Page 80 of Tempt Me
Rue nods, a fire burning behind her dark eyes. "Okay, I have something that might persuade her, but I need time to figure out the best way forward."
Stroking her hair, heartened by her conviction, I murmur. "Take all the time you need, Rue. I'll be here waiting for you."
As she rises from the bed, my mind races with the possibilities of what Rue could say to her grandmother. The matriarch of the Arachon family is known for being ruthless, making me wonder if Rue has truly thought this through. But then again, I trust her with everything in me.
"You should go now. I'll see you soon," Rue says, pressing a soft kiss to my lips before slipping into the bathroom.
Left alone, my thoughts turn to what our future might look like together. The questions are endless and unbearable.
But then, I remind myself of something I've never truly believed in until meeting Rue: love is worth any obstacle.
Determined not to let fear consume me, I slip out of her bed, disappear into my room, through the connecting door, and head straight for the shower. Standing under the jets, moments later, the memories of taking Rue last night cascade around me like a waterfall, and my breath hitches, taking me completely by surprise.
Growing up, I never had the love of a parent, and as a young adult, all I had was sex and violence to see me through the long nights. Some of my worst days were when I wondered if I would ever find that person I could be myself around, who would seemeand not what I could give them or do for them. I never imagined it could be someone like Rue Di'Castello. It doesn't seem real, but at the same time so incredibly tangible, it takes me aback. Placing my hand on the cold tile to steady my shaking body, I exhale slowly, wondering how much sacrifice Rue is going to have to make to be with me, wishing it was mine to make so she doesn't have to.
All I know is that the future may be uncertain, but together, we are unstoppable.
Chapter45
Rue
Staring down at the crimson stain on the otherwise pristine white porcelain, I choke back a sob. The realization washes over me like a tidal wave: I am not pregnant. The sense of loss for something I never had is a weight on my chest, but there is also the slight relief that sneaks in and makes me feel worse. A tear slides down my cheek as I grab the box of tampons and reach out to flush away the bitter sight that is taunting me.
My heart races in my chest as relief and devastation battle for dominance within me, but the one thing that pops out at me in horrific clarity is that my ace has vanished. My breath comes in short gasps, and I force myself to inhale deeper, trying to find some semblance of control amidst the whirlwind of emotions.
My hands tremble as I try to process the news. My heart races, thundering in my chest, and a lump forms in my throat, making it difficult to swallow. I knew that if Nana Ellie knew about the baby, she wouldn't have been able to slaughter Isaac to get him out of the way, and she would've had to face facts. It's a terrible way to see this, but she is as archaic as they come. Traditional and conservative, this scandal would've horrified her, but she would've had to take action. Without the baby, we are sunk. I can't go to her and say, "Hey, Nana, me and my bodyguard are in love, and fuck you and your plans. We're getting married."
It just won't fly.
My life has never been my own.
Never.
For as long as I've been alive, I've been the source of someone's agenda. Being the heir to the throne has always been a noose around my neck as far as I'm concerned, but I've pushed it under the rug because it's years away, and becoming Queen wasn't something I had to think about yet. I still don't. But everyone around me has groomed me for that day. Solitaire has consumed my adult life, but again, as the heir to my parents' thrones. If they are planning what I think they're planning, that might come up sooner than expected.Ifthe Don allows me to live, which I'm sad to say, is extremely doubtful.
The thing my entire plan was hinged on has been lost, and now I have to rethink everything, and fast.
Nana Ellie is coming to Coe Bay on a state visit next week. Next fucking week, I've got nothing in my arsenal that I can go to her with. Nothing at all.
Until I do.
The idea crashes into my head like a bat out of hell. The same idea I had back on the island.
It means giving up everything, but as I stand in the middle of the bathroom, steam floating around me from the hot shower I turned on ages ago, I know I don't give a fuck. Isaac is the only thing that matters to me. Giving up the throne, giving up Solitaire, even after everything I've worked for, will be worth it for us to be left alone to move forward with our lives.
The decision settles on my shoulders heavily. I can't tell Isaac about this yet. He will try to convince me otherwise, but he won't understand. He can't. His life is simpler than mine, and he's lived more years than me. He's at the stage in his life where fighting for a woman is probably the last thing he wants to do. He's along for the ride now, but when things get rough, and they will, is he going to stick around or jump ship to have an easier life? I wouldn't even blame him if he did.
One thing is for sure, this decision is dangerous. My parents and grandmother, most significantly, won't take this hit well. They will fight, and it will be dirty and a living hell, but it will all be worth it to be free.
But free where?
Isaac's cabin in the mountains is a good start. I know it's not one that belongs to my parents.
Forcing myself to move, to climb into the shower, I let the water beat down on my head, drenching me as I stand there and plan.
Running away is my only option.
It feels ridiculous as an adult to say that, but it really is. The constraints of my life are too tight, too much. I don't want them anymore.
