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“Régis?” Dad finally belts, sounding impatient. I clear my throat forcefully, but my throat is too thick for a reply. Sweat breaks out and I can feel my knees tremble.
This is important, you fool!I tell myself. But I can’t focus.
“I asked if you spoke to the lawyer,” Dad grumbles. Guilt washes over me at those words. I haven’t. I should have, but—
“Oui,” I whisper weakly. “He’s not very positive, but still looking into the case. I’ll speak with him again in a few days.”
Through the window, Arthur languidly takes a single step forward, and in my attempt to create a bigger distance, I practically fly against the glass. I can hear him chuckle, the fucker. He’s taunting me. It’s working. I’m so pathetic.
“Good. Your mother is a lying bitch, you know that, right?” Dad spews. I squint my eyes, though they never leave Arthur’s dark ones through the window, his words echoing through my rattling core. “She doesn’t love you, my son. She doesn’t love you, and she tried to separate us. She’s the true criminal here.”
Dad isn’t a monster.
Yes, he is.
No.
Yes.
“I know that,” I choke, because his words are suffocating. “The lawyer said that he thinks nothing can be done, but we’ll get the confirmation in a few days.”
When Arthur takes another step forward, I turn around and face him, ready to bolt for the steps, the phone in my hand like some weapon. But my body feels sweaty, stiff and weak. And it’s leaving me there, locked up, to face the person who torments me in my dreams. The source of my confusion.
From up close, Arthur looks flawless as always, his tall frame tightly fits into his school uniform, his dark, thick hair tousled. His smoldering eyes keep mine hostage, making me tilt my chin a little higher and pinch my lips. His tongue peeks out as he wets his lower lip, while Dad barks something at the same time.
“Quoi?” I ask, the word coming out as a dry rasp. Arthur grins and I catch that obscene movement in utter rapture. Fuck, he’s gorgeous.
“God damn it son, are you even listening to me?” Dad shouts. “I said, if he can’t do anything, then find another lawyer. That useless piece of shit. I’m sure as fuck not going to rot here for the rest of my life. I’m old, Régis, I’m your father. Perhaps we should trade places, your body is younger. I mean, there has to be something that they can do for fuck’s sake!” My mind blanks. Cold sweat on my back now mingles with the coolness of the glass, because I’ve pressed my shaking body against the window. And all the while this voice continues to reverberate in my head.
“Dad will stay locked up. Nothing can be done.”
Nothing.Arthur’s raven hair tumbles to one side and my phone trembles against my ear.
Nothing. He opens his mouth and everything has begun to move in slow motion while I wait for him to speak.
Nothing.
“Finally on my territory, little Régis.” He finally drawls, voice thick with hoarseness. “Shall we go?” Awareness prickles on my skin and I swallow, and swallow again, but the lump won’t go away. Arthur grins and I grab the phone tighter, but Dad’s long gone. He’s hung up on me, because he’s angry. He must be so disappointed in me. Maybe he’s right and we should trade places. Maybe that would make everything a little easier.
I scowl and gesture to the phone, pretending to be having a conversation, but it’s clear that he’s not going away. “I’m not going anywhere with you,” I grate, my throat feeling paper dry.
“Oh yeah, that’s right. You don’t read Mom’s messages.” Arthur gives me a wicked grin, then points a long, slender digit to my ear. “You can hang up now, little Régis.” Amusement laces his undertone. “I can hear the disconnected tone from here. Or are you afraid?”
“Afraid?” I spit out a huff, and my face flushes a little before I pull the phone away and back into the pocket of my jacket. “I’m not afraid of you, you narcissistic punk.”
Liar.
“Narcissistic punk,” Arthur mouths, then wiggles his brows at me. “Wow. In a normal situation, I’d be impressed. Right now, not so much. Because you see, little Régis, you and I have a problem. Dad’s here, and he wants to talk to us both.”
“Why?” I breathe, sudden panic churning in my chest. Of course he’d be here.
Arthur shrugs. “I can think of a few reasons. You not being around during most of the summer break being one of them. After all, Dad’s paid over twenty thousand euros in tuition fees for you just to be here for six months, Régis, so stop pretending you don’t understand.” Pressing my lips together, I roll my shoulders in an attempt to puff my chest up.Dad. That man’s not my dad and he never will be. He’s the man my mother married. The man she left me for. The man I have more or lesssuccessfully avoided over the past nine months, ever since he barged into my life with his expensive suits and even more expensive lawyer.
“He’ll want something in return, little Régis. If you want to attend this college, you agree to play the game. Want to hang out with the big boys? Let’s see if you can keep up.”
Grinding my teeth, I send him an indignant huff and a shoulder bump while bypassing him toward the hall. “Oh, you’ve got nothing to say to that?” Arthur laughs as he catches up with me, guiding me further into this maze that is Monterrey Castle. It’s a warm, honey, sexy sound that has me seething. Because he’s laughing right the fuck at me. Seeing me as some little shit he can wipe off with the heel of his foot. Well, I’ll show him that he’s wrong.
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