Page 70 of Ruthless Legacy

For eighteen years, I had choices, but this town is trying to take them away from me, just like it has for all the other women here today.

We’re at a garden party for some woman whose name I didn’t bother to memorize. It’s one of the mandatory events Moira has to attend because of the great lie.

That’s what these judgmental twats are calling the circumstances surrounding my conception and birth.

We’ve been here an hour. The longer I stand here, the angrier I get. Moira’s being polite. Too fucking polite. I’m being respectful of her wishes to stay silent, but I don’t like it. She’s clearly uncomfortable about me being here.

I know it’s not my presence she’s on guard against. It’s everyone else’s. She freezes whenever one of Joshua’s buddies walks too close to me and Scott rushes over when they stop to talk.

I know it’s pointless to ask them what’s got them both on edge. They’re trying to keep me out of it. Away from whatever secrets they’re hiding. Scott walks up to me with a drink in his hand.

“Having fun, yet?” I ask, knowing he’s not.

“Fun is a stretch.”

“Right. So when can we leave?”

He sighs and sips his drink. “Another few hours, I guess, or whenever Joshua says we’re done.”

“I don’t get that. You’re the co-head of your household. Why is Joshua in charge of our social calendar?”

“Because he’s the legacy line, and Moira will always fall under that since I’m a nobody.”

“You’re not a nobody.”

“You know what I mean.”

He steps closer as Joshua catches sight of me. I’ve been moving around the room, making it harder for him to spot me, so he can’t force me to speak to his friends.

Scott continues, “Joshua has made it clear. If Moira wants to repair her relationship with him, if we want to move on from this, we all have to do what he says. Moira loves her father and I don’t want to make this harder on her.”

“That sounds like giving in. What happened to the rebel you were in your youth?”

“Talking to my mother, huh?”

I shrug. I like hearing Van’s stories.

“What happened was I pushed my rebellion, convinced my girl to go along with it, and we lost you.”

“You didn’t lose me. You gave me away.”

“I know, and as rebellious as I was, I regret not being strong enough to be honest about you. About not being strong enough to come after you and find you sooner.”

We’re trying to work through this, but it still stings. I would never do that to my kid. No matter what I was facing, but I know he and Moira think they did the right thing.

“Scott, Theona.”

I blink at Joshua as if I don’t know he’s expecting me to respond. He refuses to use my name and I refuse to acknowledge him. Good thing Scott’s here to keep things from being awkward.

He pastes a smile on his face. “Joshua.”

Joshua continues, “This is Damien Brookes, an old colleague.”

Scott takes one step forward and to the left -placing himself between me and Damien Brookes- shakes his hand, and says it’s nice to meet him. I give a stilted hello.

God, I wish LJ was here. Or someone, anyone I know. I recognize quite a few people from school, but none I’m friendly enough with that they’ll help me break out of here. So I have to use the tried and true,

“Uh, excuse me. I have to use the ladies’ room.”

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