Page 81 of Diamond Angel

“Don’t play dumb, Dad. I was in my room looking out over the garden. I saw you and Ilarion talking. Fighting, more like.”

He blinks at me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Dad, I saw you and Ilarion in the garden, like, ten freaking minutes ago! I saw him grab you. It looked like he was threatening you.”

“You clearly misunderstood. We were just having a conversation.”

“You’re seriously gonna stand there and lie to my face?” I demand. “I thought we were past the bullshit.”

He sighs. “Taylor, we’re here now. We’ve finally been reunited with your sister. Let’s just enjoy the moment, shall we?”

“What did Ilarion say to you?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Fucking hell!” Adam wanders closer to us, so I lower my voice into a hoarse whisper. “I can’t believe this. We come here and you’re back to being Ilarion’s little puppet. The one who lied and spied and did God knows what else.”

“Nothing is wrong, Taylor. You have nothing to be concerned about.”

“I know what I saw.”

“And I’m telling you: you saw wrong.”

I stare at him, open-mouthed and flabbergasted. He’s gaslighting me, and he’s doing it with a straight face. It pulls me back a few years, when things between us were still so choppy that the slightest bit of honesty erupted into a fight.

It was easier to fight back then. Adam was young enough that whispered conversations and passive-aggressive replies just went right over his head. Nowadays, though, he can pick up on the slightest inkling of tension between us.

“Mama, are you angry with Grandpa?” he asks, materializing out of nowhere.

I bite back my anger. “No, sweetheart,” I sigh. “We’re just talking.”

Dad glances between us for a moment, and I swallow the accusations buzzing on the tip of my tongue. “Auntie Cee and I are going for a drive,” I say. “Why don’t the two of you join us?”

“I’m happy just staying in today,” Dad says immediately.

“If Grandpa’s staying, I wanna stay, too,” Adam proclaims. “Mila said I can go in the pool later.”

I nod reluctantly. “Dad, I really think you should come with us.”

“Maybe another time,” he says. “But I do think it’s a good idea that you join Cee. Quality time together will do you both some good.” Before I can say anything else, he turns to Adam. “How about we go explore the rest of the gardens?”

“Dad!” I cry out, but he only throws me a goodbye wave.

I stand there, seething, left with no choice but to watch them walk away. The only thing that makes me feel slightly better is the knowledge that Ilarion won’t hurt Dad with Adam around.

At least, I hope I’m right about that.

“Tay?”

I turn around and catch Celine by the open French doors. She’s changed into a gorgeous suit made of a thick, buttery-white silk. The jacket is fashionably oversized and tailored at the arms to look as though they’ve been cuffed in. Beneath the blazer is a strappy red blouse and black, open-toed pumps. Her blonde hair is tied tight at the back of her head and clipped in place with thin hair clips studded with pinhead crystals.

She looks impeccable. There’s not a hair out of place, and suddenly, I feel very much like the ugly duckling next to her.

“Wow,” I say. “You look amazing.”

She smiles and waves away the compliment. “It’s just a lunch meeting, but I have to keep up appearances.”

“Right,” I say. “Should I change? I don’t want to be underdressed.”

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