Page 23 of Vengeful Queen

“Thanks.”

“You know, if I had those three men chasing after me, I’d make sure I held onto one.” Raine goes back to her canvas, and I sit on a bench across from the theater beside an older woman. I steal curious glances, deciding that the woman is probably in her forties only because of the way she styles her short brown hair. She’s slim, with a perfect profile, and could be a professor. Except professors don’t wear fur coats. I should feel safe sitting next to her, but something is off.

“Excuse me, are you Charlotte Howland?” she asks out of nowhere.

Fuck. Is she a reporter? She senses my reluctance to answer her.

“I recognize you.” She points at me as if she’s just discovered an exotic animal she’s only seen in a book.

“I don’t recognize you,” I reply dryly. “Are you a student?” I didn’t say it to be nice, and mentally, I tell old Charlotte to retract her claws, but the woman isn’t offended.

“The trolls are disgusting.” She shakes her head. “I know I didn’t receive the same grief you’ve gotten. Thankfully, social media wasn’t the shitfest it is now.” She glances toward the theater doors.

“Nice talking to you.” I start to leave, but rudely, she catches my elbow.

“My son goes here,” she says cheerfully. “His name is Jaxon, and mine is Crystal.”

I sit back down heavily, staring at her as if I can see into his past. “We are friends,” I reply stiffly.

She laughs with a smirk on her face. “I’m glad to hear he’s making friends. I was worried. He keeps to himself a lot.”

I don’t say anything. It doesn’t sound like the Jaxon I know. She goes on to describe a person in a way that I can’t imagine. A boy that is troubled and withdrawn, bad at school, and worse at making friends. It’s off-putting the way she instantly confides in a stranger. A TMI moment that I hope for his sake she will never repeat.

“He was shaken up by our own family scandal.” She stops speaking as Jaxon stops in front of us.

His eyes narrow as he speaks. “What are you doing here?”

I jump up, thinking Jaxon is speaking to me, but his hard gaze is on his mother.

CHAPTER 11

Jaxon

I blurt out the question rudely.

I don’t need this. Crystal couldn’t reach me on the phone, so she came here to make drama. My mood is rock-bottom. After a lot of hard work, I lost the lead to some guy who can sing but not act. There’s no good excuse for it. He’s stiff and looks as if he’s forgotten why he’s onstage. I know I made fun of the play—a rock version of Phantom—but I gradually got into it. And with Alpha gone, I have plenty of free time to focus on my music. This day is going from zero to shit. Alpha, the stalker, the play, and now, my mother.

I repeat myself with emphasis. “Why the fuck are you here?”

Crystal laughs as if it’s a game and the way we always greet one another. She stands and moves toward me. I take a quick step back, lifting my arms to avoid her lips.

“You didn’t answer me,” I challenge her.

“You didn’t return my calls after you left the hospital. And I do worry. College Hill isn’t far from home. I drove from Boston to come see if you were still alive.”

I wince at her words. Is she disappointed that I survived? That I’m still between her and my father’s estate? Crystal touches my forearm, and I jerk away and recall Charlotte is standing beside us.

She looks at me awkwardly and then at Crystal. “I’m going back to the dorm.”

“I’ll walk you. Just give me a second.”

Charlotte walks toward the steps and avoids looking at us while the two girls painting the backdrops glance over. I notice the odd look they exchange. Obviously, they heard how I spoke to Crystal, my mother. They have no idea that she deserves it, but I lower my voice anyway. Crystal smiles at the girls as if my bad behavior is a cross she continually carries on her back. She likes to play that game. She likes to pretend I have no good reason to be angry with her.

“So that’s the heiress?” she says. “Her photos do her a disservice. Are you good friends with her?”

I scoff. “My life is none of your business.”

Crystal shakes her head. “I have a duty to check up on you until you reach twenty-one. Those are the terms of the trust.” She smiles. “Are you pretending to be poor again?”