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On top of that, on the personality side, she’sso muchlike Nina that it almost hurts sometimes: that same innocent inquisitiveness that my best friend had all her life.
Until the night that life was taken from her.
Between looking like my dead dad and behaving like my dead best friend, I’ve got a soft spot for Maeve. I’m also notthat mucholder than her, and especially now that she’s almost out of high school, it feels like we’re peers more than anything.
Which is, of course, why I decide to be brutally honest with her instead of sugar coating the awful truth.
“He’s a pig,” I mutter. “A narcissistic asshole with a god complex who thinks the whole world should bow and kiss his feet just because of his genetics.” I give Maeve a sour half smile. “Sorry, but you asked.”
She swallows, her face paling a little. Then she nods, forcing a small smile to her lips. “Genetics, you say…?”
My face burns as I realize how that sounded.
“No, not…” I scrunch up my face and shake my head impatiently. “Notwhat I meant. I mean, yes, the manisclassically good-looking, I guess. If you like that bored-with-the-world, filled with ennui, Armani model look.”
“So, he’s attractive if you likehotpeople.”
I roll my eyes and reach behind where I’m sitting on the edge of the bed to grab a pillow off it. Maeve laughs when I chuck it at her.
“Nothot, vain. The kind of vain that probably jerks off in front of a mirror.”
“Gross! So…a hot asshole, basically.”
I make a face. “Focus on that second part more. He’s arrogant, rude, and disgusting. I mean the man runs a fuckingsex club, Maeve. And he’s like twice your age.”
Her laughter suddenly dies as she drops her eyes to her sketchpad. “You don’t have to sell me on not wanting to marry him, you know…” she mumbles quietly, her throat bobbing.
Shit.
I move across the bedroom quickly to hug her close, stroking her hair as her breath hitches.
“I don’t understand,” she chokes into my shoulder before pulling away with tear-filled eyes to look into mine. “Why is this happening?”
I flinch, my chest constricting sharply.
“Why is this happening? Why are you doing this?”
The heart-wrenching pleas from another time, from another loved one, echo in my memory. My body shudders as I bite back the urge to scream.
Breathe.
I inhale sharply, forcing myself to stay centered and focused on Maeve and not on my own demons. I pull her into a tight hug.
“We’re going to figure this out, okay?” I say fiercely. “I promise.”
I’m not going to be so naive to suggest she just run away, or point out the fact that she’s eighteen and perfectly capable of making her own decisions. I might not have grown up directly under Charles’ roof, but I understand how his world works.
Sure, Maeve could leave. But then what? Best case scenario, she somehow could fend for herself despite living the sheltered, privileged life she’s lived so far. But Charles or Dante would find her eventually, probably sooner rather than later, and drag her right back to this situation. And again, that’s thebest-case scenario.
The far less optimal scenarios involve the types of predators who are out there prowling around and hunting forexactlythe kind of girl Maeve is.
Innocent. Inquisitive. Out of their element and looking to prove something.
Like Nina and I were.
There’s my brothers, of course. I know they’d give Maeve a place to stay. But the unfortunate reality is that even they aren’t immune to Charles. Our grandfather wields a substantial amount of power on the Crown and Black board of directors, much as Gabriel and Alistair hate it. Most of the time, him having that seat on the board is just an annoyance to them. But he could make their lives and their businesshellif they took Maeve in over all of this.
Which leaves…me? No, I’m not a viable safety net for her. Not just because I don’t have a job, or any money of my own, and still live in my dead father’s old house. Not even because I’m sort of a mess myself.
