and we could have worked out a plan that would have given us all what we wanted, but I was reckless. I was thinking only of myself, and because of that, I forced Carver’s hand. I took his choice away.
Seeing that I need some time to process, the boys slip out of my living room and I listen as the three of them walk straight through the massive house and out the front door.
When the hell did my life get so complicated? What happened to the good old days where my only worry was what kind of reaction I’d get from the kids at a new school, and just how long I’d have to stay in each new home?
I sit on the big couch for an hour, staring at the fireplace and trying to figure out what the hell I’m supposed to do. I have so much anger built up inside me and now I’m drowning in guilt. I don’t want to forgive him. I can’t forget the lonely nights in that cell where the faceless men would come and visit me in my dreams, but he gave up his whole fucking family.
I killed his father.
Fuck. He should never have done it. He should have let me go.
I pull myself off the couch and wipe the tears on the back of my arm before walking straight out of the house. I don’t stop until I’m standing in front of the one door that I could always trust to keep the monsters at bay.
Not wanting to barge right in, I bring my hand up and gently knock against the hardwood, sending my heart into overdrive.
I feel fucking sick. Why does this have to be so hard, and what the hell am I even supposed to say to him? So much has gone down between us and not a damn thing of it has been good.
I wait a moment, my gaze flicking back toward the stairs. I should just leave; I’m only asking for trouble.
I never should have come here.
Before I can walk away, the door opens and I find myself staring up at a broken man, his usual dark stormy eyes completely shattered. My bottom lip trembles as everything breaks inside of me. “I—”
“You know, don’t you?” he asks, cutting me off before I get the chance to really say what needs to be said. Though, I really don’t know what that is. ‘Thank you’ doesn’t seem like enough, while ‘sorry’ sounds so utterly pathetic after everything that’s already been said and done.
I nod, swallowing over the lump in my throat as I briefly remember his kiss in the dark elevator, a goodbye kiss, nothing more. But as I look into the hollow depths of his stormy gaze, it becomes all too obvious; Dante Carver is in love with me.
Then just like that, Carver takes a step back and closes the door between us. The soft click of the lock falls into place, splitting my heart right down the center—the final nail in the coffin.
CHAPTER 9
School just seems so trivial after everything that’s gone down over the past few days. What the fuck are we even doing here? Is there a purpose now knowing that my whole future is already planned out for the rest of my life, knowing that I’ll never want for anything, never have a chance to go to college and get a real career? What’s the point in suffering through the last few months of exams, hormonal teenagers, and demanding teachers?
I look up at the big school. Maybe the whole point is to give me just a sliver of normalcy before I dive headfirst into the world of Dynasty. Though, it’s not like I haven’t already experienced my fair share of it, and damn it, it left an awful taste in my mouth. I don’t know how they expect me to last until my dying days in that world, but if I have my way, Dynasty will cease to exist.
Though I can’t deny how intriguing the idea of flushing out all the corrupted assholes sounds and starting fresh with the heirs. Maybe if we start them young, they can be easily swayed to not be dickheads like their fathers before them, but then I’m stuck with guys like Grayson, Carver, and King, and it’s no secret that they’re the biggest dickheads of them all. Not Cruz though, he’s as sweet as candy … and just as delicious too.
As I pull my helmet off, I glance down at