Page 34 of Masked in Deception
Henry uses his hands to massage his eyes. “It doesn’thaveto be a direct father-son succession, you buffoon. But I doubt I will have any children of my own, and it would be a waste of a fourth.”
Blanche hits the back of Henry’s head. “Oh hush, you will absolutely have some of your own. All three of you will,” she says, pointing at Margot and me in the process.
Margot turns a deep shade of red as I choke on nothing, bringing Ledger’s attention to me. “You alright, man?” he asks, smacking my back.
“Yeah, yup…just all this talk of babies. I think I’m going to go get some air,” I say, before going to one of the farthest bathrooms in the house to ground myself.
I close the door behind me and try to calm down. This is all too much. After two years, I figured I could keep my feelings at bay long enough to celebrate mynephewwithout losing my ever-loving mind.
Ugh, I have to get a grip. I’m over here thinking about our babies, and she hasn’t said one word to me since I got here.Fuck,she won’t even look at me.
We’ve gone long periods without seeing each other before, and with every stretch, it would be like no time has passed. Even when things started to get intense, we would see each other and everything would be fine. I’m not sure exactly what I expected to happen after finally crossing that line in our relationship, but I expectedsomething.Anger, regret, longing,something.
Honest to God, the way she's been carrying on with her life like that night was just a bump in the road, I half expected her to see me and not blink twice, just business as usual.
At least I know it won't be two years before I see her again. She’ll be in New York, working withmefor the next two months.
Before I know what’s happening, the door is thrown open, and something crashes into me. No, not something, someone. “Jack!” Margot says, pushing away as soon as she realizes she’s pressed against me. “What the fuck are you doing in here?”
When I don’t answer and instead just stand there, dumbfounded, she turns to leave, and my brain goes on autopilot, grabbing her and squeezing as hard as I can.
“Ugh, let go of me!” she yells, squirming in my arms.
I can’t let her go. I have to tell her.
The words fall from my mouth in a blubbering mess. “Please don’t leave. Please talk to me. Please, please, baby girl. I’m so sorry. I’ve missed you so much, Princess.”
“Don’tcall me princess,” she says, stomping on my foot both for emphasis and to get out of my hold.
I let her go, turning first to block the door so she can’t escape. “Margot. I thought I would lose everyone. I didn’t think your family would ever forgive me. That even if they didn’t kill me the moment they knew what I was doing with their sister and daughter, that you would realize I wasn’t worth your time, and when you left, they would leave too. I know I should’ve picked you, though. I realize that now, because my body’s been in New York, but for two years, you’ve had my heart with you in Paris.”
She steps back, folding her arms across her chest in the process and huffing at me for blocking her exit.There she is. There’s my princess.“You thought what? That you could just make the biggest decision ofourlives by yourself? That you didn’t need to involve me in that? That you shouldn’t at least tell me how you were feeling so that when I woke up without you in your bed after you spent the entire nightmaking love to me, I would at least know why.”
“Please, baby, I’mso fucking sorry.I thought you would always resent me if you didn’t chase your dreams. I thought I was doing what was best for you. I thought…”
She searches my eyes, and for just a moment, I can see past the hatred. “Jack,youwere my dream. You were all I ever wanted. Mywholelife. Everything else was just outside noise. Acting, piano, and design were all just hobbies. And if being with you meant I never got to do it again, I would’ve found something else to pour my energy into while I happily stood by your side.”
That can’t be right. First, I learn that Blanche always thought I would be perfect for her daughter, and now I find out that instead of ensuringthe absolute love of my life’shappiness, I ripped it away. Someone please wake me up from this nightmare where I misinterpreted everyone’s intentions and, in turn, ruined my chance of ever being happy.Ruinedherhappiness.I mean, sure, Henry and Ledger would still beat the shit out of me, but it would be worth it a million times over to have my princess in my arms again.
“I can still be that. Please let me be that again.”
“No.” She hesitates but denies me nonetheless.
I reach out to touch her, any point of contact at all, but she steps back, avoiding my touch. “Then at least let me be your friend. I’m still your family. Let me...”
“No, Jack, you aren’t anything to me. Now, can I go, or do you need me to writeyoua fuckingfive-linenote to show exactly how little you mean to me?”
She goes to step around me, and I let her leave.Again.
Chapter thirty-three
Music blares from the speaker on my vanity as I get ready, and I welcome the positivity on a cold, dreary New York day. It’s a big day for La Reine.We’re preparing for our final walk-through of the staging for our Valentine’s Day collaboration. It’s with the most prominent jeweler in the city, and I need to bring my best efforts to ensure everything goes smoothly. I fasten my hair back in a quick chignon,thank you, French friends for your life hacks,and pull my vintage black tweed blazer over my black midi dress. A gold brooch and a pair of pumps complete my look, and I grab my bag before heading down to meet my driver for the short ride to the store.
Or at least, I try to head down to meet my driver. I don’t make it very far before I trip over one of the rolled-up rugs stored against a wall, sticking out into the open archway I foolishly tried to walk through.Ugh.I really need to take Mom up on her offer to have her interior designer come and have a look at this place. Maybe I went a little crazy with the vintage shopping in France, but when the antique markets are filled with things thatpredate the US as a concept…what was I supposed to do? Leave the solid-gold candlesticks depicting a Grecian orgy? Leave the console table carved with scenes fromThe Tempest?I smile, thinking of the fact I made an actual “gimme” gesture when I saw it, like a desperate little hoarder raccoon.
Wincing, I flex my ankle a few times, thinking that the hoarder definition might be hitting a little close to home. Resolving myself to give Mom my permission to call the designer, I finally make my way down to the car. By the time I arrive at the store, I’m only fifteen minutes early instead of the thirty I prefer, but with one more deep breath, I enter boss-bitch mode.
I wish I could say I found being in charge tedious, but honestly, I live for this. We dive right into work, reviewing the staging for our live mannequins. Models of all colors and sizes will be wearing pieces fromLa Reinewhile dripping in diamonds and other pieces from the brand’s Valentine’s collection this year. The collection is one of my favorites that I’ve designed so far, featuring the store’s signature color alongside my brand’s classic black and white, as well as three shades of pink and red for the holiday itself. It’s a little more whimsical than anything I’ve ever designed, and early feedback suggests that it’s expected to sell out quickly, especially with the increased visibility we’ve gained from this collaboration. The morning flies by, and before I know it, I’m back in the car heading for my New York storefront, also getting ever closer to opening day.
