I know we never got to finish our conversation, but I’ve made it clear what I want.
You.
Now and forever.
For I love you with every inch of my beating heart. I always have. I always will.
There will only ever be you for me, princess. You’re my ride or die, the other half of my soul, and the girl I will someday make my wife.
We swore that this would last past our dying breaths, until we inevitably find each other in the next lifetime.
Let us uphold that promise.
Don’t make me live without you anymore,mo chuisle.
Tomorrow, when I see you at the gala, I’ll be expecting your answer.
I hope you want me, need me, love me, as much as I do you.
Forever yours,
Princepin
C H A P T E R2 8
Revenge à la Remington
Cade
The Present
“Are you going back to j-jail?”
I paused in the middle of brushing Olivia’s hair, glancing at her expression in the mirror of her baby pink vanity. It was crumpled and sad, her shoulders drooping.
“No, Livvy. I’m not going back to jail.”
“Good.” Her chin wobbled, but she gave me a smile. “I was s-scared, Cadie.”
Olivia was an eavesdropper, tiny and able to hide in places where the adults couldn’t find her. This morning, she hid under Uncle Vance’s office desk and overheard him and Aunt Julia discussing my predicament. Apparently, kids gossiped because somehow Olivia knew jail was a bad place. She burst into tears and begged them to save me. They had to reassure her that I was back and safely sleeping in my room to get her to stop crying.
“I didn’t mean to worry you.” I pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’m sorry.”
“I forgives you.”
I smiled. “Forgive. And thank you. I’ll make it up to you. Next week we’ll watch a movie and I’ll take you to your favourite ice cream parlour. Deal?”
“And Joshy, too?”
“Yes. Joshy, too.”
She gave me a toothy grin in the mirror. “Deal.”
In general, Olivia wasn’t much of a talker, unless she was conversing with me. Her lack of speech raised Uncle Vance’s and Aunt Julia’s concerns, and led them to consult a child psychologist three years ago. They thought Olivia had trauma from having her status quo shifted. But her behaviour was deemed normal. She was just shy by nature.
There was also the fact that Olivia saw me as her guardian. I wasn’t just her cousin or adoptive brother. In her eyes, I was her mother and father figure as well. As long as I was there, her surroundings didn’t matter. Despite being mostly dependent on me, Olivia adjusted a lot better than I expected since the adoption. She’d come to accept Aunt Julia, Uncle Vance, and Josh as her family too. They spoiled and treated her like their own.
Every day I was grateful for them.
