Empire of Hate (Empire #3) by Rina Kent

“I’m neither back nor am I your baby.” I resist the urge to inform everyone that I’m the one who brought Nicole back, not the other way around.

But then again, if it weren’t for the fucker, whom Kyle informed me that he can’t take a piss without crying like a whore, I wouldn’t have returned. I wouldn’t have learned about my brother’s condition.

So I guess Nicole did bring me back.

That doesn’t mean I’m less pissed off at her.

“You can hate me all you want, but you’ll always be my baby.” She releases Nicole to grant me one of her rare hugs. One I don’t return. “I’m sorry I wasn’t a good mother, Danny. I’m sorry I never grew a backbone, but if you give me a chance, I’ll try.”

I say nothing, and she eventually lets me go and sways on her feet, her tears cascading down her face. Zach grabs her by the arm and nods at me. “If you intend to stay, let me know.”

“I don’t. And Zach?”

“Yes?”

“You hated me back then.”

“Back when?”

“When I left. Why?”

“I suppose I disliked the fact that you were running away. You’re not a coward, Daniel. But you acted like one, and that probably grated on my nerves.”

“Past tense?”

He smiles a little, then taps the side of his head. “The benefit of this brain is that I couldn’t care less anymore.”

Then he drags my mother who’s blabbering about her sons and herself and how much she regrets everything.

As soon as the driver speeds out, I want to hit something.

Anything.

And just right then, Nicole comes in front of me, in her white dress and a little smile. “I’m glad you guys could finally talk.”

“That makes one of us.”

I turn around and head to the kitchen. One of the tea monsters, the gardener, sees my face and bolts out with a bow.

Good choice because I’m contemplating drowning him in his tea.

I swing the cupboard open and wrench out a bottle of whiskey, the expensive type, the one that will get me drunk slower but deeper.

Nicole comes to my side while I’m popping the bottle open. Or trying to, anyway; the thing is stuck as if mocking me as well.

“Are you mad?” she asks cautiously.

“Am I mad? Oh, let me see. You invited my mother and brother over when I’m barely on speaking terms with them and forgot to mention that detail. On a scale of zero to ten, I’m one hundred at being mad.”

“You had to speak to them eventually.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“So you’re okay with not knowing about your brother’s condition?”

“He’s fine. He’s not paralyzed or incapacitated. Stop channeling the Nora Sterling in you and making this into a big fucking drama that it isn’t.” I forcibly pop the bottle and drink straight from it, dousing my throat with burning liquor.

“Well, I’m sorry that I tried to bring you close to your family.”

“Apology accepted.”

She glares, then crosses her arms over her chest. “You know what? Screw you, Daniel. I’m retracting that apology, because I know I did the right thing and you would know it, too, if you weren’t too busy being a dick.”

“The right thing? Since when are you a saint, Nicole? You like using people, so let’s hear it. What did you intend to gain from this? My mother’s favor? My brother’s attention? Did you put all that effort into the food so that he’d decide to keep you as his warm hole?”

The sound comes first, loud and deafening in the silence of the house. Then the sting of her palm against my cheek follows. There’s an unnatural shine in her eyes, but the tears don’t escape. “I’m no one’s warm hole, including yours. And I only put in all that effort for you. To make you happy as you made me yesterday by bringing Uncle Henry, but apparently, I made a mistake. I always make mistakes when it comes to you and it’s time I learn to not make them anymore.”

And then she strides out of the kitchen like a storm.

I slowly close my eyes and take a sip of the whiskey, knowing full well that I screwed it all up.

Not that it wasn’t meant to be screwed eventually.





31





NICOLE





I slam the door to the bedroom shut, walk away from it, then storm toward it again.

My hand hesitates on the handle before I release it with a loud puff.

The lava that’s been building in my bloodstream is now roaring to the surface and I can no longer trap it inside.

I can no longer pretend that I can keep on doing this and feel nothing.

It’s only been me, ever since I first saw Daniel when we were damn kids. Ever since I envied him for being mischievously free when I couldn’t dream of it.

I grab a lollipop that’s lying on the dresser and jerkily remove the stupid wrapper, then crunch it so hard, my teeth hurt. Now, even my lollipop sucking habits are changing because of him.

My weight falls on the bed and I pull my legs into my chest, but the usual self-comfort doesn’t work this time.

So I walk to the bag I brought and retrieve the emerald necklace. I haven’t been wearing it lately, but I always keep it close. This time, I put it around my neck, then get the small box I always keep with me.