Page 66 of Destruction of Two
“Heaven.” My mother’s eyes shine with a love that feels lost and hopeless. Because in many ways, Heaven’s my father’s walking replica. Her coldness seeps into the room. Even with our mother. “Be careful here.”
“I am, mother.”
“I know. I just… I worry. I always worry about you.”
They stare at one another with too much difference separating them. Heaven pushes a small smile to her painted black lips, and it settles the nun’s nerves.
She tries.
Kind of.
“Izara!” A happy voice interrupts the awkwardness and when my attention finds a man in jeans and a black button down beaming at Izzy.
Her father.
The vampire across from me eyes Izzy’s father with new interest. When Izzy throws her arms around the man, I notice another visitor lingering behind them.
Fucking Shade.
His weird colored gaze twinkles with a smile and he watches Izzy and her dad just as closely as my own father is.
What is with him? I don’t trust him. I don’t fucking like him and that only fuels my distrust.
Izzy pulls back from her dad with a little smile touching her lips but it feels different than it once did. Her happiness is muted now and I don’t understand why.
“Professor Shade was kind enough to help me search for you. We wandered to your dorm, but you weren’t there.” Her dad says all that while peering sceptically from one dangerous Prod to the next.
He looks tense but all I can focus on is why Professor Shade told Izzy exactly where to go but lead her father away from here to begin with…
Fucking Professor Slim Shady is getting more and more under my skin every day.
There’s a gnawing feeling that crawls through me when my father’s attention settles fully on the Professor. His head tilts and the silent words that seem to pass between them is enough to make me want to gather everyone I care about in this room and hide them away from the two men locked in a gaze right now.
“ProfessorShade?” The steady tone isn’t confused. My father is never confused. Because he will pick apart every person’s history in this room in a matter of seconds once he leaves.
Neither of them say more. Shade smiles a charming smile and then brushes his hand along my girlfriend’s arm like a slithering snake about to strike.
“We can finish our lesson later, Izara.”
My nails bite into my palm and I’ve very aware he didn’t call her Miss Castillo as every other professor here does.
She nods and then he’s gone.
And I’m still trying to figure out what the fuck is happening in my life.
“Heaven, walk me to the gates. I’d like to speak with you about a few things the Citadel has heard about recently.” My father’s gaze is still fixated on someone else rather than my twin. “Matilda.” His voice wavers in a hinting way. If love exists somewhere in my father, it’s for this nun. Even if he’ll never admit it.
“Please call me Sister Tilly, Tyrine.” She’s reminded him of that for as long as I can remember. It’s her way of kicking him in the balls and holding over his head what he did to a woman of God.
There’s a shine in my father’s cruel gaze that looks both amused and vacant all at the same time. It’s as close to sentimental as I’ve ever seen him.
Before he leaves, he extends his palm to my mother. She smiles softly, her pulse drilling despite the facade of calmness she always presents. When they shake, the vampire pulls hard at her hand, bringing her close with a surprised gasp tearing from her throat.
Panic slams through the room. Izzy is already striding toward them. Malek stands abruptly. Phoenix shoves Syko out of the way and rushes forward. But my father simply smiles, bows over her hand, and kisses her pale knuckles slowly.
Jesus fucking christ.
“Always apleasure, Matilda.” The emphasis on pleasure makes that bile in my stomach crawl up my throat as disturbing parental images fill my head.
