Page 31 of Nevermore (A Cruel Love #1)

TWENTY-NINE

REIGN

It’s intense.

Everything about Santiago and I has been a rollercoaster.

After the pool the other night, things have taken on a kind of ferocity I wasn’t prepared for.

Santiago… He loves so passionately. More than I ever gave him credit for.

I never doubted his feelings for me but—fuck me—I also didn’t realize just how strongly he felt.

And the great part is that I feel the same too.

Intense doesn’t scare me. That overwhelming sense of being possessed, of having someone love you that much, is consuming. It’s everything I never knew I wanted.

Still, it is scary. I won’t say it isn’t. Falling this hard this quick isn’t something most people do. There’s flirting, then dating, then love. That’s how it works, doesn’t it? But I guess I’ve never actually experienced that either, so what do I know?

All I can say is that Santiago is dangerous to me. He’s taken over every part of my day, every thought I have, every dream. He’s become my life. My sole focus. My one and only love.

Fuck me, I’m only eighteen.

I shake my head as I walk out of the kitchen. My nervous hands tremble around my green juice, but I ignore them. Being in love is great. It’s everything. Santiago and I have an amazing future ahead of us and nothing is changing that.

“Reign. May I speak to you?”

I stop short at Emiliano’s thick accent.

Gulping, I turn slowly to face my stepdad.

He stands by the entrance to his office—regal just like his son—with an almost robotic sort of indifference.

He and I haven’t talked much these months.

Apart from our somewhat routine family dinners, he’s normally out with Mama or on business trips.

Stepfather and stepson bonding hasn’t been a priority for us.

Until now, apparently.

“Um, sure,” I croak out. He doesn’t say anything as he spins on his heels and walks into his office, and I follow hesitantly.

His office is cold and dark, like the rest of this house, and it suits what I’ve come to know is the way the Torres’ had lived their lives after the passing of Santiago’s mom.

He sits in a sleek black arm chair and gestures for me to take the seat across from him.

I do so, cringing at how uncomfortable it is.

We sit in an awkward silence for a bit as he takes his glass of some brown alcohol and swirls it around, staring at me.

“So,” I start clumsily, chuckling at literally nothing. “What’s up, Pops?”

We both wince at that and Emiliano clears his throat. “We haven’t had a chance to talk just the two of us… son.”

Yeah, this father/son thing isn’t going too well.

I scratch the back of my neck. “I guess not.”

“Any plans for your future?” he asks.

To this, I nod. “Yes, sir. Once the summer’s over, I plan on findin’ a job at a patch.”

“A patch?”

“Yeah, like at a land rig,” I explain. “I was thinkin’ it pays well and I can get out of your hair. Get my own place and stuff.”

He scrutinizes me but gives absolutely nothing away. “No college?”

“No...” I mumble, knowing that answer disappoints him.

“Why?”

“Um, I don’t need it?”

“Is that a statement or a question?”

Fuck me, just like father just like son.

My hands start to sweat because this has been a subject Santiago and I have actively ignored. It’s getting closer to the end of the summer and the time for him to prepare is coming.

I’ve tried to not give it too much thought.

It’s not that I don’t care, but it’s sad to think that we’ll be separated soon.

That’s something else we haven’t discussed—what’ll happen when he actually leaves for school.

I’ve been content to live in our little bubble, but Emiliano obviously wants to pop that right now.

“Statement,” I say only somewhat confidently. “I’m not a huge believer that you need a college degree to be successful.”

“But you’re rather intelligent, no?” he counters, taking a sip of his drink. “Your mother speaks highly of it. Valedictorian of your graduating class, 4.0 GPA, an eidetic memory?”

My face heats. “That’s right, sir.”

“So why wouldn’t you go to college?”

“I—” I shut my mouth because I don’t know what to say. College has never been an option. I’ve never been interested and, even if I was, it costs way too much to attend.

Emiliano must follow my train of thought because he sighs. “If it’s the money, I assure you I can handle that.”

Well, it is partly about the money, but my pride is big enough that I bristle at his offer. “No, thank you. That isn’t necessary.”

“You could even attend the same university as Santiago,” he states. “Wouldn’t you like that?”

That stops me. Of course I’d love to be with Santiago, but I know at the end of the day we can work out our distance. What has me frozen—spine stiff—is his tone. It’s almost suggestive, like he’s in the know. It’s unsettling because we haven’t been that obvious… have we?

I clear my throat as my hand tightens on my green juice. “I’ll think about it, sir.”

He’s obviously not pleased with my answer but nods regardless. He stands and I follow suit. He extends his hand and I reluctantly shake it. “Good talk, Reign.”

“Right,” I mumble, giving him a half-smile. I turn to walk to the door but I don’t make it even three steps before he’s stopping me again.

“You know Santiago has a very bright future ahead of him.”

“Sir?”

“A life of luxury, money, a brilliant job. He has everything he could ever want.” He stops, swirls his glass, and narrows his eyes imperceptibly. “And college is only going to show him that there are things he can live without.”

I cock my head. “I guess so?—”

“I understand that you’re not used to this—” he gestures around the room “—life. That’s fine. Santiago, however, was bred for it. That’s going to continue.”

All the color drains from my face. I nod but there’s a fuzziness in my ears as I leave the office. My green juice splashes around the edges of the glass and I rush to the kitchen to set it down.

Emiliano is right. I’m not an idiot and I know exactly what that was.

A reminder of exactly who I am.

It was so miniscule and that’s the part that hurts.

He didn’t actually say anything. I can’t believe all it took was one backhanded comment to have me spiraling like this.

But he’s right. Compared to Santiago, I’ve always known I was nothing.

Just a speck of dust in all his godliness. He’s perfect, he’s regal, he’s?—

“ Hola, querido .”

Strong warm hands bracket either side of me and there’s the familiar press of Santiago’s lips on the back of my neck.

I suck in a sharp breath but melt into him because I can’t help it.

He nuzzles the skin he just kissed and sighs.

“Mmm, I missed you. Next time I’ll tell Kingston he can fuck off with the pickup games. ”

“Don’t do that,” I chuckle nervously, lacing my fingers with his. “You gotta keep your skills sharp for college.”

I can feel his shrug. “You’re more important. Mi perfecto amor.”

Please, dear God, not the Spanish.

“Did I see you coming out of Father’s office?” he asks, finally spinning me.

I school my face quickly so he doesn’t see the absolute panic written all over it. I nod clumsily and smile. “Yeah, we were just chatting.”

“Chatting?” he deadpans. “My father doesn’t chat .”

“Just wanted to know what was up,” I lie, even though it hurts to do so. “It’s all good.”

He raises a brow and does the most endearing and annoying analysis that I’ve fallen in love with. When he finds nothing, he sighs. “Okay. Do you want to go out to dinner tonight? I want you to try escargot.”

I wrinkle my nose. “Ain’t those the smelly snails?”

“Yes.” His smile widens as he pecks the tip of my nose. “Come on, querido . Take a walk on the dark side for a bit.”

It’s a joke, but as he smacks a kiss to my cheek and walks away, the dark side is what I feel. Like I’m dragging him under everything he was born to be. Everything he was destined to be, just because I’m selfish enough to want him.

But, that’s the thing.

I’m also selfish enough to keep him.