Page 48 of Swamp Princess

“Brin.” I step closer to her, and she moves back. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t, Blaise. This hurts.” She motions between us. “My heart can’t handle this.”

“Please, don’t pull away, Brin, I love you.” I again, try to move to her, but she steps around me.

“Than tell me what is going on.” She pauses halfway to the door, looking at the clock. I glance up too, noticing we have ten-minutes before class starts.

“Hector is lying to you.” I slam my mouth shut, realizing my mistake. Her face grows with anger and she stomps back to me.

“That is the first thing you think to say? Not why you are dating a Skystead Prep heir, or why you,” she jabs a finger into my chest, “are hiding things from me.”

Angry now myself, I glare at her. “Why can’t you trust me, Brin? After everything, why can you not trust me?”

She steps back a little. “After its slapping me in the face everyday. You told me before you would never be with someone from the swamps because there was no potential and now you’re here with someone who has been handed everything.” She turns and storms away, leaving me glaring at her retreating back.

Chapter Nineteen

“Abuela, everything is fine. The legal businesses are doing well in the east, and with no connection to us, they are proving to be quite the income.”

“Thiago.” I watch my Abuela move around the table and come stand in front of me. “Darling, have you talked to her?”

I sit back and glance up at my keen-eyed grandmother. I know what she saw in Brinley because I saw it too. She wears her heart on her sleeve and gives her heart freely. I know she isn’t innocent, but she’s innocent on how things work.

“I haven’t told her, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“You need to,this could end badly.” She places her hand on my chin, “and she is good for you.”

“I know.” Scrubbing a hand down my face, I contemplate everything going on in my life right now. Telling Brin could mean she walks away from me. I know her heart is not just mine, and while I’m okay with that, I also don’t want to be removed from her. “I’m not the only one after her.”

“Then you need to make this right before you lose in this race.” Abuela stands and walks away, leaving me in the office alone.

I know I need to make it right; I just want to do it on my own terms, and when I feel like I can protect her more. I have learned that Vince has it out for her and from what I learned, he has plans for her.

Needing more answers, I get a car and start driving closer to the tracks. I have learned through my own investigation that Brinley Venice was a high school student in South Warren and won the scholarship to Skystead Prep.

I make my way to the address that popped up in my email earlier today. I want to see where Brinley lived, how she lived. As I get closer, my heart actually sinks for her. I was never as rich as someone from North Warren, but this is something I haven’t ever had to endure.

I pull up and the front of the trailer looks like it is falling apart. The roof looks like it is falling in, and it is chipping in places that shouldn’t. I park my car and get out. The smell coming from the trailer makes my nose burn.

Has she lived with this her entire day?

I step closer, my shoes hitting garbage that has been left out and see that the front door is slightly cracked. I knock and step back and wait. I don’t really know what I am doing here and it is almost stupid to be out here in Vince’s territory with no guards, but I have the need to know more about Brinley.

No one comes to the door so I knock again. After a few minutes, I walk in. The trailer is disgusting. There is shit everywhere. The fading, stained blue couch and the pile of dishes in the sink just give it that extra trashy look.

There is no warmth here. I turn to the left and head down the hallway. I see a bathroom which looks clean and the smell of something amazing clues me in that I am in front of Brinley’s room.

I open the door and step in. She has a bed with just a small frame, but it looks comfy and well loved. A hunter green comforter is covering the bed. She has some small used looking pillows, but they are clean and they match her comforter.

There is not much in her room besides lotions and a small perfume bottle, but there is a picture of her and a guy. I step closer, picking up the frame, and see that it is the guy from the school who told me to stay away from her.

Their arms are wrapped around one another and the look of happiness on their faces speaks of love. They look like they don’t even know how the other feels but are content to just be. It makes more sense now. I turn to the broken dresser and look through her clothing.

She doesn’t have much here, but mostly clubbing outfits. My girl likes to dance. I run my hands over her clothes, smiling when a creak in the floor has me spinning around.

“Beth, woman, you fucking here?” A gruff voice is calling through the trailer and I make sure to keep myself silent. It’s not that I’m scared. This gives me an opportunity to learn more. “Fucking hell, woman, answer me. I want to fuck, and that dumb ass kid of mine hasn’t been home since he went to that fucking fancy school.”

I hear boots now, but they are going the opposite way which is most likely where the master bedroom is. He said his kid went to the fancy school, so putting the pieces together, I assume this is that kid’s dad and I decide to step into the hallway and make my way outside so it doesn’t look like I was there.

---