Dark Vow (Blackwoods College)
“It’s why we’re all deeply broken, Mother. It’s why Noah’s too twisted and Raymond’s too packed with hate. It’s why I’m always so damn angry. That training ruined us, but it didn’t ruin Matthias. He was given enough to thrive, but not so much that it stamped out his potential, like it did with the rest of us.”
Mother’s mouth worked soundlessly until she shook her head. “Out of the question.”
“Did you think about this?” Robyn asked, leaning against my shoulder. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.” I touched her hand. “Matthias can be adopted. I’m sure you can work that out. Bring him into the Solar family and make it official. His children will be Solar children, and if he has none, then my children can inherit.”
“Insane,” Mother murmured, but with less force.
“It’s the only option. If we don’t do this, then I will end up killing Raymond and Noah. You know it’s true, Mother. I’ll kill them and take over the family, and I’ll run the whole operation into the fucking ground. Your boys will be ruined, and the family will be nothing. I promise it’ll happen.”
She didn’t speak. She only watched me, studying, trying to decide if what I said was true.
And it was. I meant every word. If she didn’t agree to this deal, then I’d murder my brothers and stain my soul black. I’d run the company into the ground. My father would spin in his grave, and I’d dance and laugh on the ashes of the Solar fortune.
I’d make it happen. And she knew it.
“I barely know Matthias.”
“That’s because you’ve always been too busy for people you consider lesser. But you’ll like him. Matthias is the perfect person for this job.”
“Your father will never do it.”
“He will if you convince him to. I know you can make it happen.”
She stared for another few seconds before standing. “Is that all? You walk, Noah and Raymond are set aside, and Matthias takes over?”
“That’s all. Those are my terms. If you accept, return Robyn’s mother and we’ll end this.”
Mother nodded. Her face gave me nothing, but it didn’t have to.
The fact that she wasn’t calling me a stupid, worthless, moronic piece of trash was all the information I needed.
“I’ll consider your offer.”
“You have three hours. After that, I won’t hold back.”
She glared, but raised her chin and walked off. Her heels clattered, and my mother disappeared back through the door. I watched her go with sadness in my heart—I wished that things could’ve been different. I wished my mother loved me the way a mother should—but that woman was cursed by the Solar family, and she’d never feel anything more than a wicked lust for control and domination.
It was all the Solars ever brought into the world. Death and misery.
“You’ve lost your fucking mind, Calvin.”
I turned in surprise. Robyn stood up, looking like she might punch me in the face. I smiled, almost welcoming it. I wanted to be punished right now. I was a failure and a bastard. Robyn could make me hurt.
Her hands clenched, but she didn’t move. Her trembling turned into outright tremors.
“Please sit down. You need to take some breaths.”
“I don’t want to calm down. What’s the matter with you? We went through hell for this, and now you’re about to give it all up?”
“I know it’s hard to understand—”
“You’re psychotic. You know that, right? Was all this some elaborate ploy to get me to marry you? I’ll divorce you, I swear I will. If you walk away from your family, I won’t stay married to you.”
I sighed and nodded. “I expected that.”
She threw up her hands. “So what the hell are you thinking?”
“It’s the only way.” I patted the pew. “Please, Robyn. Listen to me.”
She sank down, but only onto the edge of the seat. “Talk fast.”
“It’s never going to end. Even if we get your mother back, my brothers will keep coming until I kill them or they kill me. There’s no middle ground here. Either I find a third option, or there will be more blood, until my family is ripped to shreds. There’s no winning, not really.”
She softened slightly. She didn’t move closer, but she didn’t leave. “So where does this leave me then?”
“I’ll follow through on my promise. Your father will die. Beyond that—” I shrugged. “I have no hold over you anymore.”
“And your brothers? Is this punishment enough?”
“They’re going to be stripped of their future and watch a commoner take their place. Every day will be torture.”
“Won’t they try to kill Matthias?”
“Probably, but I’d like to see them try.”
She sighed and leaned her head forward. She closed her eyes and stood before opening them.
“I understand why you’re doing this, but I can’t say I support it.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
“We could still win this. You could win this.”
“By killing my brothers?”
“They’re bastards.”