Twisted (Never After #4)(51)

She exhales, staring at me with wide eyes. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not.”

She lets out a sound, her hand flying up to her mouth to cover the noise. “So he’s okay?”

“Why wouldn’t he be?” I tilt my head.

“He’s been quiet, and I just thought…” She shakes her head. “Never mind. I’m glad you haven’t hurt him.”

I play with the underside of her ring, my chest tightening from the look on her face. I don’t enjoy the way she’s making me feel bad for her, like I should care. Like I should try to make it better.

It’s annoying, feeling like I need to be responsible for someone else’s emotions. I’m still trying to break free from my mother’s hold; the last thing I need is to add someone else to the mix.

My grip on her fingers tightens. “I told you that your time with me didn’t need to be miserable. There’s only one thing I want from you, and that’s you to be my wife in public. I don’t care if in private, you become his whore.”

The grateful look on her face drops and she rips her hand away, scoffing. “Fuck. You.”

Then she opens the door and walks inside, her footsteps strong and furious as she marches down the hall to find her father.





Chapter 21





Yasmin





Julian and I walk through the front entrance and I’m stewing. Again. I don’t know why I even tried to have a civil conversation with him.

“Put on a happy face, gattina, or I’ll give you something to really cry about.”

I glare over at him, wishing I could find the nearest sharp object and use it to stab him.

“I know what to do,” I bite out.

“Clearly.”

Smiling wide, I make sure to show all my teeth.

“Better,” he says.

“It’s because I’m imagining what it would feel like to kill you.”

He smirks, his hand coming to the small of my back as he pushes me forward and around the corner toward my father’s room.

I don’t see my father’s nurse Shaina in the hall before I’m slamming into her, my hands reaching out to steady myself and to keep us both from toppling to the ground.

“God, Yasmin, you scared me,” she pants, jumping back and hunching her lithe frame over to catch her breath.

“I’m so sorry, Shaina.” I can’t help but laugh, the adrenaline of the moment wearing off and making me loopy.

Shaina stands up straight again, smiling wide, beads of perspiration dripping down the sides of her forehead and making her skin shimmer.

“Are you okay?” I ask, tilting my head, concern worming through me.

Shaina nods, her eyes flicking from me to where Julian’s standing silently behind me. “I’m just fine. Your father had a fall, and he’s not the lightest man to pick up. Took my breath away and gave me exercise, though, so can’t complain too much.” My heart squeezes, and it must show on my face because she reaches out and grasps my hand in hers. “I know it’s hard to hear, sweetie. But it’s just the natural progression of things. Better to come to terms with it than keep trying to…”

Her voice trails off when her gaze focuses on the giant ring sitting like a beacon on my left hand, her mouth dropping in shock.

I force a small smile, feeling Julian’s ever-imposing stature come even closer to my back. “Is he up for company?” I ask, trying to keep things light even though internally, I’m screaming for her not to buy it.

For her to help me.

For someone to save me from this mess.

Shaina nods slowly, her eyes coming up to meet mine as she drops my hand. “I’m sure he’ll want to see you for something like this. That’s a beautiful ring.”

I swallow back the pain and allow the anger at Julian for not even allowing my father to be there when I officially got married to fill me up in its place. What’s the point of trying to trick him into thinking this is real if we eloped without him? Isn’t this whole thing to convince my father to give everything to Julian anyway? I don’t understand how pissing him off and excluding him will help that.

Although I had expected him to be much more upset at the fact that Julian and I were together at all, and instead, he surprised me with calm words and wisdom. So maybe I don’t know this new version of my father as well as I’d like to think.

“Where is he?” Julian asks.

Shaina doesn’t even spare him a glance, keeping her gaze locked on me before glancing behind her and then back. “He’s resting in his room.”

Nodding, I run my hand up her arm and bring her into a hug.

“Thank you for doing everything you do. I know it can’t be easy.”

“Please,” she replies, brushing me off and patting my back. “It’s what I’m here for.”

She lets me go and we smile at each other.

“Chop-chop, gattina. We don’t have all day,” Julian says at my back.

I inhale deeply, closing my eyes as I try to remain calm, because if I allow myself to get riled by him right before we go to see my dad, I might actually end up killing him. And that seems counterintuitive to proving that we’re in love.

Moving down the hall, I reach my father’s room first, knocking on his door and hearing a faint “Come in.”