Page 119 of Hexed
An icy chill runs down my spine because Iknow. I just know he’s doing this to punish me.
I watch with a sinking dread as Bastien presents the painting to Aria.
“Today, friends, is a momentous occasion,” Uncle T declares. “Because today is the day I pass it on to my pride and joy, theonlyone who’s deserving of such a sentimental and momentous item of our history: Aria.” He calls her over.
She leaves Enzo’s side and walks to her father, and my insides drop to the floor as she gives him a hug and then turns to the crowd, taking the microphone.
“Thank you, Daddy, for all your support in everything.” Her eyes scan the room and don’t stop moving until they find mine. And then she grins, victorious. “I know there are many people who claim to be ‘family’ who have had their eye on something so precious. But they don’t deserve it. It’stradition, after all.”
She turns to her father and grasps his hand before speaking into the microphone again. “It belongs with arealKingston. Even if I won’t technically carry the name for long.”
Laughter filters through the crowd, and she continues to speak, but I can’t hear her anymore, because the world has become muffled.
My vision blurs, and I reach out, grasping Athena’s shoulder to steady myself.
Uncle T watches me from the stage, knowingly, and I can feel the moment the last little strings of my loyalty shrivel and wither away until nothing but betrayal and hate sit in their place, heavy and dark.
“V, you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Athena reaches out to rest her hand on my arm, but I can barely feel her touch.
“Oh, shit,” Fisher says, his panicked eyes looking at me and then up at Aria.
I don’t know what to do.
My entire life has been focused on one thing. Making my uncle happy. But that trident painting, as silly as it may be, was my last connection to my momma, and while she may not have been a great one, she was stillmine.
If there’s one thing a man will do, it’s disappoint you.
And I shouldn’t have thought my uncle would be the exception.
Enzo excuses himself from being onstage and walks away. I track his movements, my heartbeat pounding in my ears, watching as he leaves the ballroom entirely. And after all these weeks, all these hours of torment holding myself back and trying like hell to be a good person, to not disappoint Uncle T by betraying Aria…I can’t find a single solitary fuck to give now.
So I follow him out of the room.
Because maybe it’s time I truly put myself first and go after the things thatIwant.
Starting with my cousin’s fiancé.
THIRTY-ONE
ENZO
I leftbecause I couldn’t stand up there for another second while Trent waxed poetic about his daughter and lauded us both.
And what was that whole thing with them being descendants of the Lost City of Atlantis and then presenting Aria with that family painting like it was a gift straight from God?
I don’t mind the painting. Idomind the way Venesa looked after Aria made those bullshit comments about being atrueKingston. But that’s probably because I’m hyperaware of Venesa in a way I’ve never been with anyone else.
And I can’t physically go through with this sham of a wedding, which means I have to either convince my father it isn’t the right choice, or I have to kill him and take over, which I’m not sure is even possible logistically…or what I want.
Regardless, after tonight, I’m going to be thrown back into the fire.
Back to reality. Back to the droll life that was mapped out for Peppino yet is being fulfilled by me.
Splashing water on my face in the bathroom, I chuckle.
God, I’m fucking pathetic.
I wash my hands and then exit, but right when I swing the door open, I’m slammed into, my body physically being pushed until it’s inside the small room.
