A Hurt So Sweet Volume Four - Isabella Starling Page 0,62

Lily Anna found out the fall had broken her spine, that she'd be forced to a lifetime in a wheelchair, she broke.

There's gossip among the help. They say Lily Anna hasn't spoken in years. That Emilian Oakes is just as obsessed as her. That's she's more beautiful than ever. That he ruined her.

I don't care about any of it.

Since my parents died in the fire she lit, I've been looking for vengeance. And watching Lily Anna lose everything that mattered to her one by one has more than fulfilled my need for revenge.

"Think we can sneak off?" I mutter as Reign starts running toward a figure giggling behind an old oak tree.

"Now?" Pandora glances nervously at the kids, and guiltily, I realize she's probably thinking the same thing I am.

Is it safe to leave Reign alone with the twins?

I never believed he'd hurt them, and my son never gave me a reason to worry. But sometimes, his behavior is truly troubling.

I've caught him hurting animals before. I've seen him pin a butterfly down by its wings. I've seen him poking at dead birds in the garden. Reign is a polite, well-mannered young boy. But on the rare occasions we had to punish him, Pandora and I witnessed anger and stubbornness neither of us had seen before. He'd lie through his teeth to get out of trouble. But if you caught him in a lie, the kid lost it. He'd hurt himself to get his way. He'd threaten you. Those moments were rare, but they happened. And they made me worry.

But I shake my head to get the thought out. I can't allow the negative thoughts to take over now. I can't let Pandora see I'm worried, too.

"Let's stay until they finish their game," I decide for us. Her relieved smile tells me everything I need to know.

We watch the kids play until they come back to where we're lounging, giggling and laughing. My wife admires the twins' daisy crowns while I ask Reign to come over.

"Having a good day, son?" I ask him, and he nods. He won't quite look at me, probably still upset with me for scolding him the previous day. The kid sure can hold a fucking grudge.

"It's alright," he drawls, refusing to meet my gaze.

"Reign," I speak up calmly. "You're being such a good brother to your sister."

At this, he lights up. He really does love the girls, has formed a bond with them like nothing I've ever seen before.

"When are we going back to Grandfather's?" Reign asks.

My expression darkens. Despite my best efforts to keep the kids away from Emilian, Reign has formed a bond with the man. He's been insisting we let him visit his grandfather. All the other visits have been on our terms, at our home, but now Reign wants more freedom to visit his grandfather whenever he wants.

"I can invite Emilian over for tea," I offer.

"No." Reign's eyes are dark and stormy. "I want to go to Oakes Manor. I deserve it, I've been good."

I don't bother arguing with him. He hasn't been good. He's misbehaved multiple times in school only this week. I haven't even told Pandora yet, not wanting to worry her, but the kid needs a firm hand, and we both love him too much to discipline him properly.

I also have another reason I don't want him at the Manor - Lily Anna. He doesn't know she's there. We thought it best to tell Reign she was gone, dead. We didn't want to hurt him any more by preventing him from seeing the woman. But now it's been six years, and the kid still hasn't stopped asking about her. And every time he brings her up, I see the fire in Pandora's eyes die down a little.

Lily Anna's shadow is still here, and will follow us for a long time to come.

"We'll arrange something," I tell Reign, but his dark expression tells me he doesn't buy it.

I shift my attention to the girls and Pandora while watching my son out of the corner of my eye. He's an unusual kid. And as much as he frightens me sometimes, I love him more than I ever thought possible.

We never got a paternity test.

We didn't need to.

Lily Anna was right about one thing, if nothing else. One look at Reign tells me whose son he is.

Lai is right there - in the blue of his eyes, in the smirk on his face. He looks just like him. And in a