Page 101 of His Prince

“He won’t hurt me,” I lie.

“I’m sure his wife thought the same thing.”

I let that comment stew while I cling to my brother. I don’t want him to leave me here, but I also don’t want to deal with my dad’s wrath if he finds out about Mikhail and my marriage dissolving.

How did he not know about Mikhail’s wife? Was this covered up? Hidden from everyone?

I don’t know, but I have so many questions.

So fucking many.

And I don’t know when I’ll have them answered, if ever.

Sometime in the middle of the night, I fall asleep, and when I wake up the next morning, Skylar is gone and I’m pressed against my twin, his arms around me as I try to stifle my dread. I haveto pretend everything is okay. I have to fake it until my dad and Tatum leave because I don’t want them involved. Not yet.

I don’t want a war to start between our houses. I just want this to end as peacefully as possible.

“Let someone else make breakfast,” Diablo says when I start to get out of bed. “You’re too nice to those bastards. They all knew the truth and didn’t tell you.”

I considered this too and it breaks my heart. I’ve been so good to them, all of them. I’ve tried to make this place my home, make them my family, and they all betrayed me. They kept a huge secret from me and now I’m torn to pieces.

I don’t even want to get out of bed.

I’m so depressed it hurts to move.

“Or I can make breakfast and poison all of them,” Diablo murmurs.

“I’ve made it,” Skylar says as he enters the room with a cup of tea for me. “You rest.”

Diablo smirks at him and then asks, “Where’s my tea?”

“Get your own, demon.”

Diablo laughs and then forces me to sit up so I can drink, and then Skylar disappears only to return with a plate of breakfast a moment later.

“French toast and strawberries,” he says, and I can’t help it. I start to weep.

Diablo is so lucky. So lucky to have found someone like this, and here I am, desperate for it and I have nothing.

I cry into my breakfast, hiccupping so badly that I grow nauseous. I don’t even get to enjoy the beautiful breakfast that Skylar made me. I just force it down and then make myself smile because if I don’t, I’ll cry again. And I don’t want my dad to find me like this. He can’t see me like this.

“They’re not up yet,” Skylar reassures me. “Tatum has insisted on Anthony sleeping in.”

Diablo snorts and then waggles his eyebrows, trying to make melaugh. “We know what that means. Now Angel, get up, wash your face, and make that man regret ever fucking you over.”

“Please don’t stab him again.”

“I make no promises. I would enjoy cutting him apart.”

“I know, Diablo, but please don’t.”

“Fine, but I’m not happy about it. You’re crushing my dreams, really.”

I hug him tightly, sniffling into his shoulder and then making my way to the bathroom where I scrub at my teeth, shower, and put eyedrops into my eyes so they’re not as red before making my way out of the bedroom.

Everyone is in the kitchen, waiting around, staring at Teddy in confusion as he washes the dishes in the small floral apron I usually wear. Mikhail is nowhere to be seen.

Good. I don’t want to see him.

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