Page 78 of Ruthless Prince
I waved my hand. “Whatever. We used to get along. Suddenly we didn’t. That’s all I can tellyou.”
“Did you cheat on him?” Elizabeth asked, browspuckering.
“No,” I saidflatly.
“We won’t be angry if you tell us, sweetie. I know how capricious and reckless teenage girls can be. They’re just as bad as boys most of the time, all hopped-up onhormones.”
“I’m telling you, I have no idea what I did to make Logan hateme.”
Chuck’s brows rose. “We assumed you would know,” he said, rubbing his chin. “He never told us. All he ever said was that you knew exactly what youdid.”
I crossed my arms. “Well, I didn’t do anything. He’s just a crazy, psychopathic asshole. But hey, at least I know where he gets it fromnow.”
Chuck and Elizabeth smiled at that dig and shook their heads like I was a silly, misbehavingpet.
I stared up at them, wondering how it was possible for one family to be so fucked up. No wonder Chloe was such a bitch to me back in high school. She probably had to deal with this sort of shit all the time. In fact, despite her being such a colossal bully back then, she was probably still the most normal member of the Thornefamily.
“Eat up, sweetie,” Elizabeth said, holding the cupcake out to me. “I had this specially made for your birthday. There’s a little ‘21’ in white frosting on top.See?”
“Say thank you, Willow,” Chuck added, narrowing hiseyes.
“Thank you,” I muttered. I gingerly accepted the cake and nibbled at the frosting. I didn’t want to accept anything from these malicious lunatics, but I needed toeat.
Chuck and Elizabeth went silent as I finished the cupcake and picked up the sandwich. Once I started, I couldn’t stop, and I devoured the entire sub in twominutes.
“I knew she’d be hungry,” Chuck muttered to his wife as they watched me with fascination. It made me feel like some sort of zoo animal. “We need to speak to Logan. He can’t neglect her likethis.”
“I’ll talk to him about it,” Elizabethsaid.
“Good.” Chuck waved his hand at her as if she were merely a servant. “Go and get the otherthings.”
“Yes,darling.”
Elizabeth hurried out of the cell, heels clattering on the steps. She returned a few minutes later with another bag and a bucket of steamingwater.
“We know you have a lot to learn, so you might be stuck down here for a while, but we couldn’t just let you rot,” Chuck explained as his wife unpacked the bag. It contained a packet of wet wipes, a sponge, deodorant, mouthwash, two towels, liquid soap, a pale pink toothbrush, and a black cottonrobe.
Elizabeth rolled up her sleeves and tipped some of the sweet-smelling soap into the water. Then she grabbed the sponge and used it to stir the water until itfoamed.
“When we leave, you can wash yourself,” Chuck said, nodding toward the bucket. “Elizabeth will bring you fresh water and a new robe every day. We also ensured that the toilet in here flushes, despite its ascetic appearance. There’s a little chain behind it. Just pullthat.”
Thank god for small mercies, I guess,I thought, flattening my lips. I might be a prisoner in a dungeon that would make the Marquis De Sade cry with joy, but at least I didn’t have to suffer the added humiliation of having my waste sit in the porcelain bowl for days onend.
Elizabeth pulled her arm out of the bucket and held it in the air to dry. I squinted as I spotted something on her forearm. Three angry purplesplotches.
She noticed what I was looking at and hastily pulled her sleeve down to cover the bruises. I tried to catch her eye, but she averted her gaze and shot a wary glance at herhusband.
With a frown, I began to wonder just how complicit Elizabeth was in this horror show. She acted like everything was fine, but it was possible she was just acting because she was in a bad situation herself. For all I knew, she’d been forced into a loveless, abusive marriage with Chuck under the same circumstances I was currentlyexperiencing.
Frowning, I wondered how that could’ve happened. The Thornes were rich and influential, but the Hales were far superior in terms of wealth and power. What could the Thornes possibly have over the Hales that enabled them to force Elizabeth into an arranged marriage with one ofthem?
I kept trying to catch her attention, but she pointedly looked elsewhere, avoiding my inquisitive gaze. Eventually, I gave up. She was either ashamed or afraid—perhaps both—and she obviously didn’t want me to know anything about her situation, whatever it maybe.
“I suppose we should leave you to get cleaned up,” Chuck said, rising to his feet. “I hope you and Logan can find a way to overcome your issues with each other. Everything will be much better for youthen.”
“Yeah, I’ll be sure to consider that while he’s dangling me from a chain and tearing off my toenails with hot pincers,” I saidsarcastically.
He grinned. “You’re such a feisty little thing. Logan has his work cut out forhim.”
