Page 37 of Demise

I force my shoulders to relax as I nod.

“Yes, please relax, sweetheart. There is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of. Walcott is not promised to anyone, nor is he married. Even then, permitting Asher gives his blessing, it wouldn’t be uncommon for you two to spend time together. A bond between brothers is…it’s special, holy. Trivial things like right and wrong could never sever the tie.”

I’m confused by his speech and by his acceptance. The way everyone made it seem, Christopher should be furious, disgusted. He should want to kill us all. Unless this is for show.

“Your mother was a very special woman,” Christopher says as he begins cutting into his steak. “I think I can speak for everyone in that room that night when I say, I don’t blame Walcott for wanting to spend time with you as well. You are…exquisite,” he says as he stares at me with a longing in his eyes, picking up his bloody steak piece with his fork before resting it on his tongue.

It makes me squirm in my seat, and I do my best not to look away. He doesn’t break our eye contact as he chews, a sinister smile playing at his mouth before he turns to my father and begins talking about business. Asher reaches for my knee again, but I scoot out of his reach. I don’t know what to think, or how to feel right now. I need space, to process, to think, and most of all, I just want this dinner done and over with.

Chapter Fifteen

Vincent

Ihad to let off some steam, get some space. Even if I have to step foot under the same house as Asher fucking Putnam, so be it. I need to see my Siren.

Following my usual path up the side of the house to her balcony, my feet hit the floor quietly as I move to the French doors leading to her bedroom. When I reach for the handle and find it locked, I’m relieved. Thank fucking God, it’s about time she started locking this shit. Then again, it’s not like a simple handle lock could keep out dangerous predators, or me.

In seven seconds flat, the door snicks open, and I step through to find the room dark and Skyla laying on her side, facing away from me. I frown at that. It’s only nine at night, and Skyla isn’t known to go to bed early. Quite the opposite. She can stay up until two, sometimes three in the morning, but try waking her up before six, and it’s like trying to bathe a cat.

“Go away,” she says stiffly, her words sharp in the otherwise silent room.

I cross the room, rounding the bed to stand in front of her. My eyes have adjusted to the darkness, and I look down to see herbrows knitted together, cheeks blotchy like she’s been crying. White hot rage thrums in my veins. This distress has Asher written all fucking over it.

I crouch down to meet her eyes when she turns her head. It sends a rush of anger through my body that she would try to evade me, try to escape me. My fingers pinch her chin, forcing her to face me. She does so begrudgingly, but as long as I have those pools of emerald green on me, I’m just fine.

“What happened?” I ask.

She stares up at me, contempt heavy in her gaze. Though, it’s not that deep. Just past the surface is hurt, pain. Looking at it feels like a million needles poking beneath my skin. I’m desperate to remove it, all of it, and replace it with nothing but contentment and peace.

“What. Happened. Siren?” I punctuate each word slowly, letting it show that I will not be taking whatever bullshit silent treatment she’s trying to give me.

She stays silent for several more seconds before she blows out a heavy breath and whispers so softly that I almost miss it.

“Asher slept with someone else.”

Piece of fucking shit. Maybe now she’ll let me finally kill him. I release her chin and reach for my knife, flicking it open as I head for the door to the hallway.

“Where are you going?”

“To slit his fucking throat,” I say with too much glee in my tone.

Skyla flies out of bed, plastering her body against the door as she shakes her head.

“No! Stop! I…” she closes her eyes, inhaling deeply before looking at me once more. “Before we were together, officially, I guess. After the ceremony, he slept with Mercy Lewis…”

Understanding dawns on me.

“You didn’t know.”

She frowns. “You did?”

I nod once.

“Am I the only idiot who didn’t? You know who told me? It wasn’t Asher!”

“Christopher?” I guess since they had dinner there tonight.

She throws her hand out at me and nods.

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