Page 67 of Shattered Heir
“I am not,” I said, slamming the spray bottle on the counter as I held myself upright. I felt dizzy. Clearly, it was not working; I couldn't play a part.
“It's okay, I don't want to stop you. Many have been fooled by him in the past.”
“How would you even know, Cade? You were, supposedly, dead for most of his life.”
“Ah, but I heard all I needed to hear, sweet.”
“Stop calling me that.”
“But Emma, you are just that—my sweet love, the other half to my soul.” He walked over to me to touch me, but I pulled back.
“If I buy you flowers, will you let me kiss you?” he asked with a smirk.
“Get out of my head! And he didn't buy me flowers so that I would kiss him. I really—” I stopped the words from coming out of my mouth, but my melody shared them with Shad’s melody:I hate you.
“Hate is close to love, my dear,” he said, touching my shoulders. I tried to pull away, but his grip was firm, and hepulled me to him. My melody swarmed to him, and our melodies connected. As they did, and as I was in his arms, I melted into him and felt the connection of melodies ease my mind and comfort me. I felt alive and happy. His melody, Shad's melody, was glorious. Maybe, I could do this. With him this close, I could almost imagine that he was Shad.
“Look at me,” he commanded, and I obeyed, looking into his dark brown eyes. I focused on the color, told myself over and over again that brown eyes were what I wanted to see, not gold.
You are not Shad.
“I am very glad that I am not Shad, right now,” he whispered in my ear. I tried not to react to his touch, but I did, and goosebumps ran down my skin, and it wasn't as unpleasant a feeling as I had thought it would be.
“I can't,” I said, trying to move away.This is the man who murdered my parents.
I did not murder them, sweet. It was an unfortunate accident by some of my men.His soul-speaking caught me off guard.
What?
Some of my men were watching you and got too close. Don't worry. I took care of them. I never wanted your parents to die, Emma.
I tried not to let his words soften me. He could have been lying; after all, how could I trust anything he said? His fingers were on my waist, moving up and down in slow circles as if to calm me.
You hurt Ryker. I could never like you after what you did to him.
Ah, Rykerian the knight. I wasn’t killing him; I was just trying to get information out of him. It's nothing he hasn't done to his enemies before, or even to Shad, for that matter. But I do apologize for the pain that it has caused you.
And what about Shad? What about stealing his melody?
My brother, ah, yes. He was always the beloved one. I am not sorry for his fate, yet I am sorry for the pain that it has caused in you.
I can’t ever forgive you for what you have done, no matter how you justify it.
“You can, Emma. You, so very much, can.” He moved my face so that he was an inch away from me.
“Please, I love him,” I said, hoping that he had some shred of decency inside of him.
“Shh, I know you love him, Emma, but you could love me, too.” His mouth was on my cheek. He kissed me softly, and I wanted to pull away, but his hands kept me there.”You could love me, Emma, if you tried. We could be everything.” His mouth got closer and closer to my lips, and I tried again not to move, but couldn't be there with him like that. I couldn't do it; I couldn't let it happen.
Shad, I thought, over and over again, letting my mind remember him.
“That’s a buzz kill,” Cade said, moving away from me but not letting me go. “I am not the biggest fan of having the woman, who I am trying to kiss, thinking about my brother.” His eyebrow rose, and I stepped back. He finally let me.
“I love him; I will never get over him, or what you did to him.” Not helpful, Emma, for the plan, I reminded myself. There was such a war within me.
“I am not the man you think I am, Emma. You will see, very soon.” He walked to the Rose Village door, nodded, and left.
I took a deep breath and let the tears fall.
