Page 146 of Love Me

“I killed my parents.”

I open my eyes and the silence is eerie, as if the ghosts I evoked have accompanied me in the present.

Dr. Camden looks at me with big, incredulous eyes before she snaps out of it.

“Are you okay?”

I push the words out through the lump in my throat. “I was in the laboratory, wasn’t I? They took me there.”

“I’ll inform our fathers,” Hunter says.

Kaden rushes to me. I fist his shirt, crying in his arms.

“It’s okay, I am here. I can’t believe Felix did that. But, Sky, he will pay for it. I swear. Your mom has to be alive.”

“Why are you so sure?”

“Because if my father was capable of love, his love is the selfish kind.”

“We have to save her.”

“We will,” he says with such resolve I believe him.

Hunter disconnects the call and says, “No one is doing anything today, we all need to process what we learned. But Sebastian wants to see you.”

The moment we’re at my father’s house, he has his arms open, but I stay rooted to the spot.

“How could you not tell me?”

“I didn’t want you to be even more traumatized.”

“Why now?”

“I’m sorry.”

Sorry? That’s the best he can offer. Kaden glares at him.

“I told him to tell you the truth,” Cillian says.

“I trusted you.”

“Celine, you’re hurt, but we didn’t know what they did to you. Or if something might trigger you.”

“So what changed?” I ask.

“We’re ready now.”

I inhale and exhale, trying to breathe through the wave of high emotions. Kaden pulls me to his side and the hurt becomes bearable. With him next to me, I can handle anything.

“I hope that you enjoy getting your power back and sitting on your throne, but I am so done after this.”

“Celine.” Both Cillian and my father call for me. I halt and turn to look right into my father’s eyes.

“If Mom’s alive, I’ll paint her the image of the father I have in my memories.”

His eyes glisten, but I walk away.

Kaden pushes a helmet in my direction as I hop on his bike. With pure gentleness, he locks it under my chin.

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