Page 148 of Burning Daylight

I rear back, all of my conversations over the past however many days coming to light. “Why do you say that? Is my dad trying tokillhim?”

Beverly’s mouth drops open, and her eyes widen. “What? No, because Marcus Montgomery is dying.”

Shock hits me like a windstorm. “What do you mean, he’s dying?”

“Never mind. I don’t know much.”

“Bevie, please. I want to hear it. Don’t leave me in the dark the way everyone else does.”

She licks her lips and then nods. “Marcus has stage-four cancer. He’s… Well, he’s not going to be around very much longer.”

I try to slot together the new information, but it feels like square pieces being forced into round holes. “How do you know that?”

She shrugs, but she won’t meet my gaze. “The help usually knows everything. People like to talk as though we don’t have eyes to see or ears to hear.”

Guilt hits me in the stomach. I hate that she’s treated that way.

“Makes sense, don’t you think?” she adds. “His son coming back just in time to take over his legacy.”

“What if his son doesn’t want his legacy?” I ask. “He just has no choice? Does Roman know?”

Beverly’s chin lifts, a knowing glint coasting across her face. “These are questions better asked of someone else, I think.”

I snap my mouth shut, my insides swirling like a maelstrom.

“Do you love him?” she asks.

“What?”

“It’s a simple question.” She picks a piece of lint off her shoulder. “Do you love him? Would you renounce your family for him? Do whatever needs to be done in order to keep him?”

My throat feels thick, my fingers wringing together. “Yes.”

It’s the first time I’ve admitted it. And it feels…lighter than I thought it would.

“Love doesn’t survive in the dark, Juliette. It demands for you to step into the light.” She looks at me, her eyes sharp.

I swallow. “What does that mean?”

“It means if you ever want to see the morning, you have to forsake the night.”

I lift a brow, my chest heavy. “And the night in this scenario is my family?”

Beverly laughs. “Your family ismidnight, Juliette.”

“Have you ever loved anyone like that?” I ask. I don’t know why the question pours out of me. Maybe because I’m desperate to have someone to relate to, or maybe I just want help making sense of how I feel inside.

She pauses, hesitating before she says, “I have.”

Obviously, whoever it was is long gone now. Otherwise, why would she have been here all these years?

“I hope you know, Juliette, that I amalwayson your side. No matter where you go. My loyalty will always be to you.”

I smile softly. “Even if I end upforsaking midnight?”

She pats my leg and stands up. “Especially then.”

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