Still by my door, I watch him to make sure he leaves. He tosses the bouquet into the backseat before moving to the driver’s door.
“Cole,” I call out and his head juts up. “Fuck you.”
31Niyi
“Did you find them yet?” I burst into theCupid’s Bowconference room, expecting to find Merc and Vee, but there’s a third person. The last person I expected to see—my dad.
“Why is he here?” I ask. Merc was supposed to find someone willing to take over the Saturn mantle, not bring my father to headquarters.
“Saturn,” my dad says with his gruff voice. It’s the first time I’ve heard it since the transfer ceremony.
The formality I grew up with threatens to come back, but I discard it. This isn’t the time. Especially not for the man who might’ve ruined my life with this role.
“It’s Niyi,” I correct.
Dad raises his brows and erupts in a slow clap. I look behind him at Merc and Vee, who are also confused. “You’re Saturn. I’m proud, my son.”
Proud? He’s proud.
I’ve wanted his pride and validation my entire life, especially after Mom passed. Even when I disliked him. Even when we didn’t talk. Even as I moped about joiningCupid’s Bow. Deep down, I wanted his praise. Aside from being the only one for the job, it’s part of why I stayed. But to hear it now feels hollow.
“I’m not.” I clench my jaw. Here goes nothing. “I am the worst Saturn there will ever be. It took me almost two years to unlock The Sight.”
“It takes everyone different amounts of time,” Dad scoffs. “Like Saturn, low and slow. You’re a natural. Don’t throw it away because things have been a little hard.”
“I’ve been faking it the whole time. It wasn’t that reading the charts was taking me time. I developed an algorithm,” I reveal, but no one looks shocked.
Vee speaks up. “We knew from the beginning. Sorry, Niyi.”
“What?”
“We knew you were out of practice, living away from the family and all, so we double-checked your work,” Merc explains.
“And your pairings were basic,” Vee deadpans.
All this time…they knew. They saw I was anxious and trying my hardest to keep up and they didn’t cut me any slack.
“You were trying so hard. We didn’t want to embarrass you,” Vee says.
Wow.
“So why show me the complaint?”
“You were wasting away. The Sight is activated by action, so to give you someth—” Vee begins.
My dad cuts her off. “They informed me about your progress and asked for my advice.” I shoot Vee and Merc death glares. “You are my son. I knew you needed motivation, so I asked them to find something in the complaints. We always get highly emotional complaints.”
My head throbs.
I look to Vee and Merc. “So, your argument that day…the thing about the board?”
“Not entirely true.” Vee winces. “The Board has been stricter since Uncle left, but we negotiated other things. All our new charity and community endeavors. One complaint wasn’t going to make or break things, but we thought we were doing what was best for you and the family. Again, sorry, Niyi.”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. All this work was to make sure I wouldn’t let them down. I didn’t want to be the shit Saturn for the perfect Mercury and Venus, but it didn’t even matter.
My dad clears his throat. “And it was the best thing. We have a Saturnagain. You unlocked The Sight, and that’s what matters. You’re doing well, my son. Don’t give it up because of a woman.”
The venom with which he speaks pisses me off.
