“You have twenty minutes before I kick you out if it’s not good enough. Sydney, could you kindly make some tea? We’ll be in the sitting room.”
Sydney steps out of the way, and I follow Royce into an adjoining room. I don’t bother looking around—it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. All the houses are the same. Always dripping with items that cost too much and are too soon forgotten.
Royce heads directly for the couch and sits, gesturing for me to do the same. Now that it’s just the two of us, I can start to grovel and find a way out of this mess.
“Eli’s the reason I left home. He came out to my parents a week before he was taken. My father was abhorrent and disowned Eli until he became ‘ungay.’” The words rush out of my mouth.
The sickness I felt when my father spat those words at Eli comes back to the surface, and I have to grip the cushions to not scream.
“I knew he was kidnapped, but I always thought something went wrong. I didn’t know about what your father did.”
“It’s why he didn’t pay the ransom.”
Royce’s face turns a bright shade of red, and my scalp starts to tingle. I never want him to look at me this way. He may be the polo-wearing, khaki’s-creased-down-the-middle golden boy, but there is something dark in his eyes.
“I understand why you left. I wouldn’t be able to be around that, either. It’s hard to be around my parents and think about what they did to Tilly. That’s why I’m moving to Sunnyville. I’m not at peace in L.A. anymore.”
“When I came back looking for Bliss, my father and I got into an altercation. It’s been a long time coming. My mother didn’t take it so well.”
“What a dick.”
“He also needed reminding that my grandfather left everything to Eli and I. I can cut him off from the family money if I choose to.”
Royce laughs, clapping his hands together. “That’s the perfect way to shut him up. He was always an asshole when we had parents’ weekend at Winston.”
“That’s why it took me so long to come here. When I went after Bliss at the gala, I didn’t think I wouldn’t have time to explain everything to her. Marissa took that from me. All I want is a chance to explain.”
He considers me for a moment. I can’t imagine what Bliss has gone through these last couple of days. All I want to do is hold her and take the pain away, even if I’m the one who caused it.
“You really hurt her. Bliss isn’t the type to get emotional over some guy, especially not recently. She loves hard, and when it goes away, it destroys her.”
“If I could take it all back I would. I’d give anything to apologize and make it up to her. I love her.”
He sighs and gets up from the couch. “Wait here. I’ll ask her if she wants to see you, but if she says no, I want you to respect that. It’s up to her.”
“I understand.”
He leaves just as Sydney comes in with the tea. I take one look at the scotch next to the teapot and pour myself a glass. I need something to calm my nerves. What if Bliss doesn’t want to see me? Can I leave it all, let go of what we had and forget her? Not likely.
Taking a sip of the amber liquid, I settle back in my seat and wait. Only time will tell if my fate has been sealed. I send a quick message up to whoever is listening to give me one more chance.
BLISS
The doorbell rings as I’m walking into the library. I stop in the hall, curious to see who it is. When I hear Carson’s voice, it’s like the last two days didn’t happen. My whole body turns to mush, and I blush. Luckily, there’s no one around me to see my flushed face.
But I can’t let him see me like this. I can’t give in. He knew who I was the entire time, and he judged me. It’s something my parents would do.
Royce’s voice sounds harsh as I lean over the balcony to listen to their conversation. Am I too good for eavesdropping? Nope.
When Royce moves them to the sitting room, I sneak down the stairs to hear better. The sitting room is right off the stairs, so I don’t miss too much of the conversation.
“If I could take it all back, I would. I’d give anything to apologize and make it up to her. I love her,” Carson says.
My heart stops. Did he just say he loves me? Holy shit! Time freezes until I hear footsteps approaching. Sydney is coming from the kitchen.
I dodge past the door and run to the back of the house. I go up the servants’ stairs and down the second-floor hallway to my room. Throwing open the door, I sit at my desk and try to act busy.
“There you are,” Royce says, scrutinizing my disheveled appearance.
“Yup, here I am. What’s up?”
“Carson is here. I told him it’s your decision if you want to see him. I can kick him out and tell him never to come back. It’s your choice.” He runs his fingers through his hair, scratching his scalp. “But I think you should hear him out.”
“I don’t know if I can. He really hurt me, Royce. I’m not ready for another breakup.”
“Is he worth it? Before all this happened when you saw him at the gala and he came for you, would you have left with him? Gone back to Bordentown? Because if it was yes, then you should listen. If it was a no, then I’ll make him leave.”
I worry my lip and try to decide what to do. What would the old Bliss do? She’d weigh the facts and find a way through the problem.
“You’re right. I should let
