Vicious Prince (Royal Elite #5) by Rina Kent

I always thought the parties and the weed were to prove something, but I presumed it was his way to get out of the pressure. I never thought it was because I’d opened my house and my business to my son’s rapist.

Not only my son’s, but many other children’s.

Eduard has always been a bit irresponsible, but he worked hard when I told him to. He looked up to me, and he did as I ordered. He always had women hanging off his arm, but I should’ve known from the way he showed them off as prizes that they could be camouflage.

Eduard and Ronan are similar in hiding, in pretending, but I of all people shouldn’t have missed it.

I can blame it on my preoccupation with Charlotte’s illness, but that doesn’t, under any circumstances, forgive the fact that I let my son down.

He needed his father, and I didn’t give him one.

He needed Eduard away, and I brought him back in.

He needed someone to listen, and I wasn’t there.

If Charlotte finds out about this, she’ll sink so low in depression and there will be no saving her.

Like me, she’ll think she let her miracle down. She’ll blame herself for not seeing it sooner and will think she’s a horrible mother. She’s not. She was just sick. She’s sacrificing what’s possibly her last chance at treatment to be with Ronan because, as she told me, she can’t die without giving him the happiest memories.

Charlotte won’t know. I’ll be the one to fix it.

I’ll fix everything.

Starting with the mess Eduard left behind.

Maybe then, my miracle will forgive me.





36





Teal





I don’t remember how long I sit in the hospital chair, but it’s long enough that I cry.

It’s long enough that I don’t stop crying.

Knox caught up to us in the forest and held me all the way here, but I didn’t stop crying, not even after Dad, Agnus, and Elsa followed.

I cry like a baby. I cry like I’m just learning what it means to cry.

We’ve been sitting here for what seems like an eternity. The waiting time goes on and on like doom brewing in the distance.

The guys follow. Aiden, Xander, and Cole are standing near the corner, their heads bowed. They haven’t said a word to each other, as if afraid that will break whatever trance has fallen over the waiting area.

Lars comes by, too, his brows furrowed and his snobbish expression gone. It’s worry, I realise. He’s worried.

I don’t know why that makes me sob harder. If Lars, who hardly shows any emotions, recognises how bad it is, this is turning awful.

“It’s going to be okay, T.” Knox hugs me to his side. “Come on, sis, stop crying.”

“I can’t.” I hiccough.

My head hurts from the unrelenting tears. The moment I get a small bit of relief, I think of Ronan and a new wave hits me.

It’s as simple as that.

I don’t think of Eduard or what I did to Edric or about myself, my life, or any of those things.

I only think about him.

“W-What if I lose him, Knox?” I speak through my tears. “What was I thinking? What did I do?”

“Hey, that fucker lessened his fall, okay?” Knox says. “Ronan was breathing when the medics got him out. He’s going to be okay.”

“But what if he isn’t? What if…what if…” God, I can’t even say the words. I don’t want to think about them, but they’re the only things engraved in my head.

The shadow on my shoulder is no longer there. The little girl disappeared the moment Eduard fell off that cliff, but there are other things here on her behalf. Things like gloomy thoughts and black smoke.

“Teal?” Edric’s voice drifts from the corner. “Come in. You can see him.”

I jerk up to a standing position, my heart beating in and out of sync in my chest. I jog to the room then stop in front of Ronan’s father, gulping my salty tears. “E-Edric, I’m so sorry for…”

“No worries.” He smiles. “If anything, I’m the one who should be sorry towards you. I should’ve seen it sooner.”

I shake my head, not having words to say.

“We’ll talk later.” He motions at the room. “Go in.”

I push the door open and tiptoe inside as if I’m going through a crime scene — and I might as well be.

The image of when Eduard pulled Ronan with him keeps flashing before my eyes. I reached a hand out for him, but all I could catch was thin air.

At that moment, time stopped and I wished I could turn it back and not do what I’d done. I wished I had investigated Edric’s actions before I plotted his demise.

But most of all, I wished I had chosen Ronan. I wished I’d taken him away and started anew with him.

The first thing that greets me in the room is the strong light. Soon after, it’s the bruises on Ronan’s half-naked chest and the cast wrapped around his arm.

His beautiful face has some blue bruises. The sight of him makes me hiccough as I approach him with unsteady steps. I couldn’t stop the flow of tears even if I tried.

“Why do you look beautiful even when you cry, belle?” he teases in a husky voice.

I drop beside him on the bed, sniffling and trying to get my feelings in check. I fail miserably and end up blabbering. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt your father or make you go through this. I was selfish and you got hurt and I…I…”