I weep.
I wait.
Searching for answers; coming up empty.
The song fades out.
The bluetooth chimes again as he disconnects.
And then there is only silence in the room. But my mind — oh, my mind is roaring so loud with questions, I know there’s not a chance in hell I’ll be sleeping tonight.
What game are you playing, Carter?
Chapter Eighteen
I’m goingto throw up.
Coronation Day has officially arrived and, with it, nausea like nothing I’ve ever felt before. I stand in my bedroom, strapped into a corset. It’s cinched so tight I can hardly breathe, let alone eat.
Probably for the best. I’d hate to vomit in front of dignitaries from twelve neighboring countries, plus everyone with a title in all of Germanian society.
The buzzing of my phone is a welcome distraction. I walk over to the nightstand and feel my face go pale when the screen flashes the word HOME. Someone is calling from my landline, at the house in Hawthorne. The house no one except me has a key for.
My fingers shake as I press a button to accept the call.
“Hello?”
“Ems — please don’t hang up.”
I sigh. “Owen, I asked for space…”
“Please!” He sounds desperate. “If you never speak to me again after this, that’s fine. But I need you to hear me out right now. Can you do that?”
“Did you break into my house to call me?”
There’s a pause.
“Oh my god, you did! What the fuck, Owen?”
“You wouldn’t take my calls,” he snaps. “I had no choice.”
“The choice was togive me space, like I asked for. You know, after you told the entire world about my identity and ruined my life. Remember that?”
“Ems…” The sadness in his voice claws at the steel wall I erected around my heart the day he betrayed me. “I know it’s not an excuse, but that day… Look, I’m not proud of it. I’d been drinking. I was upset. God, you’re the most important person in my life and I could feel you slipping away, and… it fucking terrified me. I lost it.”
“That doesn’t justify what you did.” My voice gets small. “You say I’m the most important person in your life, that I’m your best friend… but those are just words. If you don’t have the actions to back them up…”
“I’m sorry, Ems. I’m so fucking sorry. You don’t understand—”
“I do understand! I do.” My throat feels clogged. “But you’re supposed to be the one who protects me. Instead, you hurt me worse than anyone.”
“If you’ll just hear me out, I swear I’ll make it right—”
“I’m hanging up, now, Owen.”
“NO!” His roar is so loud, I flinch back from the phone. “I need you to listen. I don’t have a lot of time. Look, things may already be in motion and I’m not sure if I can stop them.”
“What are you talking about?”