Page 37 of The Broken Queen

Her purple curtains were pulled back, and the blinds were open to the bright sunshine spilling through the cracks. Juliannawas such a bubbly child who loved anything sunshine, rainbows and daisies. Whenever I think my heart is dead, I think of her and know there’s a purpose to why it’s still beating. Without her, I probably would’ve been dead years ago. She was my reason for living, for breathing.

She was sitting at her white desk, drawing something with a crayon. There were crayons everywhere. On the desk and on the floor, she also had paper dispersed around the room. Some of her clothes were in a pile by the window, and her stuffed animals were all aligned on her bed in a circle, with play plates and cups. The girl had a wild imagination, but I loved it.

“What are you doing?”

Her head popped up and released a wide smile. “I’m playing restaurant.”

A smile broke free on my face. “Then why are you at your desk coloring? Your stuffies are waiting for their waitress.”

She shook her head and a laugh came out. “I’m making the menu silly!”

She was about to say something else when her eyes averted to my wrist and a frown came on her face. “What happened mommy?”

I went over to the desk and placed a kiss on her head. “Nothing you need to worry about, sweetheart. I’m going to head downstairs, but would you like to go to the park later today?”

She nodded and took her menu to place it in front of one of her bears, and proceeded to play restaurant, ignoring that I was still in the room.

I went back into the hall and walked right into a hard body. “Ow, watch where you’re going-” My breath caught and words stopped as I looked up and realized exactly who I had run into.

Slade.

"Oh, so we’re walking through the front door now? Who the hell let you in?”

He opened his mouth but another body stood beside him.Elijah.

Am I in some kind of alternate reality? How on earth did they weasel their way in here? My stomach did a little flip. A part of me was beyond happy to see him, but another part of me was scared for him. If Father found out he was here, all hell would break loose. Father would never let them in here willingly.

“Sup, Rav. Long time no see.”

I gritted my teeth. “Don’t call me that.”That was Slade’s nickname for me and I didn’t like it coming off of anyone’s tongue but his.

“Be nice, Raven.” My mouth dipped. Lewis came and stood right beside Elijah.

I looked between the three of them. Slade was looking through me, analyzing everything he could. Elijah had the biggest grin on his face as if he was up to no good, and Lewis was just Lewis. Stone on the outside but a big teddy bear on the inside. His upper lip twitched. He always had a soft spot for the boys, especially Slade. That man could probably get away with anything if he wanted.

“Did I miss something? Did you let them in here? You know Father-”

“The King isn’t here.”

What was with all the cryptic bullshit?

My stomach flipped. “What?”

“He had an urgent matter to take care of back in the States, Zeke went with him.”

My brows turned inward.That made no sense. Father rarely left the estate unless he had to, much less the country. And the States for that matter? What the fuck was in the States that he had to rush to deal with? Secret number five hundred and thirty-six he had kept from me. I couldn’t lie, the thought of neitherof them being here for a brief amount of time, made the giant weight on my shoulders fall off.

I crossed my arms over my chest. “And? Now they get to come and go whenever they want?”

“Pretty much,” Lewis mumbled under his breath.

“Daddy!” Julianna came running into the hall and into Slade’s arms.

He picked her up and twirled her around. “Hi Princess. I told you I would be back.”

An inch of jealousy swarmed through my body, but I shut it down. How could I be jealous of my little girl getting excited to see her dad? Despite everything between Slade and I, he was a great dad. He truly loved her and would die for her.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and scratched at the bandage on my arm.Shut it down, Raven. You need to stop. Stop hurting yourself. Be stronger.

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