Page 122 of I Was Always Yours (RCA: Royal Crown Academy)

She’s still able to form complete sentences so I may have overestimated her alcohol consumption, however she also gets progressively meaner the more she drinks so her words indicate my original estimate was likely correct.

My mother always preferred Astor. Even as a kid, when I didn’t understand the concept of favoritism, I knew she lived for her golden boy.

She never overtly hated me though. No, that came later. Slowly over the years after his death, hate replaced the blood in her veins, becoming the new way she kept her heart beating.

This is why I need the money. So, I can cut them out of my life and never have to deal with or depend on them ever again.

“It’s Christmas.” I grit out through clenched teeth.

I learned long ago to let go of any dreams I may have had of ever having a relationship with my parents.Every time I’m confronted with them, I think this is the time that I’m going to feel nothing.

Every time I’m disappointed that the hurt still penetrates.

“I visited my son’s grave for Christmas, that’s what I did. You are nothing but a pale imitation, a shadow of him that I’m forced to live with despite the fact that I feel I’ve made it clear to you that I have no interest in you.” She downs the remnants of her glass and walks past me towards the bar in the living room. “Nonetheless, here you are. I suppose you can stay. It doesn’t matter to me one way or the other if you do, just like it makes no difference to me if I never see you again.”

My breaths are coming quicker and my nostrils flare as I work to steady my heartbeat so she doesn’t pick up on the only outward sign that her words are striking true.

I go to clench my fists to keep myself from punching something, but find that I can’t because a small hand slips into my palm and slender fingers intertwine with mine.

I look down first at where our hands are joined, surprised by this sudden appearance, surprised by the feeling of her hand clutching mine in a show of support, before my eyes trail up our arms and to Sixtine’s face.

It’s pale and set with a grim expression that I’ve never seen on her features before.

“Don’t you dare talk to him like that.” She hisses.

My mother turns around and a genuine smile stretches across her face when she sees her.

She loves Six. I know that she once had aspirations of one day arranging a match between her and Astor. She must hate knowing that her discarded black sheep of a son will get to call her his, not her golden boy.

I squeeze her hand and pull her closer to me, enjoying the way my mother’s smile dips ever so slightly.

“Hello, Sixtine. It’s lovely to see you—,”

“The feeling is not mutual.”

“Six,” I start.

“No.” She says, cutting me off with a hard look. I don’t know how long she’s been here and what exactly she heard, but I’ve never seen her this angry. “Your son isamazing. He’s smart, he’s athletically gifted, he’s got the most loyal friends, he’s thoughtful and he’s kind. Howdare youtreat him like that?”

“You wouldn’t understand the pain—"

“With all due respect — actually, withzerorespect whatsoever given what I just witnessed — I don’t want to hear what you have to say. This isn’t about losing Astor, this is about the son you still have. The son you clearly don’t deserve.”

My muscles are corded, ready to intervene at the first sign that things are going sideways, but I don’t think I’m going to need to.

Six is clearing my mother with barely any effort, her rage easily outpacing the fury she’d unleashed on me when I’d mentioned her dad in the woods.

She’s incandescent with it and I’m in awe of her. How she can be both the forever good girl, rule following and respectful, and a fiercely loyal fighter who would walk off the edge of the moon swinging for the people she cares about?

And she cares about me in some way, that much is obvious now.

I have a black belt, weigh at least a hundred pounds more than her and tower a full head and a half above her. It’s ludicrous that she would come to my defense in any way.

And yet, she is.

With claws out and tongue sharpened and everything.

My dick is already in a permanent state of arousal around her to begin with, but it’s nothing compared to what I’m feeling right now.

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