The moment she’d left the dining room, I’d removed myself from my father’s smug glare and managed to hold it together the entire three minutes it took to walk down the corridor, putting enough distance between me and the people who couldn’t see me break.
I’d managed to keep walking until there was no one to see me, but thenmy self-control snapped. My legs had propelled into a run. I’d fucking sprinted to the bachelor wing while every step twisted my ice into daggers, making me bleed, making me care.
I hadn’t stopped until I’d slammed my hands on the windowsill and looked through the wavy centuries-old glass at the procession below.
My heart lurched as a man in a suit closed the car door, barricading me from her forever. There were no flashing lights, no decals warning criminals who they were.
These policemen had come to steal what was mine with stealth. They knew they’d trespassed and broke treaties far older than their years with the force. My family had immunity, yet I’d underestimated Vaughn.
He hadn’t turned to the law to help. He hadn’t even enlisted mercenaries or other stupid ways that Weavers had done in the past. No, he’d been smart. Bloody bastard. He’d used social media to rally a public force. Even with our wealth and influence, we couldn’t fight against the outcry of millions of people.
Fuck Vaughn.
Fuck his tampering.
My fists curled on the windowsill as the policeman tapped the side of the vehicle as if he’d fucking won. Him. Them.The Weavers.
They’d won.
She’s ruined me.
Destroyed me.
I glared at the car, willing Nila to look up. But she didn’t. Her silhouette, staring resolutely ahead, was obscured by tinted windows.
She’d obeyed me and left the dining room.
She didn’t look back.
Now, I would’ve given anything for her to look back. To change her mind.
A terrible churning began inside.
Everything that I’d swallowed and kept deep, deep down flew to the surface. It grew and grew stronger, harder,faster.
My fingers dug like swords into the soft wood.
Even though I wanted to kill the police with my bare hands, I managed to stay in my wing as the engines of the three cars rumbled into gear. They pulled away from the house. The noise of their tyres on gravel didn’t reach my window, but I had no trouble conjuring the sound.
It sounded like glass being crushed beneath grinding stone. It sounded exactly like what was happening inside me: every organ shattering into hell.
I held it together just long enough for the convoy to disappear over the ridge, slithering like a poisonous snake, taking what was mine.
Come back.
Never come back.
I should’ve known this would happen.
I was always destined to this fate.
It was inevitable.
In a way, I was grateful to Vaughn. He’d rescued her when I didn’t have the fucking balls. He’d taken back his sister because he loved her enough tofightfor her. She was better off with him, away from me and my fucked-up family.
The last of the convoy disappeared.
With a bone-deep sigh, I gave up. I let the glass inside me splinter anddetonate. I permitted myself to do what I could never do. I let down my walls. My many, many walls.
