I wanted to be done with the all the things that weighed me down in the past. I wanted to be who my brother… my father…my family…I wanted to be.
So, I can’t run from this. And neither can she.
THIRTEEN
“There is an enduring tenderness in the love of a mother to a son, that transcends all other affections of the heart. It is neither to be chilled by selfishness, nor daunted by danger, nor weakened by worthlessness, nor stifled by ingratitude. She will sacrifice every comfort to his convenience; she will surrender every pleasure to his enjoyment; she will glory in his fame, and exult in his prosperity; and if adversity overtake him, he will be the dearer to her by misfortune; and if disgrace settle upon his name, she will still love and cherish him; and if all the world beside cast him off, she will be all the world to him.”
~ Washington Irving
EVELYN
“He’s starting to remind me of Liam,” Declan whispered beside me as we both watched the motion on the
screen from the study.
Was he only now noticing? “He always has.”
“I’ll come back to—”
“I don’t need you hovering. I finally shook your wife off my back. Don’t make me worry about you, too,” I said to him.
He frowned, but nodded, walking toward the door. I waited for him to leave before I dialed. It rang and rang and rang until finally he answered but did not speak.
“Have you found him?”
Silence, which I took for a yes.
“He’s needed back home. Whatever you both need to do—”
“Mom.” For some reason, my eyes watered at his voice. I missed him. I wanted him. I understood, but I wished it wasn’t like this. “I’m glad you’re alright and still with them. I love you.”
That was it. The rude son of bitch hung up.
Glancing back at the video feed, I shook my head. “Like father, like sons.”
Liam, Ethan, Wyatt…all of my boys were so damn stubborn and prideful. Once they set themselves on a path, there was no changing their minds.
Sedric, my dear…you really left me a goddamn handful.
FOURTEEN
“Once upon a time,
an angel and a devil
pressed their hands to their hearts
and started the apocalypse.”
~ Laini Taylor
HELEN
“Breaking News: This morning, after the governor’s astonishing accusations against the Chicago PD, claiming they had stolen drugs from cartels, which caused those cartels to retaliate against him and other high-ranking officials within the government, it has now come to light that Governor Orton and his wife were in a very open marriage. A video has been released of Mrs. Orton engaged in a sexual encounter with another man. Out of respect for the now departed Mrs. Orton, CDN NEWS will not be airing the video. We’ve reached out for comment from the governor’s office, but no statement has been given…”
Muting the television, I shook my head. I leaned back into my tub and closed my eyes as I sank deeper into the hot water. “You really are spiteful, Wyatt.”
“I’ll take that as compliment.”