Shattered Souls: Halston U part 3 by R.A. Smyth

Author:R.A. Smyth [Smyth, R.A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-10-11T00:00:00+00:00

“I don’t understand,” I say, barely feeling the heat from my scalding coffee as it sears into my palms. I can feel the coolness of the bracelet against my wrist, hidden beneath Royce’s top, and thank goodness for its inherent powers because I am in need of its strength after that bomb drop—something Royce somehow knew.

Taking a steadying breath, I look into each of their faces. The four of us are seated around the kitchen table for this discussion.

I’m not sure if I’m in a state of shock or denial.

Both.

I’m definitely experiencing both.

Or perhaps that concussion was more severe than the doctor thought, and this is all some sort of twisted hallucination.

“My mother paid this guy, this… Vincent, to kill me?”

There’s no way I heard that right.

Except, the mixture of outright hostile and sympathetic expressions they are each sporting says that’s exactly what Grayson just said.

“Why?”

Okay, that’s probably a stupid question. There is no love lost between me and Lydia. Still, outright murdering me sounds… ridiculous. Yeah, so did finding out she sold your daughter…

…To fucking Bertram!

The three of them share an uneasy look. It’s Grayson who spells it out for me. “You’re an… inconvenience. A problem. A… nuisance.” Logan growls in warning, one leg bouncing erratically under the table. Grayson’s hard stare slides his way. “Obviously, none of us think that,” he drawls, glowering at Logan. “But I imagine it’s what your mo—” It’s my turn to glare at him, and he quickly corrects himself. “Lydia is thinking.” He sighs. “I don’t know what her plans were after she offloaded Aurora”—Cue another furious hiss from Logan—“but I’m guessing she knows she can’t put you off indefinitely. At some point, you’ll go to the police and become a problem she can’t handle.”

“Now, with Bertram going after you…” Royce adds with a grimace.

I bark out a cold, caustic laugh that doesn’t even sound like it comes from me. “She’s jealous.” Another arctic snort that doesn’t feel like mine. “My mother tried to kill me because she’s fucking jealous.”

It would be hilarious if it wasn’t fucking insane.

Except I’m now bent over the table, laughing hysterically. Because obviously, this is what breaks me. This is the line from which I won’t return.

“My mother tried to kill me,” I wheeze out.

“Uhh.” Logan. “Is she okay?”

“Does she look fucking okay to you?” Grayson grinds out.

“Riley?” A hand rests against my upper arm.

My entire body continues to shake with laughter. The kind that signifies to those around them that you have fucking snapped. Spilled your marbles all over the floor. Warning! Warning! Get the straitjacket!

“I mean, who can say they were nearly murdered by their own mother?” Tears overflow and stream down my face. “What is that called? There must be a name for that. Like patricide but…”

“Filicide.”

Blinking through the film covering my eyes, I stare at Royce.

“That’s what it’s called—Filicide. Although technically, since she didn’t succeed, it doesn’t apply.”

“Yet. She didn’t succeed yet.” Because Lydia James—or Van Doren, I guess—is anything if not persistent.

It’s that acknowledgment that zaps the energy from me.

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