Page 47 of Broken Truths

As soon as I step into the kitchen where I was reading the mail, Alaric hands me a small slip of paper. It’s handwritten in fancy cursive writing.

Dear Grandson,

I thought you’d like to be the first to know of your upcoming nuptials to Eden Astor. You wanted a chance to do better, but we both know you were lying. I’m looking forward to welcoming her into our family.

Franklin Jarvis

My hands turn to fists,crumpling the edges of the note before I throw it onto the counter. I peer up at Leo who’s not looking at me. He’s not looking at anyone, just staring at the floor with a gaze that would have ice sliding down my back if I was on the receiving end of it.

“It was on the floor,” Alaric explains. “We think it fell out when you pulled out the announcement. Here.” He hands me the envelope, and I now notice it is addressed to Eden Astor & Friends. The return address is Eden’s mom. I hadn’t even noticed. When James set the mail out for me, he’d already opened everything, and I didn’t look at who it was made out to. I just started reading.

“I’m going to kill him,” Leo finally states. All of the gruffness in his voice is gone, and he says it as plain as day. Like he’s already thought it over rationally and intends to follow through, despite the outcome.

Eden finally walks into the room, fully clothed in a t-shirt and sleep shorts.

She looks through everything, her mouth parting in surprise. “My mom. My mom was in on this.”

“We don’t know what he did to her to make her agree,” Leo rationalizes.

Eden shakes her head. “Probably nothing. He probably just gave her a better offer than the Forbeses.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t know what Franklin does to the new women in the family,” Alaric states.

Eden turns her steely gaze on him. “It certainly doesn’t fucking matter. She’s pimping me out.” She slams the envelope on the counter. “That’s all this is. Using me to fetch a good price or a good business move.”

Alaric leans against the counter, crossing his hands over his chest. “At least it’s to Leo. You…like him.”

“I can’t marry her!” Leo roars, twisting toward Alaric, taking his shoulders and shoving him back against the counter. “I won’t sacrifice her.”

“But you’re you,” Alaric snaps back, pushing Leo off him. “You won’t let anything happen to her. Just like the rest of us won’t. If these announcements have already gone out, it’s a done deal. Now the only thing you have to worry about is making sure your grandfather doesn’t fucking touch her. We’ll be right there with you. You don’t have to do it alone.”

As much as I hate to agree… “Listen, I think this is fucking bollocks, but Alaric has a point.”

“Traitor,” Eden grinds out, sending me a death glare. She peers at Alaric and me. “I’m with the big guy on this one. I’m not marrying him. I don’t care if the announcements have already gone out. No one decides my life but me.”

“Eden, they’ll make—”

“I said no!” she screams, then turns, escaping from the room.

Leo’s shoulders fall forward, more in despair than anything else. When I look into his face, all the anger is gone. I’m pretty sure Eden may have just broken his heart.

None of us say anything. Alaric keeps looking at the doorway Eden ran through with a quizzical expression. It becomes clear that neither of them has actually figured her out yet.

“You’re confused.”

“Yes,” Leo grunts. “She was coming on my dick the other day with the word husband on her lips. Now she acts like she wants nothing to do with me.”

“It’s your grandfather,” Alaric says. “She’s worried, and rightfully so.”

I shake my head. “You’re both wrong.”

They peer over at me. Part of me wants to shut my mouth and let them think whatever they want. It would make me look good, but we’re not all invested in this relationship because of ourselves. It’s for Eden. “It’s not that she doesn’t love you, you fool. It’s that the Eden Astor who ran away to California and did everything she could to distance herself from her family wants someone to love her for who she is. She wants to get married because someone got down on their knee and gave her an engagement ring and said the most caring words to her. She doesn’t want it forced on her like a fucking whore.”

“Oh,” Alaric’s mouth drops into an O. “That makes sense.”

“There’s still the problem of my grandfather,” Leo says.

“It’s like you haven’t noticed how brave she is,” I start. “If she loves someone, she doesn’t care what stands in her way. She’s not going to fuck your grandfather, but you’re mixing the two things, and they don’t need to be mixed. You not wanting to marry her for that reason is obviously sane, but if she got off on your cock like that, she’s clearly not opposed to the idea. She just wants it the way she wants it. Not with her mother pimping her out like she’s the only one left who can save her family.”

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