Cruel Kings by Skye Knight

6

Camilla

My heart beat with excitement and happiness as I impatiently waited for the train to take me to Kingston, the small town where mom lived in a small suburban apartment.

Small cheerful noises escaped me as I thought of my mom. I was glad the train compartment was almost empty at this time of day or people would think I was crazy.

Nearly seven years passed since Mom and Brian started dating. She claimed they only met back then but I always had a feeling Brian knew my mom for a longer time. There was no way someone could look at her with that look in his eyes when they’d just met.

Brian was barely older than my mom and was easily one of the most handsome men I’d come across. He always wore casual clothes but underneath that, I could see he was a suave man.

Brian managed his own business but he rarely talked about work when he came to see me and Mom. Our dinner conversations always circled back to me and how I was doing in school.

Every milestone I achieved since he came into my life was met with a prideful look in his eyes. He bought me my laptop as a present for graduating high school and winning a scholarship for college.

Mom scolded him for being extravagant but he wouldn’t listen to her. He even took us out to Silverlake City for a lavish dinner. Mom might complain but she’d been so happy that night. When he took her away to the ballroom to dance, she even forgot I existed.

Brian was the only man she’d allowed in our lives and I could see why. He was respectful and loving toward her and treated her only daughter with dad-like affection.

Growing up, I didn’t have a father. The man who knocked up Mom didn’t want anything to do with her and she was forced to do everything to bring me up. She’d been left alone with no one to support her.

Sadness pinched my heart when I thought of her being my age and trying to bring up a baby. Anyone else in her shoes would have given their baby away but she persevered.

Mom absolutely deserved a guy like Brian.

I brushed the tears from my eyes as the train finally pulled into Kingston’s station. Getting up, I hurried as the doors slid open and stepped onto the platform.

On the way home, I bought flowers, wine and a cake from the supermarket. She gave me the news so suddenly, I didn’t have time to prepare anything special.

Clutching the grocery purchases, I hurried home.

Reaching the apartment building, I took the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator to come down to the ground floor. My knees burned and my breathing turned heavy but nothing could stop me.

I pressed the bell as soon as I was outside our apartment door.

The door opened and Brian appeared at the threshold. A smile lit up his handsome features. For the occasion, he’d decided to ditch his jeans and casual leather jacket and replaced them with a black tux.

Brian might be in his early fifties but he was still very handsome. He’d combed his dark hair back for the occasion. His light blue eyes, oddly similar to mine, were shining with emotion.

“Oh my god!” I squealed, throwing my arms around his neck. “Congratulations!”

He laughed and pulled me into a warm bear hug.

“Where’s Mom?” I asked, eager to see her.

“She’s in the kitchen.”

“I got these for you,” I said, shoving the flowers and wine at him.

“Thanks—”

Before he could finish talking, I ran inside the apartment and followed the familiar route to get inside the kitchen.

Mom turned around as soon as she heard me. She beamed at me and showed me her hand. At once, I caught the sparkle of a diamond on her ring finger.

Rushing toward her, I squeezed her tightly.

“I’m so happy for you, Mom,” I said, deeply breathing in her familiar scent.

“Thanks, honey,” she said, caressing my back. “Are you happy?”

“Of course,” I said, pulling away. “Brian’s a great guy.”

“Thanks, kiddo,” Brian’s voice floated into the kitchen. “I was counting on your blessing.”

I smiled at Mom and hugged her again.

“Let me go, honey,” she said gently. “The asparagus is burning.”

I stepped away, letting her go back to the kitchen counter. From the spread of groceries on the dining table, I could tell she was in the middle of whipping up an amazing dinner.

“Eva, darling!” Brian hollered from the living room. “Milla brought us wine. When did she grow up so old, she’s bringing us wine?”

I grinned while Mom rolled her eyes.

“She’s even brought cake!” Brian’s excited voice reached us.

“Just go over to him,” said Mom. “He’ll be shouting until he has one of us to share the excitement. I’m glad you came home quickly or he wouldn’t let me cook.” She smiled as she complained.

Chuckling to myself, I went back into the living room.

“Here,” said Brian. “I got champagne for the occasion.”

He pushed a slender flute in my hand.

“Yum.” Taking a sip, I enjoyed the fizzy, cold drink running down my throat smoothly.

“Have some of these too,” he said, pushing a box of colorful macaroons toward me.

“These look so scrumptious. Thanks!”

Brian watched me with a fatherly expression as I stuffed my face with the delicious, delicate sweets.

Sipping my champagne, I wondered how Mom and I could get so lucky. Brian was definitely rich and someone who roamed in a very different circle from ours.

Even though he didn’t brag about his work, I was sure he was surrounded by women who were smarter, more sophisticated, and more established than my mom.

The protective side of me was glad to know Brian didn’t choose Mom to get something from her.

No. He sincerely loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

“Hey.” Brian’s deep voice broke me out of my thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

He gave me a look like he knew I was lying.

“Have you told your sons yet?” I asked after a while.

He let out a tired sigh. “Not yet.”

Brian rarely talked about his three sons. As far as I knew, they were triplets and attended Silverlake University as well. For some reason, he was always cryptic, keeping me away from them.

In the beginning, I thought he didn’t want to complicate matters. There was no need for them to know about Mom when they’d started going out.

Somehow, seven years passed by, and his sons still didn’t know about us. It was going to be one awkward conversation between Brian and his sons.

Unlike them, Mom and I were amazingly close and shared everything between us. She shared her happiness and worries with me, so I always knew where she stood with Brian.

“Do you think they’ll like us?” I asked in a low, anxious voice.

“They’re a bunch of idiots,” Brian answered in a grim tone. “Don’t worry, Milla. I’ll tell them and we’ll soon have a family dinner together. Everyone will get a chance to meet each other.”

I gave a nod, busying myself with the rest of the macaroons. Now that some of the excitement was wearing off, I realized I was going to have three stepbrothers.

Being an only child, I never grew up with siblings. While I always wanted a brother or sister as a kid, I didn’t feel comfortable trying to get close to three young men who were my age.

I was an awkward, shy girl on a normal day. I was sure Caleb and Corey were already laughing behind my back. At least, there was no reason to be close to them anymore. Corey would be discharged from the hospital tomorrow and as soon as he went back to school, he’d go back to ignoring me.

Personally, I didn’t mind them ignoring me. There was no way I could compete with the beautiful girls always hanging around them.

Brace yourself, I told myself, thinking of the three strangers I was about to meet and welcome into my family. You have to do it for Mom.