Page 25 of Royal Havoc

She shrugs, side-eyeing me. “He was one of the shadows by the fire. She’s a bitch. That’s the most important detail. Watch out for her and her groupie.”

“But… I thought you said she was going somewhere?” Confusion threatens to make my brain hurt.

Once we’re through the patch of trees. “Don’t worry, you’ll figure it out soon enough. Just keep an eye on her,” she warns, turning to stroll up what I assume is her driveway.

We part ways, and I’m instantly lost in my head, trying to sear the few facts she’s given me to memory. In my opinion, tonight’s outing was a total waste of energy. Her boyfriend –I could think of a better description– wasn’t worth chasing down. Lap catchers like him are only useful for attracting trash. So really, all I gained was a tiny glimpse at the players of the epic shit show these next three months are going to be.

As soon as I enter the cottage, the alarm beeps, and I hurry to reset it. As I step inside, unanswered questions from earlier plague me.

Who filled this place up? And when?

I left the light over the kitchen sink on because I hate being met by complete darkness. Before I’m able to turn into the living room, everything comes to a screeching halt when I notice the vase of purple tulips waiting for me in the middle of the kitchen table. Anger hacks away at my insides the longer I stare.

That motherfucker was in here snooping around!

It’s already 11 p.m., I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to confront his ass at dinner. I make a mental note to contact Nolan once my eyes are open in the morning to ask him about my privacy rights. Storming through the house to the bedroom, anger filling my veins with tiny bubbles racing through my heated blood.

By the time I finish my nightly skin care routine and change into something cozy to warm my freezing bones, I feel much calmer. I'm still annoyed, but I hope I’ll be able to sleep. The past few days have really taken a toll on my exhausted brain.

The huge king bed calls to me, dipping under my weight when I tuck myself under the comforter in the center. Fatigue from the past week settles over me, pressing on my eyes. The silence hovering around me is too loud, reminding me I’m completely alone in this shitty world. Sadness fills me, clogging my throat threatening to suffocate me if I don’t swallow it.

Acceptance is a hard bitch to choke down.

Chaotic thoughts swirl, pulling everything I’ve managed to avoid for years back. All my insecurities and fears cling to me like a magnet, clustered in neat little piles waiting to be sifted through.

Finding out I was being forced to leave the onlyhomeI’ve ever known fractured my heart. Just the thought has tears welling behind my heavy lids.

Tears leak from the corners of my eyes, soaking my pillow as memories start to play like they have every night since it happened. Shutting out the world brings the vivid images to life, reminding me of the last time Mom and I were together …

You’re nothing but a dark cloud of disgrace. I told him you were broken. He saidIwas the crazy one.

Insults thrash at me like twisters, beating against my scarred insides, ripping away the mangled flesh. It’s a never-ending loop of chaos sucking at my sanity until I fear I’ll lose myself completely.

Sleep evades me as it has for so many nights recently. I crawl from my cocoon in need of a numbing distraction to calm the frantic thoughts jittering my insides. For some off-the-wall reason, the thick carpet squishing under my steps reminds me where I am. Which has me obsessing about Mr. Are-You-A-Thief? Mr. I-Couldn’t-Come-To-The-Hospital. The same piece of shit I learned recently had to be forced to show his face at the funeral.

My chatty thoughts melt to anger, almost causing me to spill the box of tampons. Once I locate one holding a joint, I light up. Smoke trails behind me on my way to the kitchen to grab a water.

The purple tulips silently taunt me, provoking more ugly thoughts to congregate. This asshole hasn’t bothered to claim his child in years. But now that he has to take me in for a few months, he wants to suddenly act like a parent? Throwing out orders about dinner and bedtimes? Invadingmyprivate space to leave… what? A peace offering? He can shove hispeaceup his ass! He doesn’t know shit about me.

Someone knows something about you.

The silent reminder haunts me as I stroll back to the bathroom, seeking out the chapstick lying on the counter. Hypnotized by the small tube, I blink, realizing I’ve tapped out the joint and shoved it back into the empty plug.

Shaking off the last few seconds as I storm across the room, snatching a throw blanket along the way, before plopping my sleep-deprived ass on the bench by the picture window. Praying for the hate consuming me to subside.

At this rate, I feel like a borderline insomniac.

The moon’s rays light the frosty ground surrounding the tree. Snippets slither to the surface, drawing memories from the scene before me. All of which I’d shoved away years ago.

The wind gusts, pushing the swing from its hiding place behind the weeping branches, conjuring a different hate I’ve suffocated for years. Vexen Carver, the soul-crushing devil who pretended to be my best friend. Then BAM!! It's like he kept me around as his personal toy to torment.

He’s the biggest reason I hate this town. The reason I blocked this shit hole out. The one person that had better stay out of my way.

He thinks he can hurt me, but I'm ready to call his bluff this time.

Resting my head on the wall, willing my cranky emotions to settle enough for me to get some sleep. The swing moves again, drawing my attention. Chills flutter over me, setting me on edge, fear suddenly clogging my pores. My breath catches in my lungs, noticing a shadow moving over the frosted ground. Panic consumes me, and for a split second, I’m paralyzed, wishing I was in the main house instead of feeling like a sitting duck in the back of the grounds beside the river.

Would anyone hear me scream?

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