Page 48 of Wanted

“Who told you that?” His glance sharpened.

“Who do you think?”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” I went on, “Do you even want a kid? What kind of parent do you want to be? Do you aspire to use your child before it even takes its first breath?”

“What’s gotten into you?” My strong brother slammed the door shut behind him. He marched to the middle of the room. He would intimidate me if I were anyone else, but I had nothing to lose from him.

“Divorce your slutty wife. Make sure that when I return with my rightful woman, the Cross filth will be out of Katantia,” I told him.

“Keep Valentina out of this. It’s not her fault,” Aris warned me. I could see the anger rising up in him. He balled his fists. “I’m not getting a divorce. You should stop taking whatever you took because it makes you fucked up.”

I laughed bitterly as I began fitting my suits into my suitcase. I would definitely need to iron them once I landed.

There was a hesitant knock on the door.

“Can I come in?” Valentina asked.

I said, “No.”

“Yes,” Aris overthrew me.

Valentina entered. Addressing Aris, she said, “I told you, didn’t I? He’s leaving.”

“You won’t find them,” Aris said. He took his wife’s hand. Something about that gesture alarmed me. Was he trying to protect her from me? “Kamila’s probably left Chicago already. What makes you think Mandy will want to talk to you?”

“Wait, what did you do to Mandy?” Valentina asked, her curiosity taken the best of her. She stepped closer, eager to hear what I had done to insult Mandy. “Did you hurt her? I swear…”

“There you have it, Valentina. Your best friend fucked the other prince on Katantia. Do you feel dethroned yet?” I spat. I was tired, and I only wanted to pack my things. My plane was waiting.

To my surprise, Valentina didn’t throw a bitch fit. Aris glanced at her, and from that one look, she held herself together. I had never seen such teamwork from my sibling and his wife.

Valentina dared to ask me, “What have I done to you? Why are you treating me like this?”

“Are you fucking serious?” I addressed Aris. “Get your bitch out of here. In fact, I want you both out.”

“You know what, Weston?” Aris’s calm cracked. “You don’t get to talk to my wife like that. I’ve tolerated enough of your bullshit. My wife grew up here. She doesn’t know any other way to be a woman. Your whore grew up in the States, and she still gave it up to you like an average Katantian whore. She didn’t even blink!”

“Aris...” Valentina tried to stop my brother from talking, but he kept going.

“I love my wife. I own her. We’re in love. Do you understand the concept? I don’t think you do. You wanted to marry our sister like it was a contractual agreement!” Aris thundered. I knew my brother was energetic, but this was his anger talking. “I hope you find Mandy. You know why?”

I didn’t reply. I had a bad feeling about what he was about to say.

“I want her to refuse you. She’s better off without you. I didn’t get to know Mandy, but she’s not made to handle your bullshit. You think Kamila’s the sick one? With her drugs and her daddy issues?” Aris added, “Just look at you. Have you seen your room? You’re a ghost. You should’ve been dead years ago. In fact, you died when grandma died, and Kamila had her first overdose. You’ve been aimless ever since. Now you found yourself a whore, and you think you’re worth something again. Fuck you. You don’t get to insult my wife anymore. I want you out of this fucking house by tomorrow.”

“Don’t worry, dickhead. I’ll be gone by midnight,” I responded.

Aris finished his arsenal of bullets and left my room, holding his whimpering wife close to his body. In my empty room, I stood petrified.

It was like the heat had left my body.

WESTON

FOUR MONTHS LATER

If you leave, you won’t be welcomed back, son. If you go, you’ll return in a casket, and you’ll be buried right next to your grandparents, the ones you love so much. If you leave, your sister and your pathetic little girlfriend will be brought back, and they’ll be my new test subjects. I’ll give them a slow death after they’ve produced my next line of male heirs. I promise you that.