Page 2 of Revenge of a Queen

“Can I just say something?” Asher speaks up getting off the bed.

“You’re not gonna propose, are you? Because regardless of what happened today, she is too young for that,” Zack replies, the tease of a smile on his lips.

Asher scoffs as he mutters under his breath “Dick,” before saying louder, “You know it’s not like that between us.”

I shake my head with a smile, “Ignore him, Ash, go on.”

“Elle,” he starts, and I know from the use of my name that whatever he is about to say is going to be serious, he takes a deep breath before continuing, “I promise you now, they will not get away with what they did to you. I will make them pay. I will do whatever it takes before letting anything happen to you or our daughter. I know we don’t really get into stuff like this, but I want you to know, you are my best friend, my only friend really. I love you and our child, and I will protect you both with everything I’ve got, always.”

I swipe the tears from my eyes, unsure of what to say, so I just nod and respond, “Always.”

Present

He knows, Marcus knows.

Until recently, the only people who knew Cassie's true identity were in the room with me the day she was born. Lincoln found out on a whim, but I trusted him to keep her a secret. Keep us all protected. This is different.

Inside all I feel is panic, pain and more panic but outside I remain stoic, calm, completely collected. It’s something I have practiced with Zack over the last few years, one of the many things he has taught me. Keep your emotions off your face and out of the hands of your enemies. Panic is what gets you killed. Not that Marcus is my enemy, but at this moment, he definitely isn’t my friend either. He’s a new threat to me and my daughter’s safety. So, I shut it all out and concentrate on only the things I can control, Cassie.

My biggest secret, well my second biggest, is staring up at Marcus like he’s her favorite person in the entire world. Instead of the joy this moment should bring, all I feel is heartbreak. His, mine, ours.

I should have learnt by now how fast everything can change in this town. You think I would have become accustomed to that three years ago, when I was raped by someone, I thought I could trust, and escaped this town with a brother I didn’t even know existed.

I always knew coming back here, back to him, would be hard, but I never imagined it being like this. I thought his hatred of me would outlast anything else he could ever feel, but I was wrong. Things between us blurred so fast I could barely keep up, but one thing I knew for sure is that I was never going to be ready for this moment.

It’s strange that the panic I felt in the past is nothing compared to now. Back then, I had nothing to lose, they had already taken everything from me, so leaving for the unknown did nothing. Now though? Now, I have everything. Everything and more, all packaged in that tiny human with the perfect rosy lips, sparkling blue eyes and light blonde hair.

I could see it coming before it even happened. Marcus was so angry over what he thought he was seeing with Zack that he didn’t hear the door fly open, but I did. I felt my entire body flinch when she called out to me, I could see Marcus looking around to see who she was talking to.

He never would have imagined this scenario when he wondered where I had been for the last few years. I’m sure he has conjured up plenty of stories, but this wouldn’t have been one of them. He had no idea that while he was mourning his father and building his new life, I was birthing my best friend. She knows him but he doesn’t know her. She loves him but he will never love her, not when he finds out who her father is, no matter which one he finds out about. I can see the shock, confusion and anger written all over his face. I wish there were something I could do to change things, but I can’t.

He stands frozen as Cassie puts her arms around his legs and looks up to him. She’s usually a very wary kid, knows not to speak to strangers and only interacts with people close to us, but Marcus is an exception. Yes, they are strangers to each other, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t know him. I have been telling her stories of us ever since she was born. I didn’t know how to be a parent at fifteen, so when she would cry at bedtime and refuse sleep, all I could think to do was talk. I would tell her endless stories about Marcus and I as kids, as she got bigger and started to understand I would show her pictures. She became obsessed, and the older she got, the more she loved the tales I would tell of the King and her River.

I have no clue what is going to happen next, but I know one thing for sure, I can’t do this alone and neither can he. I pull out my phone and dial, Lincoln answers on the second ring.

“King,” his sharp no nonsense tone hits my ear.

“I need you at the house, he knows,” is all I say before ending the call and shoving my phone back in my pocket.

Marcus is still glaring between Cassie and I in shock, a thousand unanswered questions no doubt screaming at me inside his head, so I do the inevitable.

“You should come inside,” I say simply, stepping towards him. I tug on Cass’s hand and pull her to me. She turns and jumps up into my arms, snuggling into my neck. I breathe in her scent and it gives me the strength to deal with whatever is going to happen next. I turn and start towards the house not bothering to check whether Marcus is following or not.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” Helen says to me and I shake my head immediately.

“Don’t be,” I reply, I know what a little fireball my daughter is and how unstoppable she can be. She takes after me in that way.

I push the door open and head straight to the living room and everyone follows. It’s clear that apart from Cassie, everyone is as on edge as I am. Thank god for children and their resilience and naivety. I sit on the sofa and pull her close on my knee as she rattles off all the things she saw on the drive home.

I watch as Zack comes into the room, offering me a grim smile in what I am sure he hopes offers comfort, but I am too far gone for that now. I feel so out of control of things, that I don’t know how to get it back.

Arthur and Helen follow and they both look worried, but I offer them what I hope is my own reassuring smile as we wait. He takes so long that I almost think he’s left, but eventually, Marcus makes his way into the room. His eyes are everywhere but on me as he takes in my home. I see his distaste from here, it’s perfectly clear how he feels about wealth since he lost his. Not that he is low on the food chain by any means, but it’s more what he feels this type of wealth represents. If only he knew the pure hearts in this room and what their wealth did for me.

He stands awkwardly in the entrance of the room, like he doesn’t know if he is ever going to take another step. When his eyes finally hit mine, I feel it, that connection of ours, like a rope binding us together and for a fraction of a second I think everything might be okay. Then, his eyes turn cold, that bond between us no longer strong enough to hold us together. How did we get like this? Just last night I fell asleep next to him and woke up in his arms. Feeling safer than I have in years. My head was shouting at me not to let him in, but my heart didn’t listen. I was too shellshocked from the orgasm he gave me. Add that to the fact that his touch doesn’t turn my blood to ice like most people’s does. Instead, it starts a fire I wish I could pour an accelerant on. I know I can never do that again, I let my guard down with him, and look at what happened. He now has my biggest secret in his hands and pure hatred for me in his heart.

“Wanna sit down?” I finally manage to find my voice as I gesture to the empty sofa across from me, as Cassie continues on with her stories. Marcus looks unsure but eventually moves at a slow pace taking the seat I offered. It’s like everyone in the room relaxes just a little, but I know it won’t last long. Things have changed, and we will never be the same again.

Chapter 1

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