Page 222 of Vexatious Queen

His hands fell from my face, emotion making his eyes shine with unshed tears.

I cleared my throat.

“I’d better go. But I promise I’m not running away. I just need some time to process.”

He nodded.

“I understand. Do you want Marcus to take you all in the limo?”

“It’s just me, Nash, and Liam at the moment. Myles wanted to spend the day with the O’Briens and Lip, especially after last night.”

“Very well, the guards will escort you safely.”

Raising on my toes, I kissed his cheek.

“I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too. Now get going before you make me cry. I’m the head of the Genovese Empire. I can’t be seen weeping,” he said, and his teasing tone made me smile.

“Bye,” I said, reaching the door the same time as my mother.

We both stopped, and I hated that my first instinct was to grab her and never let go. Stepping around her, I glared at Vlad and Mylo.

“One of these days, I’m going to have a discussion with the two of you as well,” I said, walking away.

“She is certainly your daughter,” one of them said, but I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or an insult right now.

Nash was pacing when I got to my room, while Liam lounged on the bed, looking at his phone.

Liam spotted me first.

“Well, you two didn’t shoot each other, so that’s a start,” Liam said.

Nash whipped around in my direction.

“How did it go,” Nash asked, stalking toward me.

I smiled, but veered toward the desk. If he hugged me, I might fall apart, and if I did, I didn’t know when I’d stop crying.

“It went.”

“That’s it? It went?” Nash poked at my answer.

Grabbing my backpack, I stuffed it with everything I wanted to take with me back to school.

“I’m not sure what else to say. She was different. Cool, distant, defensive maybe…I don’t know.” I shrugged. “She apologized and said there was no reason good enough for what she did. I mean, it’s the truth. But when she said it…it didn’t make me feel any better.”

Zipping my bag, I leaned against the desk and looked at the two of them.

“I’m still furious, and a part of me doesn’t care that she apologized. All I know is that I need to sit with what she told me for a few days, and I can’t do that here.”

“So, we’re leaving,” Liam asked.

“Yeah, we are. And before you decide to add in your two cents…” I looked between Nash and Liam. “I’m not running. I just need time to process. Besides, I don’t know if I’ll be able to build a relationship with her again properly if she and my father are at war. I feel like they need space to figure themselves out as well.” I crossed my arms. “Dammit. I feel…torn right now. I have a million things I want to yell and…ugh, see…I’m rambling.”

Grabbing the pack, I flung it over my shoulder.

“Clearing my head and giving them some space seems best.”