Her friend is of course a Lady. My mother wouldn’t associate with anyone outside of our world. She was raised that the Lords are everything. Royalty only sits with royalty—her words.
“Yes, but I wasn’t aware it involved a Spade brother.”
“How are the sessions going?” my mother asks, and I look at her friend, not sure I should answer.
So I shrug and say, “Good.” It’s a fucking lie.
I’ve fucked up what little chance I ever had. The Lords sent me on a wild goose chase. I think it’s their way of knowing I’ll never be enough for the life I’m supposed to have. You have to be born into this world, but they’re going to see if you’re worthy.
“Sessions?” her friend inquires. “What exactly do you mean bysessions?”
“Oh, Annabelle is his therapist.” She does air quotes at therapist and her friend laughs.
Pretty much what I thought when I read the email.
“I mean, I see how the Lords would use you for that position.” Anne’s blue eyes look me up and down in thought. “Men are weak when it comes to pussy.”
I choke on my own saliva at her choice of words. “Oh, no. We’re not?—”
“Fucking?” She chuckles. Her red-painted lips turn up into a smile. “I promise you, honey. He’s thought about it.”
My cheeks flush because of what he did to me today and what I can only guess is to come.
“Well, that won’t be happening,” my mother says tightly.
I’m to remain a virgin. She sold my virginity a long time ago to the man she wants me to marry. I don’t know who that is, but she'll let me know when the time is right. Again, her words.
“Don’t ever underestimate a Lord,” her friend says in a tone that has a chill running up my spine. Her eyes search mine from across the table, and the smile that tugs at her lips makes me think she already knows what I’ve allowed Haidyn to do to me. “Plus,” she adds, “those Spade brothers have been through a lot.”
I frown. “How do you know?” Placing my elbows on the table, I lean forward. Not many know that Carnage exists, let alone what happens inside Carnage because those who are placed inside never get out.
“My ex,” she answers, and I can’t tell if she’s lying or not. “He knew quite a bit about them.”
“What could he possibly have known?” My mother rolls her eyes while taking a sip of her water.
“What did they go through?” I inquire, fully invested in this conversation now. If I can learn more about them, then maybe I can get leverage over Haidyn.
“They say that Haidyn killed their fathers,” Anne answers, and I watch my mom stiffen like she knows something about that too.
“Why would he do that? To take over Carnage?” I ask.
“No.” Anne shakes her head. “They were going to inherit it no matter what. The rumor is that he killed them for Ashtyn.”
“Why would he kill them for her?” After I got the assignment, I did a deep dive into the Spade brothers. There wasn’t a lot of information out there. The Lords, in general, are very secretive, but I was able to find old social media pages of Ashtyn and some of her friends.
I found that Ashtyn was Saint’s chosen before she was assumed dead. The fact that I just saw her the other day atCarnage tells me that is not the case. It makes me wonder if the Spade brothers started that story to hide her from the world.
Anne’s eyes meet mine when she answers. “Because Haidyn loves her.”
My mother snorts. “The Lords don’t love anyone.”
“Not most, but some are weak,” her friend argues, keeping her eyes on me.
“Saint was Ashtyn’s Lord,” I state the obvious.
“True, but she was assigned as Haidyn’s chosen. He was supposed to marry her.”
“A Lady and a chosen are two very different things.” So that’s interesting that she was supposed to be both for him.
