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Chapter Forty-Four
Creed
“Creed? Are you here?”
When I hear my father’s gruff voice, I groan, grabbing a pillow and covering my throbbing head.
Drinking as much as I did last night probably wasn’t the smartest idea, but with the knowledge that Esme would be getting engaged, that there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening, especially when I couldn’t even get in touch with Anders, I needed something to make it hurt less.
So, I went to a dive bar in a seedy area of town, one I knew wouldn’t be showing any footage from the gala on the television. I couldn’t stomach any reminders, choosing to tune out the world.
Including the repeated calls from my father, prompting me to turn off my mobile. We’re not little kids anymore. We don’t need our father to intervene in our disagreements.
I told Adam there was no coming back from this betrayal.
Not even asking Dad to come to his defense will help. If anything, it will only make it worse. Further prove my point that Adam did the one thing he swore he never would.
He turned into our father.
“Get up, Creed.”
When he yanks the comforter off me, I turn over, about to berate him for barging into my apartment, then attempting to order me around.
But when I see the red rimming his eyes, I know something’s not right.
That something must have happened.
I sit up, running a hand over my face. “What’s wrong?”
He lowers himself onto the edge of the bed, shoulders slumping, a look of despair on his face.
My father’s always had a very serious demeanor. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen him show any emotion, and only once that I’ve seen evidence he’s been crying.
The day we learned Anderson and Esme’s uncle, along with his wife and all their kids, perished in a tragic skiing accident.
Dread settles low in my stomach.
“Did something happen?”
“I’m afraid so.” Drawing in a deep breath, he attempts to collect himself before turning his dark eyes to mine. “Last night, there was an accident.”
“An accident?” I swallow hard. “What kind of accident?”
“Adam and Her Royal Highness Princess Esme were attacked. Their vehicle was followed, then forced off the road, at which point it was doused in white gas and lit on fire.” He pulls his lips between his teeth. “Adam didn’t make it.”
His statement is like a punch to the gut, stealing my breath, my heart physically aching as I struggle to comprehend my father’s words.
This can’t be real. I must still be dreaming, my conscience playing tricks on me for the way I treated Adam, reminding me what’s important.
“And Esme?” I begin in a shaky voice, unsure I want to hear the answer.
Unsure I can handle the answer.
“Is she… Did she?”
“She’s in stable condition, albeit suffering from smoke inhalation and minor burns.”
I stand, feeling a modicum of relief that Esme is okay. But that has nothing on the guilt plaguing me over the fact that my brother’s gone.
