Page 77 of Demise

He nods. “And my son? Have you seen him?”

“No, not yet. I’m sure he’ll be along,” I say as my eyes come to Liam.

His gaze has come to my own a few times, hardened and judgmental as he looks away to focus on what his mother is saying. I catch Wesley’s eye in the corner. He’s laughing and schmoozing with a group of people when his smile falls away. A look of indignation crosses his face as he shakes his head and looks away.

It’s obvious why they’re upset with me. If the roles were reversed, I’m sure I’d feel the same. They don’t get it, though. They should, but for some reason they don’t. The party wasn’t supposed to be for another two weeks. Christopher only informed me of the date being moved up this morning after I left Skyla in the pool. I planned to talk to her at lunch, but of fucking course, Annie had to beat her to it. The way I wanted to snap her thin fucking neck when she smiled and sneered in Skyla’s face. And the heartbreak that etched across my sweet girl’s face…it’s an image I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to remove from my mind.

As if I conjured her from my thoughts alone, the doors open, and Skyla appears. She’s wearing a white fur shawl and a blood red gown that looks absolutely breathtaking on her. Asher is by her side, her arm tucked into his as he escorts her through the room.

“Finally,” Christopher mutters before waving Asher towards us.

He nods his acknowledgment, sending me a brief but scathing look while Skyla looks anywhere but at me. They stop a few feet short of us, Asher holding out his hand to my brother first.

“Father,” he greets before turning to me. “Ronan, congratulations.”

“Thank you,” I say numbly while Christopher takes Skyla’s hand, kissing the back of it as his eyes roam over her.

Her hair is in an updo, wrapped up with a sparkly hair piece holding it together. Her lips are the same blood red as her dress, and her eyes have a shimmery shadow on them that make those green gems absolutely pop.

“My darling daughter, you look absolutely breathtaking,” he says as he pulls her from Asher’s grasp, forcing her to do a spin.

I notice the way Asher’s hand flexes, like he’s trying to reach for her before he closes his fist by his side.

“You must honor me with a dance,” he says, dragging Skyla to the dance floor.

She casts an uneasy glance to Asher but makes sure to smile and nod.

“I’d be honored.”

They stop in the middle of the room, my brother’s hand resting far too low for my liking on her back as he begins leading her through a waltz. She twirls around the room effortlessly. Everyone can’t help but to watch her. She has this presence about her that forces you to pay attention, whether you want to or not.

“Where is your bitch fiancée?” Asher asks, keeping his eyes on Skyla and his father.

“Bathroom trying to sober up,” I say blandly.

Asher huffs. “Trading Skyla for a boozehound. Nicely done.”

My head whips to him, lowering my voice as I do.

“I haven’t traded Skyla for anyone. You know as well as I this is nothing more than a business transaction.”

His head turns to face me, an unimpressed look on his face.

“Maybe to you. Not to her,” he says as he points to the bathroom. “Most certainly not to her.” He nods towards Skyla, who is putting on the show of her life.

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was enjoying her time with Christopher. My eyes never leave her, I’m practically willing her to look at me, just for a second. She doesn’t, though. She’s perfected the art of pretending I don’t exist at all.

“You should have told her,” Asher said with a shake of his head. “Warned her.”

“It was sprung on me. I ran out of time. I was planning to—”

“Yeah, well, your plan went to shit. I didn’t see you picking her up off the ground, holding her while she cried over this fucking joke,” he says, glaring at the elaborately decorated party. No doubt all Annie’s doing.

My heart aches to hear how hurt Skyla was today, how hurt she no doubt is now. I wish I could steal a moment with her, reassure her that she is my everything. That no one will ever take her place. It’s not ideal, but it’s the world we live in. I will have to marry Annie Williams, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop loving Skyla, that I’ll stop seeing her. If she’ll have me. It’s complicated, but doable. If she wants it too.

“Will you distract Annie for me? I want to talk to Skyla,” I say as I spot Annie making her way towards us, looking a hell of a lot more put together than she was before. Not sure how she managed that, but I don’t really care.

Asher snorts condescendingly as he looks to me out of the corner of his eye.

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