Page 35 of Demise

Asher and I trade unnerved looks. I’ve never heard anyone speak to my father this way, or Asher’s father, for that matter. With how terrified she was, you’d think she would cower, play dead, something.

My father doesn’t react like Christopher did. Instead, he gives her a bored glance before turning to face me.

“Skyla,” he says with a head dip.

“Father,” I say in return.

He reaches his hand out for Asher, and he takes it, shaking my father’s hand tightly before releasing it.

“A pleasure as always, Henry.”

My father nods but doesn’t say a word as he looks back to Stephanie.

“Why did you come?”

“I invited her, Henry. Don’t scare off my dinner guest just yet.”

I hear my father grumble something under his breath as he turns and moves to the dining room. Christopher’s eyes move from Stephanie to me, that plastic smile back in place.

“And how is my favorite daughter-in-law doing?”

“I’m good, thank you for the invitation,” I smile politely.

“I’d guess less than good. Being kidnapped by a deranged psychopath has to be less than pleasing.”

My lips part in surprise. “How did you know?”

Christopher laughs like I told a joke before shaking his head.

“Sweetheart, you really think a member of my society can kidnap my daughter-in-law, burn down a property, and I wouldn’t know about it?”

“I burned the place down,” Asher interjects before Christopher stops him.

“No, you didn’t. It was Corwin, understand?”

Asher stares at him for a moment before nodding. Christopher nods as well as he claps his hands together.

“Good, let’s eat.”

We all move into the dining room and take our seats, me in between Asher and Steph while Christopher takes his place at the head of the table, and my father takes his place across from Asher. I feel Asher’s hand come to my knee, squeezing it softly in comfort as Christopher speaks.

“Though I will say, I’m pleased to know my son’s affections have grown for you. We’ve come far from screwing whores and calling out Skyla’s name, haven’t we son?”

Asher freezes at that, and my brows knit together.

Christopher makes a face of mock surprise as our plates are set in front of us by the waitstaff.

“Oh, did you not know? I’d have thought you’d heard. If the Elders were hearing about my son’s little tryst with the Lewis girl, I’d assumed you knew.”

“When was this?” I ask before I can help myself, hoping to God it was so long ago that it doesn’t matter.

Asher is staring at his food before his eyes come to me, his words clear but soft.

“Shortly after our ceremony…before we…made up,” he says cryptically.

Hurt stabs through me. Lewis? Mercy Lewis? He fucked her? Before or after the whole fork incident with Bridgette? Come to think of it, it had to have been before. Mercy was glaring at mewith straight up contempt that day. No wonder she did. Asher was inside of her, calling out my name. Maybe that should give me some kind of peace, and to be fair, we weren’t together…still, though. I can’t believe he didn’t tell me.

Reaching down to my knee, I push Asher’s hand away and he looks up at me, hurt passing over his face before he lowers his head and nods.

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