Page 138 of Restitution

I snort. “Fuck off.”

Ewan and Dez walk in, both looking as tired as all of us.

“Your mother got a call that her patient just got married. Ivy Dermot? Tied the knot in Cyprus this morning.”

“I didn’t know she was getting married.

I met Ivy once when my mother won her tenth award for discovering treatments for rare genetic diseases. She’s the reason my parents met. Dad was my mum’s assistant on her case in America, and they both worked with her when she was a kid.

I guess that was before my dad went off the rails.

“The new treatment she’s on is really helping with her mobility. Aria was invited to the wedding, but obviously with everything going on, she couldn’t attend. Ivy’s new husband read out a poem she wrote when she gained the ability to write at sixteen, and it was about your mum.”

I feel bad she couldn’t go. “She would have loved that.”

“She cried. Then opened a bottle of wine, so I told her I’d give her some peace and see what needed to be done around the manor.”

“I’ll go see Mum later then,” I say, leaning my elbows on the counter. “When’s the next shift change?”

“In an hour,” Base replies, glancing at his phone. “Then Dragon Breath Pavel will be breathing down my neck about Nikita’s whereabouts. All she does is sit in the bedroom and watch her laptop. Can I accidentally shoot him?”

“Sure,” I say seriously as Ewan says, “No.”

“What’s his deal anyway?” Dez asks, chewing on slices of orange. “He hates your guts.”

“I think he’s in love with her. He’s the one that told her to pretend to sleep with me in front of everyone. If her father found out it’s all fake, then it’s her that’ll get the biggest punishment.”

If they find out Luciella is pregnant, they’ll probably try to make her either abort or beat her until she miscarries – or worse, kill her.

My hands fist on the kitchen counter.

“Brutal,” Dez replies, grimacing. “Does she have feelings for you?”

That makes Base laugh, but it’s a bitter one. “I fucking hope not. I have nothing to offer her but a heart that belongs to someone who hates me.”

“Luciella doesn’t hate you; she’s sad about it all.” Ewan takes a glass and fills it with water.

“I just want to walk up to her, grab her and—”

Both me and Ewan glare at him.

“Fine. Fine. I was just going to say ‘kiss her’, you protective dickheads.”

He really should know about his possible impending fatherhood. If Luciella is pregnant, she should be the one to tell him. But, fuck, I’m shit at this. I want to slap him across the face and tell him to go demand answers from her.

He’s never spoken about having kids. I don’t think he’s even interacted with a child before. Dez wants two, and Tylar said as soon as she takes over the family business, she’ll happily give them to him.

Me? I want whatever Stacey is willing to give me.

I rise from my seat and chew the inside of my cheek, needing something to take my mind off the turmoil of thoughts and impending panic. “You want to get stoned?” Ewan stares at me, and I shrug. “Old bastards like you can get baked. Up for it? I won’t tell my mum.”

Ewan rolls his eyes. “Little wanker.”

Everyone, even my stepfather, eventually agrees. Dez claps once for dramatic effect. “Let’s sneak a joint before they patrol around the pool house again.”

Base jumps to his feet. “Thank fuck.”

I shouldn’t have smoked. I shouldn’t have and I did. And now I’m stoned as fuck.