hand and walking over to sit behind the desk. I feel Ember bristle, and I must admit, it’s forward of him to take her father’s chair, but I ignore my ire and lead her to the chair next to Odette, the others coming to form a wall around her. “Now, let’s begin.”

* * *

“THE OTHER SIDE” BY RUELLE

EMBER

I sit there, stunned as the solicitor’s words ring in my ear.

Destitute.

That’s what he told us, that my father had debts we didn’t know about, that his business interests and investments had failed, and that all we had left was the house, which we couldn’t afford to keep up now that he’s gone. Apparently, even his life insurance didn’t pay out enough.

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