Damaged (Boys of Winter #2) - Sheridan Anne Page 0,27
name and stand behind you at the table as your spouse, leaving the Danforth seat empty.”
I shake my head, not quite understanding, so he gives me a little more to go on. “Your children would carry the Ravenwood name. If you were with Cruz—or any of the other heirs for that matter—your firstborn child would stand as a Ravenwood. Your husbands family will no longer hold a voice or value at our table.”
“But you have other children. Cruz has siblings. If something were to ever happen between us, couldn’t they just step into his place?”
Mr. Danforth shakes his head. “Firstborn children only.”
I rock back on my feet, thinking way too hard about this. “So, technically what you’re saying is that Cruz, or any of the other heirs, could knock up some other chick, and then be with me, as long as their firstborns aren’t mine?”
Mr. Danforth lets out a heavy sigh and rolls his eyes before picking up his pace again. “Technically,” he confirms with an unimpressed scowl. “However, that is certainly not encouraged. Dynasty upholds the values and importance of marriage vows.” I follow him as he continues. “Besides, we encourage all of our children to marry outside of Dynasty so that our organization is always flourishing and growing.”
“Sounds like a load of shit to me,” I grumble under my breath, getting a side-eye from Mr. Danforth.
“It is not my position to offer you advice,” he says as we approach the boys. “But considering that your parents are not here to do so and you are still new to this role, learning what your position entails, I will say this. You are not invincible. Yes, you have the title of being the leader of our people, but you are only human. You are not untouchable, and because of that, you need to watch yourself. I understand your sarcasm and need to rebel against everything that comes your way, but others will not appreciate that. So, understand this, young Elodie, you need to be careful. Dynasty and its traditions is not something that should be messed with.”
I meet his heavy stare and attempt to bite my tongue. The last thing I need after being locked up for four days is some old guy telling me that I can’t marry or have kids with his son or telling me how to handle myself within the same organization that ensured my parents’ murder. What the hell is his deal anyway? Marriage and kids are the furthest things from my mind. In fact, I don’t even think having little devil spawn versions of myself is something that’s going to be on my agenda … like ever. I had a shitty upbringing and I doubt that I’ll make a good mother, or even a good role model for a child. That’s just asking for trouble.
But then … maybe ten or twenty years down the track, I might change my mind, but at the rate I’m going, I probably won’t live to see my nineteenth birthday.
“You know what?” I tell Mr. Danforth, hating the authoritative tone I’m taking with him. “You were right. It really isn’t your position to be offering advice.”
He watches me for a drawn-out moment, his lips pressing into a hard line as his eyes narrow. Then without another word he simply nods and walks away, leaving me staring after him.
“Uhhhh … what the fuck was that?” Cruz asks from his position by the entrance of the massive open room.
I turn my gaze to the three boys, and just like that, a wide smile stretches across my face and I beam at them. “I’M FREE.”
I bolt toward them and move my feet faster than they’ve ever moved before. A high-pitched squeal tears out of me, and before I know it, I launch myself into the air and come crashing down into King’s arms. He holds me tight, spinning me around as Grayson and Cruz watch on with wide smiles.
“I fucking knew you’d get out,” King tells me before giving me a bruising kiss.
My legs unhook from his waist, and the second my feet hit the ground, Cruz is there, pulling me into his arms, one hand against my back, the other squeezing my ass. He kisses me briefly before giving me a beaming grin. “Come on,” he says. “We have to go and celebrate.”
I nod, quickly meeting Grayson’s eyes before looking back at the other two. “Deal, but before we do that, I have a score to settle with Carver.”