Page 78 of Séance

“My father forgave her because he was madly, obsessively in love with her. They had an open marriage—on her side only. He absolved her for any indiscretions as long as she came home to him. When he found a pregnancy test in the trash, he thought she would finally settle down.” He grimaces, pulling me out of the path of a group of teenagers, then he waits while they pass before continuing.

“In her own way, my mother did love my father. She agreed to try and make their marriage work. Unfortunately, as the pregnancy progressed, so did my mother’s unhappiness. It got worse when she found out that she was having twins. Her pregnancy became high risk when she refused to slow down her lifestyle.” His voice is bitter, his throat bobbing as he swallows.

“My father found her bleeding and rushed her to the hospital. He didn’t even care about us. He just wanted them to save her.” His caustic laugh sends people around us scattering, but he doesn’t notice as he continues his sad story, too lost in his head. “They were able to save us with an emergency C-section. Ironically, though it saved her life, she was furious at the doctors for cutting her open and ruin her body to save us.

“Things only got worse. My father was desperate to do anything to keep his wife. He tried to use us to keep her home.” His acrid snort is so caustic that my chest hurts for him. “He was so obsessed with our mother that he barely paid us any attention. Despite all his efforts, she lasted until we were four years old before she just packed up and left. We ruined her marriage, her life, and her body. She wanted nothing to do with us. When she left, dear old dad basically forgot that we existed.”

Unable to hold on to my anger a second longer, I jerk him to a stop, then yank his head down so he can’t look away. I want him to see the sincerity in my eyes and know that I’m telling the truth. “Your mother is a bitch who didn’t deserve you. You are lucky she’s no longer in your life. You’re free of her hatred, and that’s a good thing.”

He blinks in surprise, shadows moving in his eyes. He swallows hard as he searches my face, staring at me like I’m a lifeline he desperately needs to save him from drowning in his own misery. “You and your brother are both amazing people, and it’s her loss that she didn’t stick around. The best thing that ever happened to me is moving in next door and meeting you and the others.”

“Truly?” His voice is so soft, so hesitant, that I reach out and smack him on the back of the head.

“Ouch!” He straightens and peers down at me warily as he absently rubs the abused spot. “What was that for?”

“For doubting me.” I glare up at him, my hands on my hips. “You are lucky to be free of your parents. Forget your past. It’s time you put it behind you. You’re blessed to have found your own family. Don’t let your parents ruin your future. If you do, then you’re a bigger fool than you pretend to be.”

It’s like a light switched on inside him, the bitterness and hatred shedding away, and he slowly prowls toward me. I don’t realize I’m retreating until my back hits a wall. Jameson doesn’t stop until he’s pressed against me. He places a hand near my head, leaning forward and gently cupping my face. When he tilts my head back, he effectively traps me in place so I can’t escape.

The joke is on him, because that’s the last thing I want.

I’ll just have to find some way to prove it to them.

Chapter Twenty-five

JAMESON

“Are you sure you can handle us?” I ask breathlessly, barely daring to hope. While I desperately want to snatch her up and claim her, I refuse to take advantage of her good heart.

She needs to know the truth.

“Jace and I are just as obsessive as our father.” It’s the only warning I can give her, and the confession is torn from my dark soul. “Once you say you’re ours, we’re never letting you go.”

I still, giving her one last chance to escape the crazy. I don’t even dare to breathe as I wait for her to balk, and if she’s smart, she will run as fast as her gorgeous legs could carry her.

Only, I fear it’s much too late.

Her fate is sealed.

If she runs, I will follow her to the ends of the earth. She’s imprinted on my soul, and I have no intention of letting her go.

I can’t.

Without her, I’ll lose my last hold on my sanity.

Leaning down, I get right in her face, my mood darkening as I whisper my deepest, darkest secret to her. “As much as I try to keep it hidden, I’m not exactly sane anymore. Without total control, my crazy is hard to keep contained. It slips out every once in a while.”

Rue gazes up at me with her bewitching teal eyes, her expression never changing at my confession, then she does the one thing that seals her fate—she reaches up and cups my face, brushing her fingers lightly along my cheek. “Sanity is totally overrated.”

Splat.

That’s the sound of my heart dropping at her feet, hers to do with as she wants.

“No take-backsies,” I whisper, fierce determination filling me. I seal my lips over hers, ravaging her mouth the way I’ve wanted since I first saw her, not giving her a chance to change her mind. I slip my hands into her hair, cradling her like she’s the most precious thing in the world, because she most definitely fucking is.

Instead of fighting me, she kisses me back just as ferociously, and I moan into her mouth. Consent is a big thing to me. If she fought me, I would have released her instantly, even if it killed me, but apparently, she likes being mauled in public.

Her taste is so addicting that I can’t get close enough. Being near her calms my demons, the peace unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.

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