Unlike Caden, he’s deeply tanned, as if he spends all summer in the Bahamas, or somewhere else ridiculously hot and expensive.
He wears a suit that probably cost a small fortune, fitted around his bulging muscles. He’s got Alfie’s build more than his own son’s. Caden must have taken more of his mother’s genes. How did she die?
Shaking off my spiralling thoughts and plastering a smile on my heated face, I come up to Caden’s side, preparing to meet the man who raised a monster.
The girl takes me in and has a less-than-enthusiastic look on her face. Am I competition for her? It does seem like she’s more interested in Caden than his father with the way she stares at him in awe.
Caden holds out his hand to me, so I take it while staring right at the brunette’s face, which, to my delight, turns a little bleak at the sight of our hands connecting.
“Elodie,” Caden says, “this is my father, Russell.”
Uncomfortably, I fix my eyes on his ominously dark ones and hold out my free hand to this intimidating man. “Nice to meet you, Mr Blackwood.”
Russell chuckles and takes my hand in his, but lifts it to place a soft, chivalrous kiss on the back. “Pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Valor, but please, call me Russell.”
His cheerful tone and gentlemanly manner contradict his intimidating appearance.
The more I stare at him, the more he unnerves me. This is the man who overpowers and overrules and over-everythingthe man who does all that to me. His eyes might be a different colour, but they do have the superiority in them that matches his son’s. Like he’s looking down his nose at me without even trying to be belittling.
I realise I’m staring, Caden’s eyes are so wide beside his father they might just pop out of his skull. So I force myself to speak again. “Thank you, Russell. And thank you for organising all this, it’s lovely.” I gesture to the restaurant, although there’s been absolutely nothing done to make this any special engagement party. All the tables have just been shoved together to make three long tables that run the length of the building. No balloons, no banners. Nothing.
Caden’s eyes finally sink back behind his eyelids, clearly reassured that I’m not going to make this hard for him. Making it hard for him only makes it hard for myself.I’m not doing it for you.
Russell waves a hand. “It’s nothing. It’s always nice to get the family together.”
I glance around the room briefly. “Is this all family? All Blackwoods?” I ask, wondering how many of these whack jobs I’m supposedly going to be related to by law.
“Not at all,” Russell says, “there are some of us, but mostly friends, other business associates. But we’re all family.”
Of course, Russell Blackwood is rather famous in the normal world as well. The Blackwoods established themselves above ground too, I suppose to help disguise the horrors they commit below the surface.
He continues, “But I’m very excited to have the Valors unite with us and become part of it.”
I gulp down and keep the smile on my face. “Of course. I’m blessed with the opportunity.” Not so blessed at what I had to endure to get the opportunity.
He seems pleased with this and opens his mouth to say something else when his “flavour of the week” cuts in.
“Oh my,” she squeals, almost outraged. “Your hand!”
I fling my hand up in front of me, wondering what the hell she’s looking at.
“What?” Russell asks.
“It’s… bare!” she cries.
This bitch.
She turns to Caden. “Where’s the ring?! Where’s the symbol of promise, commitment,love?!”
Thisfuckingbitch.
Caden maintains his phlegmatic composure. “I haven’t found the perfect one yet. The perfect woman deserves the perfect ring.”
Alright, that’s laying it on a bit thick. But still, the irritated purse of the girl’s lips makes it worth the internal cringe.
“We’re in no rush,” I add in, noticing Russell’s raised eyebrows. “We have the rest of our lives together. I don’t care for such material things, anyway.”
Russell scoffs. “No, I don’t suppose you do, being used to destitution before we came along.”
