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"How do you not see that’s exactly what you’re doing? Anyone from a million miles away could see that Drew’s life is a fucking mess. Then you come along and put yourself right in the middle of all of it. It’s only a matter of time before everything implodes. He's going down hard, and if you aren’t careful, he'll take you down with him."
I lean my head back and rest it against the wood.
Even with my indifference toward Drew lingering at the back of my mind, I’m reminded that he’s also a victim of his father’s wrongdoings. He’s been abused both physically and mentally, and if one thing in life is true, it's that hurt people always find a way of hurting those they care about.
Still, that doesn’t make what happened okay, and it doesn’t mean I should allow him back into my life. The ball is in my court now, and I have to decide whether I'm capable of accepting him for who he is, the good and the bad, and forgiving him. The old me never stood a chance against Drew, but the new me... She’s fierce and burning with determination for revenge.
This cruel world ripped my petals off, but I’m resilient, and I’m strong enough to stand up to him now. I’m blooming into something deadly, something beautiful. No matter the obstacles, Drew and I will never be able to move forward together if he wants me to remain below him. Queens stand at their king’s side, and I won’t be anything less than that.
"I’m sorry, okay? This isn’t as easy for me to do. I can’t just turn my emotions off. When you fall in l… " I want to punch myself in the face for almost admitting that out loud. Have I fallen in love with Drew? Yes, and I didn’t find it possible to forget those feelings. They were simply buried beneath everything else, but they were still there.
"Drew is very charismatic when he wants to be. You aren’t the first person to fall for him, and you won’t be the last. Things take a dark turn when that charm doesn’t work anymore. You’re only as useful as your purpose, and you saw what happens when your usefulness runs out. I don’t want that to happen to you again. I don’t want anyone to think they can fuck with you. I need you to be careful and smart. Oh, and I need you to pick out a dress from the stack I’m having delivered. There’s a meeting that we need to attend together soon.”
My curiosity has piqued, and I’m thankful for a topic change. Talking about falling in love with someone with your brother isn’t exactly high on my bucket list.
"A meeting? What kind of meeting?"
"The business type. You're a member of the Arturo family. I know all of this is new and overwhelming, and while I’ve done my best to take all the pressure off you and keep you in the shadows, you'll need to know about the family businesses and affairs from time to time. I don’t want to keep you completely out of the loop. This namesake is as much yours as it is mine.”
Oh. Oh shit. Since I'd moved in, he's been very careful to keep me away from it all. To maintain enough distance from what he's working on and my existence. I’m not surprised to be having this conversation. I knew we would get to this point eventually.
"Okay, so pick a dress out. Is there anything I need to know to prepare for this meeting?" I try not to appear nervous, but inside, my anxiety is already gnawing at me.
A small chuckle escapes his lips, and that seems to ease some of my tension. "Do you have to be such a nerd? There’s no homework assignment, Bel. I'll walk you through anything you might need to know. We’re in this together."
His phone pings loudly from the other side of the desk, and he snatches it up like it owes him money. I watch as his features pinch together, and his brows turn down as he stares at the screen like he’s trying to solve a puzzle.
“Is everything okay?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” he questions without looking up from the screen.
I bite my tongue, wanting to point out how both confused and concerned he appears, but I don’t get the chance as his phone rings. He turns away from me, bringing it to his ear and answering it. He speaks in a hushed voice and gives me a small wave before walking through the side door.
Uhhh, okay?
"Perfect," I mutter and stand to go out the opposite door and back to my suite. “It’s not like we were having a conversation or anything," I say to myself while walking down the long maze of a hall.
I pause at the entrance of my bedroom. I don’t want to keep locking myself in that room. I wasn’t lying when I told him I didn’t exchange one prison for another. I chew on my bottom lip, considering my options.
Despite Sebastian’s opinion and feelings toward Drew, he can't answer my questions. And I hope, by now, I’m capable of seeing through Drew’s bullshit games. If anything he’s said in those texts and at the library is true, then he won’t lead me along with some lie. I’m not dumb enough to think he won’t try, though. I know there are no guarantees with him. Up one minute, down the next. There's no way I can predict his next move.
I tug my phone out of my pocket and scroll to my text message thread with him. I deleted our old chain, as too many memories were attached to it. It feels like a complete contradiction for me to push him away but then go out of my way to meet up with him. This isn’t for anything but answers.
I'm already regretting every swipe of my fingers as I type out the text. There's a long fall-down-a-hole-drop as I hover my fingers over the send button. I don’t know if I can do this. If I can handle seeing him again so soon.
You’re stronger than you think.
And before I can chicken out, I hit send and wait.
It only takes a few seconds for the dots to show up on the screen and his response to come through.
Me: Meet me tonight, the cabin on The Mill property. I want you to tell me the truth.
Psycho: What time?
I swallow, my stomach churning with anxiety.
Me: 9 p.m.
