Page 91 of Into The Darkness

“Get upstairs,” I demanded. I needed to be strong Ember, confident Ember. I was not my mother and would not allow myself to be a pawn in a dangerous game. Others underestimated me in this world, but no one realized my brains were a stronger weapon than their guns or brawn.

I followed him to his room and pointed to the bed, then Ash sat.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I demanded.

“How much do you know, mi sol?”

“Do not call me that.” The familiar nickname almost made this facade I was trying to put on crack, but I tucked the tears back and continued. “I know everything, but that should never have mattered. You should have told me your dad fucking killed my mom the first time you met me. You lied by withholding the truth.”

The words came out colder than ice. The wince on Ash’s face told me he wasn’t even expecting me to say that.

“I don’t even know where to begin,” he confessed, and I stood there, trying so hard not to break down. “My dad told me that I needed to get in with you in order to get back at your family.”

“Fuck. Off,” I spat at him, then screamed while punching the wall. Obviously the wall won this battle, and my knuckles were now red and screaming in pain.

“Why? If Franco isn’t alive and my mom is dead, isn’t the score even?” I added.

“Yes, but my father doesn’t see it that way. He is a greedy asshole who thinks that your entire family needs to be wiped out for what your dad did.”

Ash ran to help me, but I shot him a glare, and he sat back down.

“I know you’re upset. I’d be upset too if I was finding this out.”

“So everything between us was to avenge this fucking absurd riff between our families?” I threw my hands in the air. “I don’t even get it. Your dad killed my fucking mom. He fucking won.”

“They don’t see it that way. Your dad killed the guy your mom was having an affair with—”

“Good, so it’s even.”

Ash shook his head. “Amor, it doesn’t work that way.”

“I know you keep saying that, but it’s true.”

“Your grandfather was responsible for Rain’s mom’s death to start. His best friend died, his girlfriend’s ex-husband died.”

“Wh-what?” I cried.

“Yeah, so it’s more than just that. My dad wants to wipe your entire family off the map. He wants to eventually take over what your grandfather built with his business. He wants it all.”

“Rain?” I asked, and Ash nodded.

God, this was so fucked up. Everyone was fucking lying to me, and it was all coming out, but it all felt too fucking late.

My dad’s comments kept playing in my mind. I needed to do this like I was ripping the Band-Aid off. As much as I wanted to jump into his arms and tell him it was okay and I forgive him, this grudge was between our parents, and we weren’t involved, that I believed every word he said, I knew I couldn’t.

I turned away toward the small window and listened to the rain tap on the panes.Tap-tap-tap.

Without turning around, I tried to muster up all the courage and confidence I could find within me. “We need to break up, Ash.”

He jumped up and wrapped his arms around me, but I shook him off and stepped away from him.

“I can’t,” I whispered, and he grabbed my waist and pulled me around so we were facing each other. It was so much harder to do this looking him in the eyes, knowing it would be the last time I would.

“We got through a misunderstanding once—”

I laughed. “This is a bit more than just miscommunication between two people, wouldn’t you say?” He raked his hands through his hair before nodding. “Ash, you branded me with an ‘O’ for your last name. It wasyouwho branded me.”

I wasn’t planning to tell him I knew about the tattoo, but I needed to drive the point home there was no coming back from this, and this was it. There was nothing more left between us.

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