Page 51 of Bloom
Lord Monet hadn’t left his son alone for very long, and he’d slept in the room for two nights. Any man could pretend to care, but if a Father was trying to get rid of the oldest, that was a lot of trouble to go through.
Also, Aleric hadn’t seemed frightened or worried about his Father’s presence. He’d even told Lord Monet to use the other side of the bed since it was big enough for two people to sleep in without bothering each other. It seemed Lord Monet was a blanket thief in his sleep, and that’s why he’d declined. Jaime heard the lock click on the bedroom door and wondered if he should grab his shit and walk out. Aleric had sounded pretty done with him since a line had been crossed.
Jaime might regret his rash anger in the morning. Or in a couple of days. Alone, he already knew what would start eating him.
He hesitated as his thoughts warred. He could go because he owed Aleric nothing. The lord’s son had twisted things to get him in his grasp and treated him like shit even though Jaime had helped him more than once. Aleric was alive because of him. He was a dickhead, and nearly dying hadn’t changed him. He was a lot of things that Jaime didn’t like.
But he was alive because a couple of people hadn’t walked away at crucial points when he was a child, and he wished to Elira things had gone differently when he was a kid. At least he’d been given a chance.
If anyone, just one person, had said something and tried to warn Jaime’s family, nobody would have had to specifically save him as a child and bleed out in the process.
He'd likely still be at home with his family.
If Aleric couldn’t tell his Father, he had nobody and was stuck. Nobody would be coming to save him.
He ran through the few courtiers he’d seen, wondering if there were pieces he was missing since he hadn’t been there for very long. He only knew one by name. Lord Gautier, or Alexandre, had been rebuffed when he offered his arm. That could have been because Aleric had an attitude about games even if he won and didn’t want to show respect to the loser.
Or Aleric hated him because he knew Gautier wanted him dead. Lord Gautier was with the younger son. That right there was a bit “ew” in Jaime’s mind even though they seemed happy. Deep down, he couldn’t quite get over the age difference.
He'd also been accused of rape. Perhaps his explanation of what “actually” happened was a lie, and Jaime had been stupid to believe his tale.
He stared at the closed main door as he tried to imagine how long Lord Monet had. He had to be between forty-five and fifty and not too much older than Alexandre. If Lord Monet remained healthy and didn’t pass beforehand, he’d likely abdicate in his sixties or seventies and enjoy retirement. If Aleric was dead, Zacharie would inherit along with his spouse. By the time Gautier got the Earldom thanks to marriage, he might not have that much time left to enjoy it because he wasn’t far behind in age.
Lord Monet could have an accident too, and Gautier would have more time to enjoy being the Earl while having a young piece of ass in his bed. Unless Jaime was looking at the completely wrong people and missing a crucial piece. Aleric would cuss him out if he knocked and demanded answers. He could grab his stuff and try to go which would mean leaving Aleric alone.
If the Master Steward had left Jaime, he'd be dead. He could have run ahead to save himself. It was because he’d been tryingto carry Jaime through the tunnel that he’d gone slower, and he’d been injured by a lone bastard who’d caught up.
He was alive because someone besides his parents had cared and paid with his life to get Jaime out even with everything else lost. If Father was alive, Jaime could imagine his words.
“We didn’t raise you to be a coward. People gave their lives to protect you, and you’d run away from a lone man in need?”
If Jaime walked out, Aleric might find himself on the wrong end of a sword pretty soon just like his parents and the Master Steward. One day, he might hear that Lord Monet’s son had passed from illness or an accident, and he'd know he'd left a man to die.
“Your Father gave me a purpose after my wife passed and I lost my job. He’s a good man, and I can tell you’re going to grow up to be like him.”
Jaime hadn’t fully understood the Master Steward's words back then. He still remembered Jed’s big, jolly laugh. He’d towered over four-year-old Jaime, but he hadn’t been scary. He'd loved riding on Jed’s shoulders so he could feel big too. Back then, he’d thought he’d live in the Castle with his parents forever.
He sat on the couch and stared at the empty fireplace. He’d stay and try again in the morning. If Aleric flipped out on him and guards tossed Jaime outside on his arse, well…he couldn’t force someone to accept help.
He could try.
Chapter Twelve
Mother was so pretty. The diamonds sewn into the skirt of her pink dress twinkled with every moment, and Jaime’s coming sibling was a bump in her stomach.
Until the sword entered her back, came out of her stomach, and narrowly missed Jaime since she tried to shield him with her body. Red marred the pink, and the bump was lifeless. The man yanked out his sword, shoved Mother's body aside, and turned toward Jaime…
Something hit his leg, and he damn near flew off the couch while expecting a sword to come for his chest until he saw familiar white hair and blue eyes. Aleric flinched away. He was in Aleric’s sitting room, not back in…that was all over.
Jaime, still half-asleep, couldn’t figure out why Aleric looked so terrified.
“Fuck.” He let himself plop on the couch and willed his racing heart to slow. “I was dreaming-you startled me. Sorry.”
Aleric’s brow furrowed. “Why are you still here?”
Jaime blinked. “Why did you look like-I mean…”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Get your head out of the clouds.”
