“Don’t touch me. Get away from me. She’s gone because of you. She didn’t deserve this,” I bellow.
“In time, you will see this will only make you stronger.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? Get out. Get the fuck out.”
“Rico,” he says firmly.
“What? I’ve done everything you have wanted from me since I was a little boy. For the first time, I had someone who made me happy.
“Something you didn’t have a hand in. Now she’s gone because of your bullshit. What is there left to say?
“I’m happy Emilia is alive, but I just lost everything. Is that what you want to hear from me? You didn’t want me to have a weakness … now I have none.”
“Rico, I want to be here for you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I just died with her. You will have your heartless soldier. Congratulations.”
“This is fresh. Take some time. I will return later.”
“Don’t bother.”
He frowns and leaves the room. When he’s gone, I sink down in the bed and cover my face with my arms as I sob like a baby. I’ve never cried like this in my life.
I can’t believe she’s gone. I wanted so much more for her. This is all my fault.
“I’m so sorry, baby. I’m sorry. I was supposed to protect you. I’m sorry,” I sob.
CHAPTER 25
Royal Screwup
Mason
“You find Oni yet?”my older brother asks as we sit waiting for my da to arrive for this meeting.
Something big is happening. I can feel it in my bones. Da never calls us in like this, not suddenly out of the blue.
I turn to Lorcan and glare. He wants Oni for himself. I’ve known this for a while.
If only he knew he stands less of a chance than I do. She will never be his. She’s too smart for him.
Besides, she would never put up with his shit—the partying, the other girls, the drugs, the abuse. Oh yeah, I know about the abuse. The girls he beats black and blue for not doing what he wants.
My older brother is a spoiled child. The reason I know I will end up running the family, not him. Oni wouldn’t tolerate his shit for two minutes.
Yet he’s always worried about her whereabouts, like she’s some property of his. I’m sort of glad she’s gone. Maybe she’ll stay away long enough for him to move on and forget about her.
“No, I haven’t found her,” I grumble.
“I might just have to step in and find her myself. Some best friend you are. Just tell the truth, you fucked up, and she ran off because of you, didn’t she?” he taunts.
“Fuck you,” I growl.
I don’t want to tell him I think he’s right. This is all my fault, and I know it deep down inside. Oni is out there somewhere. I don’t know where and it’s all my fault.
However, before I can open my mouth to retort, the door bursts open and my father storms in with a beet-red face. He marches over to Lorcan and knocks his feet from the table where he had them kicked up and crossed at the ankles like he owns the place. In the next breath, Da is roaring at the top of his lungs at Lorcan.
“What kind of moron are you? What don’t you understand about discretion? What the fuck did you just do?”
