Page 99 of The Depraved Prince
“I’ll be fine…” I lie. He knows it, Nash knows it, and I know it. I’m sure Nash has told him about the nights I wake up screaming…
I’m back in their Southern Vampire territory, and I know I may still be in trouble deep down. Even though Hayden was unhinged and unstable, he would neveractually hurt me.
I rush into the house before Cole can complete his farewell. Nash tries to stop me.
“Millie…wait! How was the movie?”
But I’m in the house half a second later. I dart inside the living room, passing the television that plays a Christmas movie. I barge into my room and start packing my things. I need to leave. I need to become a ghost if I want to live the last two years of my life in peace, knowing that my family will be safe from all the vampires that know where I live. The longer I’m around them, the more I put them at risk, and I can’t have that hanging over my head.
I’ll spend one more day here and catch a flight to Alaska. I have some money saved up from the coffee shop, and I’ll use it to fly. It should be enough to keep me afloat for a month until I find a job.
Still, before I go to bed that night, I stare at my work roller skates as I wonder about Hayden and his mother, with whom I formed a strange, unusual bond. I keep pondering whether he ended up marrying another vampire. His father wanted his marriage to be finalized this month, and since I am no longer with him, it makes sense that his title and position would move forward, and he would be the new vampire king in his region, with or without me.
35
MILLIE
The next day,Nash and my mother ambushed me. My flight doesn’t leave until tomorrow morning, but I wanted to spend the day hanging out with Leah. I haven’t really been able to hang out with her since I’ve been home, and I wouldn’t feel complete leaving her behind without a decent farewell.
“Millie, you need to tell the police about the man who kidnapped you.” My mom breaks the silence. I still hadn’t turned in Hayden, although I know if the police were to try and go after him, they would never find him.
I play with the ends of my sleeve anxiously in the living room. The fireplace is going, and it helps ease my nerves. No one knows I’m going to disappear again tomorrow. I have it all planned out already. I’m going to leave a note ensuring my safety and call them every other month to check in so they’re not worried sick.
“Mom…why do you care? You’ve never cared about me before. It only took for me to disappear and for my father to die for you to realize you have a daughter who needs you,” I quip as my frustration paints my tone.
My mother purses her lips and clicks her tongue.
“I love you. I know I don’t say it often enough, but I love you both. You are my children,” she responds while darting her hazeleyes at the both of us. Nash fidgets uncomfortably as he holds a book in his hand.
“Actions,” I murmur as I watch the flames crackle behind her. My tone is bland but concrete.
“What?” she questions me, confused with narrowed brows.
“Actions speak louder than words, Mom. You say you love your daughter, but who still lives in the home you raised us in?” I ask, biting my lip.
Santiago.
“You say you love us, but when’s the last time you asked us how our day went or showed up for anything, like picking me up from work when I didn’t have a ride? Or show up to my high school graduation when I made valedictorian? Where were you?”
With Santiago.
“You say you love us, but growing up, who is the one that always came first before us?”
Santiago.
“That’s enough!” My mother stands.
“All I ever wanted was to protect you from him, make you open your eyes, and be the person to make you realize that you deserve to be loved faithfully and kind. To show you that I’ll always be your daughter. Why do you shut me out when I try and help you? Be there for you like you should be for us?”
“I will not be here to listen to this!” she pouts, grabbing her purse and starts for the door, but I keep going.
“Do you know that I’m scared all the fucking time? I’m scared because if I ever find someone who genuinely wants to be with me, and when they tell me they love me, I can’t believe them.”
Hayden and Cole pop into my head.
“I’m afraid to commit to a man because I’m afraid he’ll cheat on me or leave me.” My voice cracks as I remember all the memories of growing up and seeing my mom failing to find theone to show her that true love exists over and over again after continued failed relationships and that it doesn’t have to always come from a man. It can come from various things. It can come from family…or friends.
Nash wraps his hands around my arms and tries to hold me from behind, but I gently remove his hands from me. She opens the door to my father’s house, and I sniffle. With a tear rolling down her cheek, she stands and places one foot onto the porch.
