Page 4 of Love Me

“Kaden?”

His arm shoots out to stop me from going to him. My heart plummets and scatters on the floor, deflating me instantly.

“What happened?”

An aura of pain radiates from him, and I am desperate to soothe him. I rush over, but he says “No” in a gruff voice that tears at my heartstrings.

I freeze on the spot. That one word I never heard from him before, combined with him not wanting me near him, stomps on my chest, cutting off my air supply. Tears roll down my cheeks, coating my lips.

“Please, tell me what’s going on. How can I make this better?”

“Do you love me?”

Does he even need to ask?

“I love you,” I say, my tone edging into desperation. “I always have, and I always will.”

He throws the bottle at the wall. The glass shatters into small pieces that scatter over the tiles. Breaking down, he drops to his knees in front of me. Seeing him in the clutches of agony wrecks me. I kneel in front of him and hold him, rocking us both in an attempt to comfort him.

“Everything will be okay.”

“Nothing will ever be okay again,” he says, sounding defeated.

I help him stand, and we trudge our way up the stairs. He falls on my bed with a hiss. I join him quickly. Caressing his face, I kiss his temple and interlink our fingers. I squeeze them lightly, signaling I am here for him, wishing to take away from him whatever hurts.

He closes his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. “Tomorrow, I need you to say no.”

“What? Kaden, I don’t understand.”

“Prove to me you love me. Say no.”

When I wake up late, Kaden’s gone. A chill weaves through my bones at his absence, leaving me shivering. Wrapping the sheet around me, I pad downstairs, searching for him. A note lies on the table and my hope dies as I open it.

The monarch requires your presence at 11 am.

Dread kicks me into action. With no time for a shower, I change into an elegant cream knee-length dress and matching flats, then sweep my hair into a low ponytail and hurry out the door as the car pulls into the driveway.

I rub my sweat-slicked palms on my thighs and breathe in and out to calm my frayed nerves. The driver parks and opens the passenger door for me. With my pulse pounding a deafening beat, I climb inside.

A bout of dizziness hits me, but I push forward. I have to.

The drive up the hill is silent and passes in an instant before Thomas is leading me down a long hallway, my steps echoing––an ominous sound.

In her office, Grandmother sits in a silver and black velvet armchair like it’s her throne. “You have a choice to make. Kaden, or the Family.”

I sink back against the door, shaking my head. This can’t be happening.

“Your loyalty must be to me,” Grandmother says.

“But I am loyal.”

She waves me off. “Yes or no.”

Remembering Kaden’s request, I say, “No.”

Her harsh features emphasize the glint of malice in her eyes. “Stupid girl. He chose me.”

My heart flatlines in my chest, life draining out of me, leaving me barren.

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