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If that bothers her, she doesn’t show it. Instead, she continues speaking as if I didn’t say anything. “Darling, you need to stop with this behaviour and come home. I’m getting to the end of my patience.”
“I’m never coming home. Never.”
Her carefully crafted control scatters. “I’ve told you what will happen if you don’t do as you’re told. I’m not someone you want to piss off, darling daughter.”
“I don’t care what you think you can do to me. I’m not your property and I’m tired of pretending to be the perfect daughter, so fuck you and fuck Anthony. Fuck the whole Fraser name. I’ll never be a part of it.”
I hang up and slide my phone back onto the dressing table, my heart racing. I’ve never stood up to my mother like that before. Usually, I just do what is expected of me, but those days are done. I will fight to the death to keep the life I’m building with Ryan. My mother, my father, my brothers… no one will keep me from him.
I finish getting ready and head into the kitchen, where I find Ryan making breakfast, as is our routine.
He smiles as I walk in, but that smile morphs into concern. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” I assure him. “Charlotte called.”
He sighs. “We’ll get you another phone.”
I shake my head. “She’ll just get that number too. I’m done running, Ryan. She can come for me. I don’t care what she does, but I won’t live my life in fear.”
“I care.”
I huff out a breath. “I love that you do, but we’re safe here, aren’t we?”
“Yeah, we are.”
“What are you making?”
“Breakfast scramble.”
“My favourite.”
“Always.” He leans over and presses his mouth to mine. “I also had a call while you were getting ready.”
“Which brother was it today?” They all regularly check in.
“Zeke. He’s meeting with your other brothers and their wives at Kane’s home. He asked you to come too.”
“It’ll be good to get out for a bit,” I say.
“Yeah.” He doesn’t seem as sure.
“What’s wrong?”
“It seems risky.”
“They wouldn’t let me come if they thought that,” I assure him. “Kane’s home is off the beaten track, and my mother wouldn’t be stupid enough to attack him.”
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” he says.
“I won’t.”
His hands circle my waist. I meet his mouth as it descends. I love kissing Ryan. It makes me feel cherished. I get lost in our kiss. He’s so good at that. He makes me forget what I’m talking about the moment his mouth touches mine.
When he pulls back, my legs are feeling weak. He has that effect on me.
We eat breakfast together, and then he takes me down to the car. I lie again along the back seat in case the building is being watched. Ryan drives us out of London and out towards Kane’s Essex mansion. He’s wearing a cap, which I assume is to make it harder to be noticed. Always trying to keep me safe.
Only when we pull in through the gates of the estate does he tell me I can sit up.
