“The hell it isn’t,” she hisses. “You know how she is when you ruin her mood.”
Yes, unfortunately, I do.
“I don’t give a fuck,” I say, rising from my seat. “Let her night be ruined. She deserves it.”
Vanessa rises with me, following at my tail.
“Ugh, you’re such a baby,” she grumbles. “What, you want her to kiss you on the forehead and say good job?”
I ignore her, but she takes after her mother.
“When are you going to get over it?” she continues. “You think you’re the only person who’s sick of this family?”
Vanessa’s voice rises, and I pause midstep, spinning to face her.
“You’re not the one she insists on parading around like a fucking animal,” I snap.
“Yeah, and you’re not the one she harasses every day.”
“Thank fate for that. I wouldn’t mind if I never saw her face again.”
Vanessa flinches.
“Gods, you want to be rid of us so badly? Maybe we should cut your bonds,” she snaps. “See how you do when you’re not a Cross anymore.”
The thought sends a cold shiver down my back, and I recoil.
I might hate this family and the curse it carries, but not enough to sever myself. Not at the cost of losing Dame and Kitty. Not at the cost of being alone.
Before I can say anything, my phone vibrates in my pocket, and my heartbeat quickens as the caller ID flashes PRINCESS in all caps.
Vanessa’s brows lift as she reads the screen, and she folds her arms, daring me to answer.
But if she thinks this conversation is more important to me than Iris, she’d be mistaken.
I let the phone ring longer than I’d like as I wait for V to dismiss herself, and when she does, it is not without her usual theatrics.
“Fuck you, Elliot!” she yells just as I click answer.
I cringe and try to cover the speaker, but there’s no missing that.
“Oh, uhh,” Iris stammers before I can say anything. “I didn’t-I didn’t mean to?—”
She starts to ramble in a way I haven’t heard before. And I can’t help but interrupt as my own thoughts get the best of me.
“Is everything alright?” I ask, dampener already tight.
“Yeah, you know what, it’s fine. I’m fine.” She reassures me. “Never mind.”
I groan into the speaker.
I’m starting to hate those two words.
“You know, Ashbourne, the more you say that, the less I believe you. So why don’t we skip this part and you just tell me what you need?”
She’s quiet for a moment as she considers lying to me again, but she ultimately sides against it as she sighs.
“I’m just…a little hungry.”
