"Don't forget to smile," Ferdinand says to me as we climb out of the car. I roll my eyes when he isn't looking.It isn't enough that I have to be here against my will? I'm reaching my limit. I don't know how long I can keep living like this, doing as he pleases. I'm an adult, yet I can't make my own choices. Every time I look at him, I feel disgusted. Whenever I remember what mom told me last night, I feel like killing him.I saw her earlier at the hospital. She's getting better, and the doctor said she would be discharged tomorrow morning, but I could tell that she didn't like hearing that at all. She doesn't want to leave. I can only imagine how hard all of this is for her, and she still had to pose as Ferdinand's wife the other night and I crucified her for it. She's been making sacrifices her entire life; she had to giver her newborn son away to keep him safe. If that isn't strength, I don't know what is.I'm worried about her, though. Her health is deteriorating, it has since Aar
It really is Devon.He's right where the waiter said he would be. It seems like he's going to be rescuing me from these 'events' often. It happened the last time, too. I wonder if he sensed that I needed to get away from that place and those uppity people. In any case, I'm so grateful that he's here. I'll even forget all about him not telling me the truth. I'm letting go of my anger towards him. It's in the past.He sees me approaching and says, "Get in the car. We'll talk once we're away from this place. There could be people watching."I don't give Ferdinand a second thought as I climb inside Devon's car. There's a terrible pain in my chest that won't go away. I can't stop imagining the two of them together in that dark corridor, lips locked. She was pressed against the wall, he was holding her arms. It leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.Devon speeds away from the parking lot. I breathe a lot easier now that I'm out of that restaurant. I think of my brief encounter with Ethan. He wa
Ethan shakes his head as he watches the spying cunt drive away with that fuck that hired her.She had him fooled for a minute—she's good at that—but this has shown him that she's an excellent actress. She looked hurt when he mentioned Damien and Kathy, and their son, but that must've been an act, because what is she doing with him? Maybe she never stopped spying. Maybe she's trying to find a way to get to Damien again. He needs to figure out if Damien's seeing her again. It's possible—his cousin transforms into an absolute dick when he's infatuated.He tosses the butt of his cigarette in the bushes. He's going back inside. He intends to find Damien and get the fuck away from this place. He doesn't give a fuck about Robert Dean, and he most certainly doesn't like being surrounded by hypocrites. That's what they all are—fucking hypocrites. They'd all kill each other, if the opportunity presented itself. This little gatherings serves to create the illusion that they're all united and on
I don't kiss him back at first.My lips just won't move. I'm so shocked that this is happening, that he's kissing me and holding me close. I break the kiss before he deepens it. "Devon, no."He holds me close, not letting me take a step back. "Why not? You want this. I can practically smell your need.""This isn't right," I say. I've known him for so long. He was Aaron's friend. This is wrong, so wrong. Yet, I don't say this with conviction, and I think he senses it. He always does."We're adults," is his response. "I want you, I'm not going to stand here and fucking lie through my teeth. What's the matter? Is it that Keller fuck?"I frown and immediately say, "No," even though it is. Of course it's him, and I hate that. He was kissing that woman, the supposed mother of his child. I feel used, and I don't want to feel that way. I can tell by Devon's heated kiss that he wants me, so why not? Why should Damien be the one to call the shots? Why should I suffer when he doesn't give a fuck
I open the door to my mother's room and I see Ferdinand standing beside her.Her eyes are wet with unshed tears, and she snaps her head in my direction sharply. His eyes are narrowed and his brows are furrowed. I pause at the door momentarily before closing the door. "What are you doing here?""You seem to like disobeying me," he says. "You get it from her."I look at my mother briefly. She's stiff, and her lips are pressed together. "What did he say to you? Did he threaten you?""I told you not to leave." He's standing upright, like a soldier. "You can't keep doing as you please. Do you really think I won't follow through with what I said?""You can't do anything to her, not in here." I say this, but I'm not so sure. I don't like the energy he's exuding. I look at my mother again, but she's not trying to communicate with me at all. What's going on here?"Don't be so sure." He reaches inside his blazer and retrieves a shiny revolver. My heart sinks. He presses it to my mother's temple
Gary takes a seat in front of Damien.He gets fatter by the week, it seems. That's something Ethan would say to his face, if he were here. He left after making it clear that he wasn't in agreement with Damien regarding this brother of theirs.Damien didn't expect this from him.His father had numerous affairs over the years, but he's never fathered a child out of wedlock. This son he had with Daisy is absolutely unexpected. Perhaps he's the reason why his father chose to be careful with other women? Damien wonders why he didn't interfere. Why didn't he save his son from Ferdinand? Damien can't understand for the life of him. The man he knew would never let Ferdinand Cooper kill his son. A Keller is a Keller. He taught him these words, made him repeat them out loud for everyone to hear. It's the reason why he never abandoned Kathy, why he kept supporting the boy even though he never met him.A Keller is a Keller.Blood will always be blood.Yet he left his son to die, his firstborn son
Devon slaps the newspaper against the desk.Damien Keller is still fucking winning. How'd he manage to kill off a quarter of Sebastian's men? This isn't his war, but fuck, he's pissed. They're all a bunch of morons. Who'd go out to drink and gamble when they're on the brink of a war? Devon's been reckless, too, but he's making an effort to stay inside and ride this wave out.Speaking of riding...He closes his eyes and thinks of last night. Sometimes he can't believe that happened. He'd fantasized about it for so long, which has never happened to him.Sam barges inside the cramped space of his office, interrupting his train of thought. He's annoyed, but it must be important if he came all the way here. He's holding his own newspaper. "Did you read this shit?""Did they say anything concerning this?" Devon asks. By 'they' he means the Browns. Surely they must have communicated with them? They're sending the new agent in tomorrow, and they've invested a small fortune on her. They need t
How long will I have to keep living like this?I couldn't sleep last night. Yesterday was a terrible one, and I don't think I was in my right mind. I left the party knowing there would be grave consequences; I willingly went to bed with Devon, just to get back at Damien for lying to me this whole time; Damien has a son with that woman; Ferdinand threatened to kill my mother right in front of me. This is all too much, even for me. I've always considered myself strong enough to face anything, but not this. I need help, but there's none coming my way. None.I can't count on Devon for shit.I'll need to keep my distance from him if I want to avoid trouble. I feel dirty, and I regret how impulsively I acted. The guilt is crippling at times. I think back on it and it's like another woman took my place. It couldn't have been me. And why do I feel like I betrayed Damien when he's the one who's been lying to me this whole time?My bedroom door opens unexpectedly.Felix comes into my room witho