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“Did you hear that? She owes me.”
“And I’m paying you back now by saving your fucking life,” I snark, hating the whole power trip unraveling before me. “Tonight’s absolutely fucked, Eldon. Can you get me out of here? I’m done.”
My words seem to sink through his anger and concern flickers in this gaze. “Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind.” He shoves Finn back a step, who stands still for a moment, shaking out his suit jacket, and I’m sure he’s going to keep pushing.
“A pleasure as always, Raven,” he murmurs before disappearing into the sea of people now joining the dance floor.
Eldon grabs my waist and pulls me in close, resting his forehead against mine. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to help you, but if you want to leave, I can make that happen. We just have to go and say goodbye to my mother.”
The thought of meeting his mother makes me want to be sick, but I really want to leave, so it’s the lesser of two evils I guess. “Sure, where to?” I ask.
I spy the grimace before he can hide it.
“She’s talking with Zane’s father at The Monarchy’s table.”
24
ELDON
Fuck obligations and everything else this shit show stands for. It’s been driving me insane being apart from her. She scanned the room for us over and over again, but little did she know I was staring at her the entire time.
Seeing her stuck between Sebastian and Finn had my mother noticing the rage in me. It didn’t take her long to find what was holding my attention and the smile on her face grew. That still didn’t allow me to break protocol, but the second we could “mingle,” I was on my way to her, but Finn beat me to it.
Fucker.
Now, with Raven in my grasp, I just needed to say goodbye to my mother so we can get the fuck out of here.
“I’m trying to remember the details Leila gave me about you guys,” Raven murmurs, not hiding the fact that she did some digging on us. “So, Zane’s father is a member of The Monarchy?” She sticks close to my side as we weave through the crowd.
“Yeah. He’s actually The Monarchy’s liason on the board. His sister is part of the Monarchy council too.”
She nervously nibbles on her bottom lip as she glances out of the corner of her eye at me. “If what she said about Brax and Creed’s parents is correct too, where are they sitting if their…family isn’t here?”
A sad smile touches my lips as my stomach clenches. “Brax is at my table over there,” I state, pointing to where I’ve spent the evening, but I don’t stop moving us toward my mother. “Creed’s mother is still here but my mother always makes sure to have her seated at the same table as us. Maybe going forward, I’ll make her do the same for yours.”
Her nose wrinkles in distaste. “Nobody wants to be seated at a table with my father. Even Finn’s family didn’t utter a word to him.”
“That’s because your father is known for being an asshole,” I admit, and she hums in agreement.
Approaching the main table, Zane spots us first, quickly rising to his feet when he sees who I have with me. Since his father is a member of The Monarchy, he’s even more restricted at these kinds of events than we are.
“Are we getting the fuck out of here?” he asks, eyes wide and pleading.
“I just need to speak with my mother, then we’re leaving.” His shoulders sag in relief. “Get Brax and Creed so we can head straight out,” I add, and concern flickers in his pupils as he glances at his father.
He must sense his son’s gaze because he pauses his conversation with my mother to look at him. Mr. Denver momentarily glances down at his watch before smirking at his son. “I’m going to let you sneak off early butonlybecause I want to schedule a meet-up with you in a few weeks, check in on you properly. Agreed?”
“Thanks, Pops.” He throws himself at his father in a quick hug before rushing off to my table. Raven turns to me with a quirked brow.
“Did he just call him Pops?”
“I’m quite sure he’s the only child of a High Monarch who can get away with it,” I reply with a nod.
Zane’s father isn’t what you would generally expect from a Monarch. They’re usually uptight, pretentious, and self-righteous in both their professional and private lives. Mr. Denver, however, loves his children very much. He almost gives my mother a run for her money.
“Are you leaving too, Son?”
I move around the table to my mother, lacing my fingers with Raven to keep her at my side. “Yeah. We’re going to head out but I wanted to say goodbye first.” Everyone says I’m the double of my Mama. Same smile, same mischievous eyes, and the same brown hair.
