Cruel Kings by Skye Knight

24

Camilla

I woke up to the gentle voice of my mom. Opening my eyes, I looked at her, sitting at the edge of my bed with Brian standing near her.

“Morning, kiddo,” said Brian, lifting his coffee mug in a salute. He was still in his PJs with a loose robe hanging from his shoulders.

“Hey,” I mumbled, sitting up. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We came to wake you up early,” said Mom. “With the party happening later in the evening, we’ve got to prep early. You and I are going to a spa and then, coming back here to do our hair and makeup.”

I looked at her closely, noticing the deep circles around her eyes. She usually hid them well with makeup.

“Did you sleep well, Mom?” I asked in a grim tone.

“Yep!” She smiled, but I could see she was forcing it.

I looked toward Brian and caught him staring at my mother worriedly. My heart went out to him. He was taking care of her by himself without letting anyone worry.

My heart swelled with gratitude toward this man. He was so good and kind to my mom and me, bearing a heavy burden all by himself. He was protecting me even though he didn’t have to.

I wondered why Noah, Caleb, and Corey couldn’t see this. Why did they love their mom so much that they’d keep on hating their dad?

Their hate was so black, they were blinded by it. 

“Hey.” Mom shook my shoulder. “Why do you look so lost?”

“It’s nothing. I was just thinking if you can get through the day without being sick.”

“I’ll be fine,” she said. “And if I’m not, you’ll be there with me.”

“Why don’t we hang out here?” I said. “We don’t have to go to a spa.”

Mom turned around to look at Brian. “She sounds just like you.”

“She’s right, honey,” said Brian in a grave tone. “I can get a masseuse service here. The evening will be tiring enough.”

She let out a long breath, looking annoyed.

“Mom, are you pouting?” I asked with a chuckle.

“So, what if I am? I thought you’d be on my side.”

“I am on your side. We both are!”

Climbing out of bed, I donned a robe and tied it around me.

“Why bother?” said Mom. “You can go back to bed.”

“Let her be, darling,” said Brian. “Let’s get you to bed now. You can take a nap until it’s time for breakfast.”

I nodded enthusiastically. “That’s a great idea. Since I’m up, I’ll just work on a report.”

“Fine,” she huffed, getting off my bed. She let Brian lead her out of the room, mumbling about how I was incapable of taking a break.

My heart clenched painfully. Until now, I didn’t think much of how everything was affecting Brian. I wondered if his decision to legally adopt me was to have someone close to him after mom died.

It sucked how he couldn’t depend on his own sons. They were all possessive about his money, especially Noah, but they couldn’t care less about their dad.

No matter what happens between me and them, I’ll always be there for Brian, I vowed.

***

I gazed at my reflection in the mirror, barely able to recognize the girl staring back at me. The black dress with the silk corset top looked even better with matching high-heeled stilettos.

My dark auburn hair was fashioned into an elegant bun at the top of my head and the lady who did my makeup worked magic on my eyes, deepening the color of my sapphire eyes. The choker necklace with red stones completed the ensemble, making my goth princess look amazingly real.

“You look gorgeous, sweetheart,” said Mom as I kept gawking at myself in the tall mirror in her bedroom.

She was dressed in a simpler pale blue gown with fresh white peonies in her dark hair. Her makeup hid all signs of illness, giving her a young, dewy look.

Tears gathered in my eyes as I gazed at her. She’d never looked so beautiful. Her frame was thinner than before but the happiness shining in her eyes was real.

Everything I suffered at the Amhurst brothers’ hands was almost worth this.

“Are you crying, Milla?” Mom asked, rushing to my side.

I shook my head, unable to speak through a choked throat.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, pulling me against her in a tight hug. “I’m so sorry to put you through this.”

“Stop apologizing,” I said in a cracked voice. “It’s not your fault.”

The sound of approaching footsteps made us look up.

Brian entered the room, looking dashing in a dark navy tux.

“My beautiful ladies,” he said in a deep voice and came forward to meet.

He took Mom’s hand and kissed it, making her giggle like a teen girl. Moving on to me, he hugged me and straightened up, smiling warmly at us.

“Let’s go,” he said. “Mr. Jenkins is here. It’s time to make things official.”

He gave his arm to mom and they both walked out together. I trailed behind them, taking a video of them on my phone. They looked so great together!

“Who’s Jenkins?” I asked after a while.

Brian glanced back at me. “He’s my lawyer. I’ve trusted the whole process of adoption on him.”

Despite Noah’s ominous threats and warnings, I was glad to have Brian as a dad. He’d always been supportive toward me and a great boyfriend to my mom in all the years I’d known him.

There was no one in the world I’d rather called ‘dad’ than him.

Brian led us into a beautiful office space on the third floor of the house. To my surprise, Noah, Corey, and Caleb were already present in the room.

The way they looked, took my breath away. They wore matching tuxes in the same shade of midnight-black. The tailor-made suits fit them perfectly, enhancing their tall heights and muscled bodies. My heart raced hard, beating wildly.

They were like true embodiments of the devil. Their angelic faces hid their monstrous hearts. I wish I’d known how deadly they were when I first met them.

“Have a seat,” Brian’s voice broke me out of my thoughts.

I sat down at the large mahogany desk and gazed toward the stranger on the opposite side.

“Sign in all the places I’ve crossed,” said the man in a gray suit. He seemed to be in his late fifties with gray hair and a thick mustache. His round belly protruded tightly from the confines of his shirt. I guessed him to be Mr. Jenkins, Brian’s lawyer.

Mom and Brian stood next to me as I picked up the pen.

I glanced toward Noah, Caleb, and Corey. Their faces were a mask of politeness but I recognized the anger in their dark gazes.

Taking a deep breath, I signed the first sheet.

Fuck you guys, I cursed internally, leafing through the papers and signing on all the marked places.

“Very good,” Jenkins praised. “Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Amhurst.”

“Thank you, Jenkins,” said Brian. “You’ll take care of the rest?”

Jenkins gave a nod. “Don’t worry, Mr. Amhurst. Everything will go smoothly from here on.”

“Stay back and enjoy the party,” said Mom.

“Another time, Eva,” said Jenkins. “Have fun, kids,” he added, glancing toward Noah, Caleb, and Corey.

A shiver ran through me as I realized what signing those papers meant. I wasn’t just Brian’s legal daughter now. I was a stepsister to the Amhurst brothers for real now.

I was suddenly grateful to Mom for not bringing me up to be religious. The four of us crossed so many lines our ticket to hell was firmly confirmed.

“Our guests are starting to arrive,” said Brian. “It’s about time I introduced you to everyone.”

He extended his hands toward both me and Mom. His sons stared at our group with frozen expressions, saying nothing but simmering underneath those calm exteriors.

I took his arm and let him lead us out of the office room.

I won’t let them ruin this evening, I vowed. This was for both Mom and Brian. I was going to be on my best behavior and make them both proud of me.