Total pages in book: 194
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 187754 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 939(@200wpm)___ 751(@250wpm)___ 626(@300wpm)
“I’m fine.”
“You say that,” he responds while I avoid his gaze, “but you haven’t been yourself.”
Finally, I meet his stare in the mirror, and I wish I hadn’t. The adoration in his brown eyes is more than I can stand.
Tyler’s handsome with smooth brown skin, expressive eyes, high fade, and a disconnected goatee. He’s what you’d call good stock. He’s ex-Army with a lieutenant general for a father. Tyler joined straight out of high school, completing two tours of duty before being medically discharged and becoming a bodyguard to a screwed-up singer.
It would be easy to let him believe I’m the girl he thinks I am.
But I can’t.
I nudge Tyler away with my elbow, and he follows me into the bedroom. I can feel him hovering, ready to step in, as I stumble to the side of the bed and collapse in a cloud of wool and satin.
“Tell me what’s going on with you,” he gently demands.
Rolling onto my side, I give him the flirty smile I’ve practiced a thousand times. “What makes you think anything is wrong?”
“Cut it out, Aurelia.”
“What?”
“This.” He gestures to me as if that explains everything. “Stop pretending you don’t care what people think of you.”
“I don’t.”
“Then why are you trying so hard to make everyone hate you?”
I playfully roll my eyes. “News flash. They already do. The entire world wants me dead. Haven’t you heard? I’m public enemy number one.”
“And so you think being a bitch will make you care less?”
I roll onto my back because I don’t want to face him anymore. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Tyler. The Aurelia you and everyone else are so head over heels for is really my middle-aged uncle using me to cosplay, so unless you’re planning to ask him out, I think you should start sailing new waters.” I let my head roll to the side, and I smile gently to soften the blow while he glares daggers at me. “You should ask Cassie out. She’s nice.”
And pretty.
I don’t know if she’s smart or not since I don’t waste time talking to her except to tell her when to fetch. Another month or two, and she’ll quit like all the others.
“Okay, I don’t know where the fuck that came from, but for your information, Cassie is engaged. She’s getting married to her boyfriend next month. Don’t you talk to her? Ever?”
“About what?”
“Look, when I said you haven’t been yourself, I wasn’t referring to that Disney princess act. I’m talking about this one. The Aurelia who thinks she needs to be vicious to protect herself.”
Tyler shakes his head, and though I can feel his disappointment, I don’t sense any judgment. It wouldn’t matter if he did judge me. I’m not supposed to care.
“That isn’t you either, Aurelia. You’re hurt, pissed, and feeling betrayed because when the dust fell, you realized there was never really anyone in your corner. It probably feels easier to take the punishment when you feel you deserve it, so you lash out.” I keep my gaze firmly fixed on the ceiling while Tyler tries his best to wring out all my truths. “If that’s true, you’re still allowing others to decide who you are.”
The silence between us is deafening as I fight to swallow past the knot in my throat. “What if—”
The plane starts violently shaking before I can ask him a question I don’t know if I want the answer to.
What if this is me? Could Tyler live with it? Could he love a monster?
I wouldn’t blame him if the answer is no. I’m not sure I would either.
My eyes flare when the plane’s trembling seems to go on forever. “What is that?”
There’s a worried pinch to his brow even as he says, “It’s just turbulence. It will be over soon.”
I squeeze my eyes closed and wait for it to stop. “I hate flying,” I grumble when the plane finally settles.
Tyler checks his watch and sighs. “It’s been a long day. We have a few hours until we reach Hearth. You should get some sleep.”
I hum. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”
“Then I’ll leave you to it,” he says before I can ask if he wants to join me.
Once Tyler’s gone, I stare at the door he disappeared through for a while. When he doesn’t return, I sigh my disappointment and stand from the bed to remove my boots and costume.
I’m too tired to look for my bonnet in the luggage my housekeeper packed for me, so I keep the wide green and white gingham ribbon tied around my head. It’s the only thing protecting my riot of golden 4a curls from total chaos.
Leaving my clothes on the floor, I climb back on the bed and collapse with a sigh.
I’m asleep before I even remember closing my eyes.
I’m jostled awake by turbulence.
My head is already turned toward the small oval window when I open my eyes, so I can see it’s light out.