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He tries to speak, but I cut him off.
“If I need advice. I will seek you out. But nothing, and I mean nothing, happens in this family without my say so. Do you understand what I am saying?”
Never in a million years would I think I’d speak to my father this way, but he handed me the keys, he taught me to drive, and this line needs to be drawn or my words mean nothing to Lilly.
I see my father’s own rage simmering in his eyes, I doubt he remembers the last time anyone ever talked to him so forcibly, but that’s how it goes. That’s what he wanted. He wanted me to rule, to take over our family, now he also needs to fall in line. He doesn’t speak, probably because he’s pissed as all hell, But he nods because no matter what, the words I spoke are true.
“We will talk tomorrow,” I say to him, and drop the edge in my voice.
Tomorrow, I will fill him in on what really went down here, but now I must find Lilly. When I look back up, I can’t see her in the crowd. My stomach sinks when I realise, I’ve lost track of Sergei too.
There’s no time to waste.
I leave the table following the same path they took.
28
Lilly
He’shere.
The walls feel like they’re closing in, slowly crushing me. So many people crowding me, boxing me in, and all I want to do again, is breathe. The air is thick and suffocating and sharing it with him is making my vision blurry, white dots bouncing off everything I see.
I want to run. I want to hide.
I want to rip his fucking face off!
The ladies’ room was my first target, but the line was out the door.
No reprieve.
More congratulations.
More you look beautiful.
More, more, more.
The only other thing that can save me is a drink, a hard, strong drink, but the bar is littered with people, waiting, laughing, chatting.
I hate them all.
I hate everything right now.
Maybe that’s what my face says, because a sweet woman taps me on the shoulder.
“The bar on the patio is usually not busy,” she says, giving me a knowing smile. “It’s overwhelming, isn’t it?”
Miraculously, I have the strength to answer. “Very.”
Oh, God, if she only knew.
“Thank you,” I say and turn towards the door leading outside.
As soon as I open it, the noise drops off. Cold air hits my face and I gasp it in, like a swimmer breaking the surface of the ocean after a long dive.
He’s here.
My mind won’t let me forget. My body won’t let me forget, it shakes from fear and panic. My breathing is ragged as I make my way to the bar and hold onto it like my life depends on it. Seconds later, a bartender is in front of me with a smile.
