An icy shock shoots up my spine. It’s not like he did much to ensure this partnership. It was all me. And Drago.
Does he think I’m indebted to him just because it’s his family we merged with?
Caden’s fingers squeeze gently around mine. Does he know me that well by now? I hold back the retort, instead responding with a slightly strained voice, “Yes, you really did save us.” The words are sour on my tongue, but it’s better than upsetting this guy upon our first meeting. He’s probably worse than Caden when he’s affronted.
“It’s a pity about your brother, Elodie,” Russell says, sorrow filling his deep voice, and the abrupt mention of Lewis curls around my chest like fingers to a throat. Squeezing and twisting until I’m sure I’ll choke. “Of course, we’ll always be connected from that day. Losing my son as well as you losing Lewis. What a terrible, devastating tragedy.” His eyes glaze over slightly, and I feel a twinge of sadness for him. And for Caden.
After all, as he said, we are connected in that way. Caden and I have never spoke about it. Well, Caden and I have never really spoke unless it’s been to argue.
“Yes,” I say, then clear my throat. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of Lewis.”
“Nor I with Max.” He looks off to the side, as if picturing his son in front of him now. He chuckles sadly. “What I wouldn’t give to see him again. My first-born, my heir.” Russell angles towards his son beside him. “He always said Caden was more suited to take over than he was… I guess now he got his wish.”
I peer up at Caden, whose face remains blank and unreadable, bar the tightening of his jaw. I give his fingers a gentle squeeze and look back at his father, unsure how to respond to that.
“Well,” Russell says, snapping out of that sombre tone and back to his upbeat one. “We have so much to talk about, I have to get to know everything about my new daughter-in-law to be! Weshall get together soon and get better acquainted.” He flashes me a grin.
I return it with one of my own. “I’d love that.” I’m suddenly hit with the possibility of having some sort of decent father figure in my life. He may be terrifying and intimidating, but… Maybe I could grow fond of him. The prospect has my strained grin widening into a genuine one.
He claps his hands together. “Fantastic. It was wonderful to meet you, Elodie, you really are simply stunning. A wonderful match for my boy. Keep him in line, will you? That is the responsibility of the women in the family, after all.”
I hold back the frown, feeling like I’m missing something there. “I don’t think any woman could keep this one in line, but I shall do my best.”
He laughs loudly. “It’s about time my son settled down and found a good woman. He’s too much like me in that respect.”
I glance over at his “flavour of the week,” whose pale cheeks go the colour of bright red traffic lights. I press my lips together hard to keep from snickering.
“Yes, wonderful,” Caden says brusquely, “thanks, Dad.”
“Well, I must mingle,” Russell says and sticks his hands in his pockets rather than taking his lady’s hand. “Please do enjoy the food and as much booze as you want. Make the most of it, I’d say. After The Cleanse I expect you two will be fucking like rabbits to give me a grandson.”
Caden visibly cringes next to his dad but immediately flashes a grin when he turns to him. “Thanks for that, Dad.” He claps the man on the shoulder. “Totally not inappropriate at all.”
Russell chuckles and for the first time, I see the Caden beneath the hardened, stoic veil. A normal twenty-five-year-old guy embarrassed by his parent. His dark, ominous presence floats away, and a light shines down on him, illuminating and softening those tight and tense features.
I’m momentarily blown away by the new image of him before me before Russell finally walks off and Caden’s usual icy glare returns.
He leads me back to the table and we flop down in our seats.
“One down, about four hundred and ninety-nine to go,” he mutters.
I huff a laugh. “If there were really that many, I think I’d pass out before the first hundred.”
His lips don’t so much as twitch. I don’t know why I bother engaging in conversation with this broody asshole. I thought we’d found some middle ground just then. Silly me for thinking the civility wasn’t actually fake.
Alfie’s hand comes onto my thigh from the other side and makes me start.God, I need to get a fucking grip.My nervous system can’t tell the difference between a gentle stroke and a fucking threat to my life right now.
He leans in and whispers, “How you doing, princess?”
I nod. “Totally fine. Not freaking out at all.”
He chuckles. “You’re doing great. Just breathe. And get drunk.” He pushes the flute of champagne in my direction.
As much as I’d love to numb my senses, quiet my raging brain, this is the last place I need to be intoxicated.
I smile and thank him, lifting the glass to my lips and taking the smallest sip possible.
I keep my head bowed and avoid all eye contact for quite a while. Everyone seems more interested in Caden and even the other two than in me. Seems the misogyny and patriarchy run as solid as I thought. I reckon I could have stayed home and no one would have noticed. I’m just the wife, right, just the oven for the buns, just the hole for the almighty cock. It doesn’t bother me, really, but it is a brutal reminder of how far below Caden I really am. I knew it anyway but this environment, watching everyone swoon over him and do everything apart from literallykiss his feet, it reiterates just how unequal we are. How tiny I am compared to him.
