Of what, I don’t know, but it doesn’t matter. From my upbringing under a drug lord, I’ve seen many addicts. Seen what they’re capable of. What they say and what they do. The thought of this sweet, kind Alfie being one of them is more than unnerving. But I lock that information into a tight box deep within the darkness. He would never hurt me.
Caden comes into my room – his room – early this morning, while the sun still has that gentle caress on the eyes, breaking my trance. I know it’s him before I even sit up and look over the top of the bed from the floor.
Alfie always announces himself before he’s even stepped over the threshold, Fiz hasn’t come back in here since that God-awful first encounter with him, where he gawked up at me from between my legs and acted like he was the sweetest angel in the world. I feel he’s just biding his time.
But Caden remains silent. He just fills the room with his stuffy, suffocating presence whenever he walks into it. Out of spite, I don’t sit up so he’s forced to speak and announce himself.
It starts with an awkward clearing of his throat. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” I mutter.
His footsteps start again and he rounds the bed, coming to stand over me as I remain lying on his floor. “It’s an important day today.” He rakes his fingers through his frazzled black hair. “So, I need you to be… cooperative.”
Is he… nervous? Should I be nervous? “What’s going on today?”
His prominent Adam’s apple bobs, and he looks off to the side, out the window. “It’s an engagement party… of sorts.”
Engagement party? “Who’s getting married?”
Caden fires me a sharpAre you serious?glare.
Oh whoops.
That’d be us two.
“Right, my bad.”
I’d laugh at my disassociation from my reality if I wasn’t too busy trying not to freak the hell out at this new bombshell. Right, sure, no one knows about the bet. To everyone else, we’re getting married and driving off into the sunset together. Shit.
My chest suddenly feels tight at the rush of questions swarming my brain. “Who’s going to be there?”
He brings his gaze back to mine, locking me with those mossy eyes. “Everyone.”
That’s so vague and so detailed at the same time it makes my head spin. “My father?” He nods. “Your father?” He nods again.
Shit. I haven’t even met my future father-in-law yet. And I don’t want to begin to contemplate having to see my own father again. I was hoping to be rid of that bastard.
I finally sit up and scoot back so I can rest my back on his bedside table, shoulders slumped forward. I’ve just woke up and I’m already exhausted.
Does everyone mean everyone in our little world? Will theothersbe there?
You know they will be, the darkness whispers.
Wringing my fingers in my lap, I whisper, “Do I have to go?”
He sighs quietly, as if he’s already sick of my whining. “Yes, Elodie, you have to go. Being half of the engagement parties, and all.”
I squeeze my eyes shut as every nerve spikes to high alert. My whole body is tingling with anxiety. “I don’t do well at those sorts of things.” I don’t know why I’m confessing a weakness to him so willingly, as if there’s any chance he’d have a lick of sympathy for me.
Caden sighs again, and to my surprise, he crouches down to get more level with me. The notion makes my eyes drift up to meet his once again.
I’m not sure what’s swimming there in the marshes as he stares, but if I were a dumber person, I’d say there’s a subtle hint of sympathy… or understanding of some sort.
“Me too,” he says quietly, and it feels like he’s just as nervous confessing a weakness as I am. “But it’ll only be a couple hours, then we can both come back and resume this tiresome game of resistance you insist on playing.”
A smile tugs at the corners of my lips. Is he placating me? Is he actually trying to settle my nerves?
I pull in a deep breath, shoving down the growing angst. I will not be weak in front of him. I’ve shown so much just now, that’s as far as it goes. If that means suffering through what could possibly be the second worst night of my life just to prove I’m stronger than he thinks I am, so be it.
