Page 35 of Volatile King (The Kings of Wayward Academy #6)

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My eyelids slowly opened, and it took a minute to remember where I was or even why I was back in the hospital. Tears stung as I replayed what happened over again, scared that the memories would once more slip from my grasp.

Everything from Halloween had come back in one heart-stopping flash, and so had glimpses of a past long forgotten. The memories seemed real. They felt real. But I was so young, so how could I really know? I couldn’t ask Mum.

“It’s good to see you awake.”

Pushing myself up, I spotted Eddie in the corner.

We sat there, staring at one another for a minute.

My mind and sight were clear. But I was reliving meeting my father all over again.

That night, there had been no time to deal with and properly digest what he’d told me at the club.

Even less faced with him and the knowledge now.

“Mr. Bunny,” I said.

He smiled as a tear slid down his cheek before he quickly wiped it away.

“You remember,” he asked as he stood.

I nodded as he limped closer. My heart skittered rapidly in my chest as I locked eyes with my dad. A dad that I hadn’t remembered until now. Bits of memory from when I was little had flooded my mind, helping me piece together the recent dreams. Dreams that had felt like nightmares.

Are you really my dad? I didn’t dream what happened at the club.

“It wasn’t a dream. I’m your father, but you can call me Eddie if it’s too soon for you to call me that.”

And we were in the accident together?

“Yes, we were. My men dragged us away to safety, but as it turned out, the plan wasn’t as safe as I thought. I’m so sorry. I would never intentionally put you in danger.”

I felt the love radiating from Eddie, and the emotions inside of me welled up and spilled over.

I don’t know what to say.

He reached into his suit jacket, pulled out a photo, and handed it over. I covered my mouth, my hand trembling as I stared at the picture that had been in the pile with the letter from Mom. It was one of the three of us when I was just a baby.

“Do you remember what I told you on Halloween night?”

I nodded.

“I meant what I said, Lilya. I’m determined to get to know you again. I have always loved you, and that has never changed. I’ve always wanted you. And I want you to be in my life.”

Eddie pulled the chair closer and sat down beside me. He placed his hand on mine, and my lower lip trembled as the floodgates opened.

I signed before I couldn’t see through the tears.

Was I in another accident? One with Mom. In water?

“Yes, you were. That was the day your mother left Christov and went on the run. It was snowing, and the car slid off the road. You ended up in a ditch with rushing water.”

I remember some of it. I remember being cold, and Mom being scared. I remember not being able to breathe.

“I’m happy to fill in any blanks that I can, Lilya, but there is a large chunk of time when I didn’t see or speak to your mother.

She hid herself well. I only started receiving packages with updates after we saw one another in Vancouver.

I gave her a safe address to use, but she kept the mailings to once a year. ”

What did she send?

“Mostly school photos and artwork you’d drawn.

She hand wrote small notes, but never told me she was ill.

It was always positive. I think she did it because she didn’t want me to worry or demand that she come to me sooner.

” Eddie cleared his throat and looked down.

“Ana was so proud of you. I kept everything she ever sent. I can show you, if you want.”

I nodded and wiped away the tears running freely down my cheeks.

I do, and I want to get to know you, too. I just feel so stupid. The other day at Ella’s house, when you said you knew Mom…I had no idea. I looked you in the eyes and didn’t know you were my father.

“Don’t feel stupid. I shouldn’t have been there, but I just couldn’t stay away. I needed to know how you were doing. I had to see you with my own eyes and know you were okay.”

Are you staying in town?

He nodded.

“Yes. I’m staying for as long as I can. But I’d love for you to visit Italy when you’ve graduated.

I want you to see the home that I built for the three of us when…

well, before life took a turn. It sits empty unless I visit.

I didn’t have the heart to sell it, and I never wanted to live there with anyone else. ”

Can I stay with you? Even for a little while?

“You want to stay with me?”

Yes, if it’s okay. I love Ella, but want to get to know you.

Eddie smiled and squeezed my hand.

“I’d love that. I just didn’t want to push you.”

I feel like I have already missed so much, and I don’t want to lose any more time with you. Can the guys come too? That is probably not a topic you want to discuss, but I am dating all of them.

I covered my eyes as I thought about my dad knowing I had five boyfriends.

He laughed, the sound warm and rich, and his eyes shone with happiness that spoke to me. Could you really feel like you’d found a missing part of yourself when you hardly knew someone?

“I’m not sure I fully understand what it is that you have going on with them, but they are free to come as well.”

We sat smiling at each other until something dawned on me, and then my smile fell.

Oh my god. Vicky is my sister.

There was nothing more horrifying than being related to the wicked witch. I wanted to vomit.

“That is a long discussion for another time. I’ll let Nash and the others know you’re awake, and arrange for you all to stay with me until you’re cleared to go back to Wayward.”

He stood, but I held onto his hand so he couldn’t walk away.

“Scared…forget again. I don’t…want…forget you.”

Eddie smoothed my hair back exactly like he’d done in my dream from when I was little. He kissed the top of my head and then smiled.

“If you do, then I will still be here when you remember again. I’m never leaving you, Lilya. Never again.”

1 1:48 PM

We decided to move on Sunday, since it was already so late, and we still needed to pack. I hadn’t anticipated Ella being so upset. She tried to seem unaffected, but I could see the sadness in her eyes.

I felt torn over leaving and causing her pain, but I really wanted to get to know my father.

The memories that I had were disjointed.

Fragments from the few years we had before my mom went into hiding.

Eddie had loved my mother fiercely. He said he still loved her and always would.

There was something about that kind of devotion that got to me.

How had Mom stayed away? How had she loved and missed Eddie so much, but found the strength to raise me with another man?

Blake was asleep on my left, and Myles was to my right. I understood love. All I had to do was recall what the guys had been through for me, with me, and to protect me, to know that I had their devotion.

Well…all but one. Nash hadn’t come into the room at the hospital, even though Liam said he’d been there. He hadn’t come back to Ella’s house either, and the more I thought about it, the more confused and irritated I became.

My memories were back, which meant I knew he was with me when my father arrived.

He had read Mum’s letter because I couldn’t.

He had protected me from bullets and glass, and he had been there when I woke up in the hospital that first time, but now…

now he was MIA. Maybe I shouldn’t be annoyed, but I was.

Screw it.

Reaching over Blake, I grabbed my phone, thankful for whoever created predictive text.

R: You avoiding me?

NASHOLE: Princess, I didn’t expect to hear from you. What are you doing awake? It’s late, and you should be resting.

R: Okay, Dr. Nash, only after you answer the question.

NASHOLE: Dr. Nash, I like the sound of that. I can get a white lab coat, and you can pretend to be a naughty nurse.

R: Nash…I swear to God.

NASHOLE: You sound pissed. It can’t be…do you…miss me?

R: Nash!

NASHOLE: LOL! No, I’m not avoiding you. Well…maybe a little.

He could drive a saint mad. I shook my head.

R: Why? I remember you protecting me at the club and arranging the meeting with my dad. I remember it all. So, why are you suddenly scared?

NASHOLE: I don’t get scared.

R: Why do you always make answering a question so difficult?

NASHOLE: I thought that would be obvious for someone as intelligent as you. I don’t want to answer it.

R: You do know that saying that only makes me want to know more, right?

NASHOLE: Yes, but unlike in person, I can just turn my phone off.

I ground my teeth together as I swore under my breath.

NASHOLE: Fuck, you’re adorable when you’re pissed.

I looked around the room. Was there a camera in here?

R: How many fingers am I holding up?

I didn’t hold any up.

NASHOLE: You want to do magic tricks now? Okay, how about you be my sexy assistant, and I’ll saw you in half.

R: You are such an idiot.

NASHOLE: And yet, you texted me.

R: Trust me, I’m regretting that decision.

NASHOLE: Sigh…fine. I might have had reservations about how you would feel once you remembered everything.

I mean, I didn’t tell you that I knew who your father really was after I found out.

I arranged for you to come to Volatile, and that led to you getting shot at and then almost killed.

I didn’t know if you wanted to see me, and I didn’t feel like being thrown out of your hospital room. There…happy? Now you know.

R: Did you just admit that you’re scared of me?

I smiled stupidly at my phone as the little dots appeared and disappeared multiple times.

NASHOLE: I told you that I don’t get scared.

R: Uh-huh. You’re right, though. I can’t believe you kept something so huge from me.

NASHOLE: I had to. Your father wanted to be the one to tell you himself, and he made a promise to your mother that he wouldn’t contact you until you were eighteen. I would’ve felt like a bigger dick if I stole that away from him and you. It really needed to come from him.

I chewed on my lip, wanting to be pissed. If that was true—and I couldn’t see Nash lying about this—then, I got it. I didn’t like it, but I got it.

NASHOLE: You can hate me all you want, Princess, but I’d do it all over again.

R: I want to be mad, I really do. For months, I’d been thinking that Christov was my dad, and you let me believe that horrible piece of crap was the man who fathered me. But after meeting Eddie and seeing my mother’s letter, I get why you did what you did.

NASHOLE: So, does that mean I’m forgiven?

R: Only if you tell me how you found out.

NASHOLE: That was an accident. When I left last summer, I was following a tip for a business venture.

It led straight to your father. I had no idea before leaving that he was your dad, I swear.

And keeping this secret from everyone was fucking difficult.

Liam is like a fucking bloodhound. He knew something was up, and I had to avoid the asshole as much as possible.

That made me smirk. I tapped my phone on my chin as I thought.

R: And let me guess, Vicky caught wind that you went to see her father and assumed it was about a marriage contract. You couldn’t say anything because Eddie had already asked you not to.

NASHOLE: Something like that. I’d told you it was all going to be cleared up on Halloween, but then Owen had to go and try to kill everyone.

R: Oh shit! Was anyone else hurt?

Nash didn’t answer for long enough that I knew it was bad.

R: Nash, I can take it. Just tell me.

NASHOLE: Two people died, and a handful of others were wounded. The main target was you. I don’t think he ever thought he would get close enough to shoot you. Owen planned to flush you out into the open. We walked right into his trap.

R: Oh my God…I feel terrible. I know you were trying to stop him.

I can’t imagine what the aftermath has been like.

This entire time, I’ve been completely clueless and worrying about myself.

Those poor families and your club! You worked so hard…

and Myles, no wonder he didn’t want to tell me about Owen’s death. It makes so much sense now.

NASHOLE: Princess, you can’t be mad at yourself for something you couldn’t remember. That’s like being mad at the sun for never rising when all you’ve ever known is night.

R: You come up with some really weird analogies, and yet, oddly, I always get them.

NASHOLE: That’s cause you get me. I bet you know what I’m thinking about right now.

R: No, I’m not having sex with you.

NASHOLE: See, you get me.

I smiled and bit back a laugh. Nash really was absurd.

R: So, what are you going to do about the club?

NASHOLE: You worry way too much. The club is reopening this week with bulletproof glass and extra security. Owen is taking a long dirt nap, and you and your dad are okay. As for the families that lost someone…I already settled with them, so at least they have something for the tragic loss.

R: Why Nash…I dare say you are growing up.

NASHOLE: Shut your dirty mouth, Princess, or I’ll make you.

I burst out laughing and slapped a hand over my mouth. Luckily, both Blake and Myles were heavy sleepers.

R: Okay…I take it back. Where are you anyway?

NASHOLE: As in, where am I right this second?

R: What else would I mean?

NASHOLE: Okay, testy, calm your feisty jets. I’m in the room next door, snuggled in bed. But it’s lonely, so if you change your mind about the sex…

R: You’ve literally been right next door this entire conversation?

NASHOLE: Yeah…why?

Oh my fucking God. I wanted to throw my phone across the room as I bit my fist to keep from screaming profanities at the wall separating us.

R: You’re unbelievable.

NASHOLE: What? You didn’t ask. Next time, lead with what you really want to know.

R: I’m stopping this before I get up, walk over there, and kill you with my bare hands.

NASHOLE: Don’t you dare tempt me with a good time, Princess. My hand is already under the blankets.

R: I hate you.

NASHOLE: I hate you, too. Get some sleep, Princess.

Nash drove me insane, but that was part of the reason why we worked.

It was oddly cathartic arguing with him.

Locking my phone, I set it back on the nightstand and cuddled into the warmth of Myles and Blake.

I gave them each a soft kiss and finally let myself rest, silently chanting ‘ Please don’t let me forget ’ over and over until sleep pulled me under.