Page 43 of Tarnished Embers
“Cinders?” Cas’s soft voice interrupts the maelstrom swirling inside me, and I look at him, away from my father’s signet ring in my palm, the only thing that he left me, blinking as if coming awake from a deep sleep.
“What are we going to do, Cas?” Tears fill my eyes, and I’m so fucking sick of crying, but I just feel so lost and unsure.
“It’ll be fine, Sugar,” Prince says from my other side, and I twist to see him crouching down, his face level with mine. “We’ll make sure nothing bad happens to you, okay?”
I slowly nod, but I just can’t see how he’s going to keep that promise. He and his brothers are as unprepared for the real world as I am. I suppose we could all get jobs somehow, move into a smaller place maybe, but somehow, I don’t think Odette would agree, and the idea of living with her in a place where I could run into her at any moment leaves me feeling uneasy.
My chest tightens at the thought of having to give up Goldsmiths. Getting my art degree has been the only thing to keep me going these past few years. I’m not sure who I am without it.
“Well.” Odette’s sharp tone makes me flinch, and I glance away from Prince to see that she’s standing in the doorway, having seen the solicitor out. “Looks like not only have I been made a widow again, but I’ve been saddled with another child to look after and no money to do it with.” My entire body goes ice-cold at her harsh words, at how I’ve gone from being loved to a burden.
“Odette!” Prince growls, springing up and striding towards her, his body bristling with anger. Odette rubs her face, all the tight anger draining from her and leaving her sagging against the doorframe.
“I–I’m sorry, Ember, honey. I didn’t mean it to sound like that. I just don’t know what we’re going to do. We’ll have to let go of all the staff, perhaps even move, and we’d only just got settled. I hardly know a soul here either, so have no one to turn to.”
“I can help around the house,” I offer quietly, and she looks at me, relief making her eyes shine.
“Oh, would you? It’ll be a lot to take on, but economies have to be made, and until I can work out if we can stay here or not, that would be such a help, Ember, honey.” She comes towards me, pulling me up out of my chair and into a hug. My arms are slow to wrap around her, the ring digging into my clenched fist, her earlier words still stinging like a paper cut, but eventually, I hug her back. “I’m sure I’ll think of something.”
The guys all freeze at that, a wary look passing between them behind her back, and my brows dip as I try to work out what it means. Before I can ask though, Odette pulls away, cupping my cheek in her palm, forcing my attention to her. Her hand is icy, and unlike when one of my stepbrothers does it, I don’t feel comforted by the touch.
“Why don’t you all go back to watching your film? I’ve some calls to make, and then I’ll have to let the staff know of their termination. It’ll be best if I do that without an audience.” She gives me a small smile, then releases me to walk around the desk and sit in my father’s chair.
Not his anymore.
CHAPTERTWENTY
“LOST IT ALL” BY JILL ANDREWS
ODETTE
“Prince, darling. A word.”
My son, the only one of them who is my blood, pauses. Then with a knot in the back of his jaw, he ushers the others out before closing the door behind them. I see the flash of a scowl on his handsome face when he turns to face me, a face that’s served me and the rest of our ragtag family well so many times before. I’ve been lucky that all my stepchildren, even the newest, are all fantastic-looking.
“Yes, Odette?” His tone is wary, his beautiful face now a blank mask, and it irks me.
I sigh. “Why do you never call me mother? I gave birth to you after all.” The lines around his eyes tighten, his upper lip curling ever so slightly, and I smile at the loss of control. He rarely lets me see this much, which just shows that my plan of using the girl is working. She’s making him, and the others if I’m not mistaken, feel much more than they have in years. I’d noticed how they’d just shut off in recent years, not to mention the restlessness I felt from all of them. I needed a means of control, and that pretty little bitch is proving to do nicely.
“We both know that you gave up the right to that title long ago,Odette.” His words are meant to cut, but I stopped feeling pain around the time that his father walked out on us, leaving me to care for a small child with no money or a way to provide for him, but I managed. I always do.
“You understand that this means we will need to host a party soon. You’ll need to get the others ready.” My pulse quickens, the idea of what I can make in one night leaving me a little breathless. Especially if my delightful stepdaughter gets involved.
His jaw works, and I raise a brow. “We won’t do it. Not now that we’re with Ember.”
“Oh really? And does she know about the number of men and women you’ve all slept with? About the parties and how you all took part with very little prompting, desperate to get your dicks wet?” His nostrils flare, his fists clenching, but it’s all the answer I need. “I didn’t think so. Plus, I would have thought that you’d prefer it to be you boys as the chief attraction.”
His eyes narrow, and I bite the inside of my cheek to stop the smile from spreading across my lips. This has worked better than I ever dared hope.
“What the fuck do you mean?” he seethes, taking a step closer as if to intimidate me. It doesn’t work though. I’ve got too much on him and his brothers to comprehend fear around them.
“Such foul language, son. I know that the women you take like you to mistreat them, but I am not among them, so I’d appreciate it if you watched your tongue.” His posture is stiff, his muscles rigid, and the heady rush of power I feel at having him, having them all at my command is enough to brighten my day.
“Apologies, Odette.” He takes an inhale, slowly pushing the breath out through his nostrils. He doesn’t mean it, I know he doesn’t, but frankly, I don’t care as long as he does as he’s told, just like always. “What do you mean by us being the chief attraction?”
“Oh, that.” I wave my hand like it’s of no consequence. “Well, people will pay handsomely for a young filly. Especially if she’s unwilling.” His face drains of colour, and this time I let some of my smile show through. “I’m so glad we understand each other. It benefits all of us after all. You wouldn’t want your dear little sister to give up her dreams of art college to work in McDonald’s, would you? Never mind the trauma that the other experience might have on her.”
He’s silent, his fists clenched so tightly by his sides that his knuckles have gone white.