“Remi!!!” I chastise, racing over to pick her up, but Aidan raises a hand, stopping me.
“It’s fine,” he says, before pointing to an area she’s missed. “I think we need some more green over here, Rem.”
I shoot Rory a look, who’s got her hand clasped over her mouth looking like she’s trying not to die from keeping the laughter in.
She’s great. I spend a lot of time with Rory. We have a lot in common; she’s a figure skater and has certainly spent a fair bit of time in a dance studio. We bond over relentless practice schedules, and overly-critical instructors—and complicated O’Rourke men.
But nothing can make me forget that I’m in Koen’s world now, underhisroof and athismercy. Even if everyone else is kind, Koen’s shadow is never far off. Like a guillotine blade hanging over my head, the torture of it is far worse than anything he could’ve concocted back in that grimy little room.
By the end of the second day, the lake house had… against my will… grown more comfortable, familiar, and dare I say, evensafe.
That is… untilhewalks into it.
Aidan, Liam, and Rory have just disappeared upstairs. They’re leaving early in the morning for a Breakers game tomorrow afternoon. It’s a long drive, but Rory promises me they’ll be back tomorrow night.
I’m sitting in the large plush armchair by the fire, hands curled around a mug of hot chocolate. Remi is at my feet, wholly consumed by the last game of checkers she has going with Alexon the rug. She’s dragging it out with the threat of bedtime hanging over her.
The front door opens, and suddenlyhe’s there. Koen’s cold eyes scan the room as he moves through it, bringing the frost in with him from outside. His dark eyes fall on me, and I hold my breath, while they linger for the briefest of seconds before he looks away. There’s no anger, no rage; there’s just—nothing.
Koen continues walking through the main floor and up the stairs, as ifI don’t even exist.
I stare after him.
Alex is quiet, and I feel his eyes on me.
I’ve been sitting here, waiting for Koen’s anger, preparing for it, but this—his… indifference?The way he looked rightthroughme as if I didn’t even matter… barely a blip on his radar, ignoring me, ignoringRemi?
It was my worst fear come to life.
75
BEG FOR ME
BRIAR
Koen’s goneby the time we wake up.
Remi and I stop by the kitchen for breakfast. I’m tense, rounding the corner like I’m walking to my execution, expecting to find him standing there.
But the kitchen is empty, except for Alex. He’s leaning over the counter, eating a bowl of cereal, eyes on his phone.
I ask him, because I have to know…
“He left early this morning.”
Oh.
My face falls, and Alex’s jaw ticks at the sight. I recover quickly, forcing a smile on my face when I offer Remi options for breakfast: frozen waffles or cereal?
The disappointment is crushing, because as scary as Koen is, and the threat of what he could do to me if he so decides… I’d take it. I’d take his anger—his malice, his fury—over hissilence.
The day ticks slowly by, and I feel myself slipping away. The flicker of hope that Koen might care about the fact that he has a daughter is slowly suffocating, and my worry over what’s to come of us is taking over.
It’s late. Remi’s long since fallen asleep beside me. I stare out the glass doors across the frozen lake outside. The moon isfull tonight, and the silvery glow reflecting off the shiny surface lights up the darkness.
The showcase was tonight.
I missed it.
