Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 380(@200wpm)___ 304(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
She stiffened when she heard what I said, her eyes big and round, like an owl in the dark. “He never told me that.”
Because he didn’t tell anybody.
“Did you two make up—”
“No. We got into a fight. He told me he hadn’t wanted to have another kid, but you made him do it. Said I was a disappointment. Said he regretted having me.” That was the easier part to say because I’d accepted that cold, hard truth already.
“That’s not true, Bastien. He didn’t mean that.”
“It’s okay, Mom. Your love has been more than enough. It’s easily been the equivalent of two parents.”
Her eyes watered like that either hurt her…or meant the world to her.
“He said he wished he’d never had me, and I said I wished he was dead, and it turned into a fight. He reached for his gun but—”
“Oh my god.” Her hands immediately cupped her mouth, and she choked back her sob. “Oh my god…”
I ignored her cries and continued on. “But I got it first, and I shot him.”
Her hands completely covered her face, and she sobbed, her chest heaving as she pictured the scene.
“I’m sorry.”
She wailed in the silence, wailed like he’d been shot in this very room.
I didn’t feel better, but at least I felt honorable. “I thought you deserved to know the truth.” I left the couch and headed out of the room, listening to her cry behind me, knowing I was a monster. I’d taken her husband away. I’d broken up her family. I was responsible for every bad thing that had happened.
“Bastien.” She stifled her sobs. “Wait.”
I halted but didn’t turn around, afraid of the look on her face, afraid of the slap coming my way.
“Bastien.” Her footsteps grew louder behind me.
I took a breath before I faced her, saw the havoc the tears had wreaked on her makeup, saw a woman irreparably broken by my confession.
She took a breath and forced her tears to steady before she reached for my hands. She squeezed them.
And I didn’t understand. Didn’t understand anything at all.
“Bastien.” Tears dripped down her face. “I know your father was a cruel man, but I didn’t know just how cruel… You didn’t deserve that, and I’m sorry that I didn’t do better, that I didn’t protect you and Godric, that I didn’t leave…like Fleur left. You’re so loved, Bastien. You and Godric are the single most important things to me, and I love you more than words could ever convey.” She gripped my hands together in hers and squeezed them to her chest. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.”
“Mom…” I’d murdered my own father, but she treated me like the victim.
“It’s okay, Bastien,” she said. “You did the right thing. I can live without him, but I could never live without you.”
22
FLEUR
I stood before the mirror and looked at myself in my gown, white with little straps over the shoulders and an opening in the front to show my cleavage. When I saw the price tag, I almost didn’t get it because I would never spend that much on a dress. Might as well buy a car at that point.
But then I remembered Bastien would want me to have whatever I wanted, so I handed over his credit card.
Delphine came into the room behind me, and within the first glance, she glowed like I was really her daughter. She came up behind me and squeezed my shoulders. “My son is going to lose it.” She smiled at me in the reflection. “Everyone is seated and ready for you, honey. Nervous?”
“No.” I wasn’t nervous at all. It was my second marriage, just months after my first divorce, but this felt different. “Not at all.”
“Good. I was a nervous wreck when I got married. Should have known what that meant.” She gave me a sad smile and stepped away. “It’s such a beautiful day. You got lucky.”
“How’s Bastien?”
“Happier than I’ve ever seen him. Smoking and drinking with his boys.”
I smirked. “Of course he is.” The only person more certain of this than me was him.
“He’s a good man. And you’re a good woman. I’m glad you found each other.”
“Me too. Your son means a lot to me.”
“I know he does. I appreciate your standing by him, even when things got tough.”
The door opened, and Godric stepped inside, looking somehow like a younger version of his brother because he was less bulky. He was in a suit and tie, and he immediately gave me a restrained glance over. “Bastien said to hurry up, so let’s go.”
Of course he did. “Alright.” I grabbed the bouquet of flowers and took his arm. He guided me through the palace, the very place where Bastien had taken me as a date to a social event and I’d tried to run because everything had moved too fast. He’d cornered me by the bathroom until he’d gotten what he wanted.