Retribution.
You play with fire,Kenny, and you’re going to get burnt, I thought as the sound of my chair squeaking across the linoleum silenced the room.
I was on him before the teacher even turned around, my fist reminding him three times why she was off fucking limits to him and everyone else.
“If I hear you even say her name again, you fucking die,” I spat, before collecting my bag and heading down to the office, the protruding bone of my wrist informing me this was going to piss my folks off more than the other times.
“Coop?” Seb huffed as he jogged towards me, noticing the hand I was looking at. “Oh, shit, bro,” he patted my back. In solidarity, appreciation or both, I didn’t know but he didn’t leave my side until the principal sent him back to class. Conveniently just before my dad waltzed in with a look which told me a broken bone was the least of my worries.
It was with a relieved sigh that I turned just as Evangeline stepped onto the back deck. Her arrival was quiet, my parents none the wiser as they rambled on about some mundane dinner they attended, but I felt her approach. Her footsteps had become a kind of language, the soft patter as she padded out to the kitchen in the morning something I was quickly becoming used to. So, I knew she was close before I turned and noticed her freshly wet hair from the shower she absolutely had to have. Washing work from her pores was her feeble excuse, but needing time to prepare herself was likely more accurate.
If she was surprised that they were early, she didn’t allow it to show as she padded towards me, the afternoon light outlining her in gold.
“Hey,” I said softly, and my accompanying smile was the real kind, the one I didn’t waste on anyone else other thanher.You good? It asked as I fought back to urge to reach for her and pull her into me.
Understanding my unspoken question, she gave the smallest nod, all while carrying the familiar polished Micallef mask. Despite the slight upturn of her mouth, her game face was on, and I knew better than to expect anything she didn’t want to give.
A glance at her hand told me she’d found the ring I’d left out for her. A ring I hoped she wouldn’t ask about and would just assume I’d had lying around. I wasn’t about to admit I’d had it designed the day she moved in, knowing an emerald would be the perfect stone as it was her favourite colour. Or that I’d used one of her other rings to match the sizing. Both things made me sound fucking unhinged.
But seeing it there, vibrant against her soft olive skin - it looked too damn perfect. Like it belonged to her hand. Like she belonged to me.
Strategically giving my parents my back, I shot her a wink before reaching for her fingers. Ignoring the quiet calm that settled under my skin at her touch, I draped our connected hands around her shoulders and pulled her into me.
“You guys remember, Evangeline? Evy this is my mum, Portia, and my dad, Preston. And this is Eva, my fiancée.” I emphasised the word fiancée, daring them to challenge me.
“Evangeline,” Mum cooed, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek. “You’re as beautiful as I remember.” Her pinched smile made my teeth itch, and I pulled Eva closer so it was clear where my loyalties stood. My parents were a formidable duo and while I knew their games, their rules, and every dirty tactic they thought I’d miss, there wasn’t a chance in Hell I’d allow them to play with Eva.
“Thanks,” Eva nestled in, grinning like she was happy to be here, her eyes locked on my parents. To someone who didn’t know her as well as I did, she would appear perfectly at ease. Thefaint pinch of her brows, the tension in her grip and the slight edge in her voice told a different story though. She was masking.
“It’s lovely to see you, Preston. Coop has told me wonderful things about you.” Her eyes beamed behind those adorable glasses as she shot me a warm smile, my own mask momentarily slipping as a smile of my own rose to meet hers.
Unthinkingly, I reached up and tucked a stray curl behind her ear, my fingers trailing down the strand of hair. In this light, her espresso-dark eyes shimmered with a faint golden ring and for once my mother was right, Evy was beautiful. I suddenly wondered what that mouth would be like against my own, thoughts of tasting her blinding me.
A short huff of false mirth from my father stole my attention as he puffed out his chest, his voice dropping a register as though that somehow made him more important. “I doubt that young lady, but I appreciate it all the same,” he said with a laugh, and Mum joined in with a stiff chuckle.
Each time either of their eyes flickered towards the ring, I felt a pang of smugness knowing the inner battle it was taking not to berate me for my seemingly hasty engagement. Behind closed doors, they were assassins, their tirades and cutting behaviour reserved solely for me, while in public they wore the mask of devoted, doting parents and neither would risk Evangeline seeing their true colours. Appearances mattered in the elitist world of the Danes.
“I’ll grab us abeverage,” Eva enunciated, her brows lifting to deliver the unspoken punchline. “Did either of you need a refill?” The question was intentional, calling out their rudeness although, ever the picture of innocence, she waited patiently for their response.
“Oh, we weren’t sure if you’d been kidnapped, so we sorted our own drinks,” Ma sing-songed, saran wrapping her insult with a brittle laugh. Eva gave my hand a quick squeeze - a reminder, and I relaxed my jaw and lowered my shoulders. A normal visitwith them saw me edgy, but this was so much worse. I felt on guard the entire time, ready to defend myself and Evangeline.
“That’s okay, I’ll just grab ours. What would you like?” Hints of rain-kissed air permeated the verandah as she turned to me.
You… the answer flickered through my mind before vanishing just as quickly.
“You choose for me, baby,” I answered.
Her eyes narrowed slightly before she nodded. “Sure thing.”
The graceful movements of her lithe silhouette as she retreated inside further highlighted how the years had rolled in her favour, and I bit back a smile at how annoyed she would be if she turned and caught me staring - especially after using a pet name. I wasn’t even sure where it came from, but I enjoyed the shock it brought her because she always seemed to know what I was thinking otherwise.
“She seems lovely,” Mum said with false sincerity the second Eva descended inside.
“I’m surprised you weren’t interested in Samantha,” Dad interjected, and my gaze darted to meet his. “You know she’s only a closing argument away from making partner at her firm,” he added, as if that was the measuring stick for choosing a girlfriend.
“That’s great,” I gritted, not interested in having a domestic when Eva would return any second but feeling the fire spark to life in my gut.
“What your father means is, we just want you to be happy, darling. With someone more your type,” Mum affirmed and those hackles I pushed down, shook for release.
