Banished: Book 1 of The Grimm Laws (23 page)

As Rush met his glare, Elle felt a zing of energy whoosh through her. She recognized that defiant set of his chin, and knew he wouldn’t back down from a fight for anything. “I would share it … if I thought you would understand it.”

“Just what are you trying to say?” Edward’s expression grew hard, and Elle could feel him tense beside her.

A smile curved Rush’s lips, and his voice was taunting. “Oh, I’m not trying to say anything. When I’ve got something to say, you’ll know it.”

“Rush! That was uncalled for,” Wisteria blurted, her face white.

Edward clutched his napkin in his fist. His face was beet red. “Are we really doing this? Because if we are—”

Alexander nearly came of his seat. “Son, that’s enough!” he warned.

“This is ridiculous,” Edward muttered, shoving his plate.

Elle felt a wave of panic. When Rush got in this mode, there was no talking him down, but she might be able to persuade Edward to calm down. It cut to know that she was the cause of this whole mess. It was up to her to prevent disaster. She caught him by the arm. “Hey, relax.”

He shook his head and looked away.

“Edward,” she pleaded. “Look at me.” Finally, he turned to her. “You need to calm down. Don’t let him get to you,” she coaxed. “Let it go.”

As he looked her in the eye, he seemed to be sizing her up, trying to decide if he should comply with her request. She held her breath and tried to hold his gaze, hoping that he wouldn’t see right through her. She prayed that he wouldn’t realize that she was doing this for Rush’s benefit rather than his. The only reason that Rush was acting like a moron was because he was ticked that she was here with Edward. Considering what happened last night, she didn’t blame him. Finally, Edward blew out a breath, and she felt relieved when she saw the tension ease from his face. He gave her a weak smile. “For you, I’ll let it go.” He draped an arm around her chair and pulled her closer to him.

She returned his smile with a tight one of her own. Edward was a good guy—too good to get caught in the middle of her and Rush. She glanced over at Rush who gave her a blistering look. The accusation in his eyes was unmistakable. Her stomach suddenly felt queasy. She scooted back her chair.

“Are you okay?” Edward instantly went into concern mode.

Her hand felt shaky as she placed her napkin over the plate. “Yeah, I need to go to the restroom.”

“I’ll show you where it is.”

“No!” She blurted out the word before thinking. She cringed inwardly as she watched Edward’s face fall. “I’m sorry,” she amended. “Just tell me where it is, and I’ll find it myself.”

The pinging of a spoon hitting glass interrupted them. “Hold on, don’t anyone leave the table. Before the night gets away from us …” he shot Edward a meaningful look “… and before another fight breaks out, I have a special announcement to make.” Uneasy chuckles rustled through the group.

Edward turned to Elle. “Wait a minute … please.” She wanted to protest, but there was something about his plaintive expression that softened her.

“Okay.” She settled back into her seat and angled her body to avoid the possibility of looking at Rush.

“Thank you for preventing me from making a fool out of myself,” Edward whispered.

She acknowledged his gratitude with a slight nod, and he put a protective hand on her knee. He was the kind of guy a girl could count on—the kind of guy that didn’t require near as much energy as Rush did. Edward seemed to be satisfied with what little she was able to give as opposed to Rush who demanded every last inch of her body and soul.

Alexander ceremoniously paused, looking first at Wisteria and then at Rush who scowled back at him. An icy distaste for the boy pricked at him, so he focused on Wisteria instead. “I spoke to Coach Harris about Rush, and he’s going to allow him to play on the football team next year.”

Wisteria cocked her head. “Really?” she asked carefully. “But I thought he was banned for good.”

Alexander put a hand over hers and clasped it gently. “Coach Harris and I agree that the incident in the field house was a silly misunderstanding.”

“Silly misunderstanding, my eye!” Edward blurted out, glaring at Rush. “He had weed in his bag! How is that a misunderstanding?”

Rush jumped up. “Weed that someone planted!” A blood vessel was bulging in the center of his forehead. He pointed at Edward. “For all I know, you were the one that put it there!”

Edward stood, his fists clenched. “How dare you!”

“Really?” Rush let out a harsh laugh. “You wanna talk about what really happened that day?”

“Okay, let’s talk about it!”

“If you’d been the upstanding leader you pretend to be, then you would’ve defended your player instead of slinking away like a coward.”

“Rush, that’s enough!” Wisteria said. She moved to stand, but Alexander caught her by the arm and motioned for her to sit back down.

He patted her hand. “Let them get it out,” he urged. “That’s the only way they’re going to get over it.” Their eyes locked, hers fiery and his pleading. Finally, she sat down and clamped her lips together into a hard line.

“What’re you talking about?” Edward wanted to know.

Rush ran both hands through his hair. “Like you don’t know.”

Conflicting emotions battled in Elle’s chest. Rush could get her blood boiling faster than anyone on the planet. He was a powder keg waiting to blow. All fire and passion. Elle felt a thrill run though her. No doubt, he was the most exciting guy she’d ever been around.

Edward let out an incredulous laugh. “No, I don’t. If you’re gonna stand here in my house and accuse me of something, then you’d better start talking!”

“That day in the field house, you stood there and let those thugs torture that freshman. They were knocking him around and humiliating him. I came to his defense, but you … you just walked away.”

All eyes turned to Edward, waiting for him to make a defense for himself. He shook his head. “They were just having a little fun, that’s all.”

Rush lifted an eyebrow. “Really? Fun? Is that what you call getting pantsed and shoved into a locker?”

Edward started shifting on his feet and biting the inside of his jaw. “You’re making more out of it than it was.”

“You keep telling yourself that.” Rush looked at Elle, and she had the feeling that his whole spill had been for her—to help her understand who he was. “The coach called us out to practice, and when I came back, the weed was found in my bag. Someone …” he shot Edward a scathing look “… gave the coach an anonymous tip. They did a random drug search, and you know the rest of the story.”

At a loss for words, Edward just shook his head.

Before anything else could be spoken, Alexander stood. “Regardless of what actually happened in the field house that day, today is a day for second chances,” he said smoothly. He locked eyes with Rush. “I’m offering you the opportunity to play on the team.” He glanced at Wisteria and smiled. “Your mother tells me that you’re quite the running back. Coach Harris will be pleased to have you back.”

“Sure he will,” Edward muttered, shaking his head.

All of the warm fuzzies that she’d previously felt about Edward vanished in an instant, and Elle wanted to pummel him. He was the golden boy that had been given everything, and yet he couldn’t allow even the tiniest space for someone else to shine. And he had walked away, leaving Rush to face those bullies alone. She could see the guilt written all over his face.

Rush let out a derisive chuckle. “Some things never change.” He looked at Alexander. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass.” He zeroed in on Edward. “Happy now?”

Edward swore under his breath.

Rush looked at Elle. “Good luck with your boyfriend. It’s obvious that the two of you deserve each other.”

Wisteria stood. “Rush! Don’t be such a hothead! Alexander is giving you another chance. Think of the scholarships you could get. Think of your future!”

“I am thinking of my future, Mother.” He shot Elle a searing glance and then turned on his heels. “I’ll see you at home!” he said to Wisteria.

Elle stood. She had to get out of here. Tears started filling her eyes. “Excuse me.”

Edward reached for her arm, but she jerked it out of his grasp. “Don’t.”

Shock registered on his features. “Surely you don’t believe all of that hogwash! You know me, Elle. I would never intentionally stand by and let someone get bullied.”

Not sure what to believe, she simply shook her head. “I’m going to the restroom.” Her voice broke. “When I get out, could you please take Josselyn and me home?”

He gave her a searching look.

“Will you?” she croaked.

He nodded.

T
he cold water
felt good as she splashed it against her hot cheeks. She dried her face on the hand towel and looked in the mirror, attempting to will the tears to stop, but it was no use. She’d been such a fool. Like everyone else in Tower Heights, she’d believed that Rush was a druggie. Why was she so ready to believe the worst in him? She took a deep breath and held onto the sink for support. Pull it together! she ordered herself.

When she finally emerged from the bathroom, she was surprised to see Wisteria standing outside the door. “Ms. Porter. Hey, sorry I took so long. The bathroom is yours.” She hurried to move past her, but Wisteria caught her, digging her claws into her arm. She got within inches of Elle’s face.

“I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you’d better stay away from my son.”

Elle’s knees went weak, and she had the uncanny impression that the ground would fall out from underneath her. “I’m not trying to hurt Rush.” The tears started again. “I’m simply trying to be honest about my feelings.”

Wisteria let out a laugh that sounded more like a snarl. Fire glittered in her violet eyes. “Stay away from him! That is your final warning.”

The shaking started at her knees and then went up her body. She nodded and then stumbled past her to where Edward and Josselyn were waiting in the foyer.

Edward rushed to her side. “Are you okay?” He touched her face. “Why the tears?”

“Take me home!” Her voice caught, and she tried to swallow back the emotion. “Please?”

A
lexander and Wisteria
made a cozy picture, curled up together on the plush sofa, enjoying the comfy fire. Wisteria took Alexander’s hand and lightly began kissing the tips of his fingers. “Thanks for putting together the dinner this evening.”

“I only wish things had gone better,” Alexander lamented. His lips started twitching into a smile. “It’s that stubborn son of yours. You know, he’s just like you.”

“What?” She turned to face him, a furrow appearing between her brows. She softened when she realized that he was teasing her. She chuckled lightly and arched an eyebrow. “Or perhaps it’s that stubborn son of yours, who’s exactly like his father.”

They both laughed.

Wisteria grew serious. “It’s that stupid girl. It’s like he can’t see reason where she’s concerned. No matter what she does, he always goes back to her. She’s poison.”

“Highly addictive poison,” Alexander murmured, wrapping his finger around one of her curls. He leaned in and brushed her cheek with his lips. Then he began kissing her neck. “I can relate to that,” he whispered in her ear. “I can never get enough of you.” He pulled her into his arms, and his lips took hers. After a long kiss, he pulled back, gazing into her eyes. “Marry me,” he implored.

Her eyes went wide. “What?”

“Marry me. We belong together, Wisteria. We’ve always belonged together.”

“But it’s so soon.”

“No, I’ve waited a lifetime for you.”

She laughed. “You barely just met me.”

He looked into her eyes, and his voice grew earnest. “My love … my everything. I’ve loved you my entire life. I’ve loved you a thousand lifetimes! No amount of time and space can ever separate us. We are meant to be together.”

Her eyes grew misty. “Wow, you are a romantic. I love you too,” she breathed.

He gathered her in his arms. “Marry me. Wisteria Avalonia Porter of Florin. Do me the honor of becoming my queen.”

“Your queen?” Hesitation clouded her eyes. “What did you call me?”

Curse it! He’d done it again! He’d let his emotions get the better of him. He frantically searched for a way out of this one. “I’m sorry, my darling, you’ll have to forgive my ramblings.” He cupped her hands in his and brought them to his lips. “I just can’t fathom a world in which we’re not together. I feel as though we’ve loved each other a thousand lifetimes.”

She relaxed at that. “Yes, me too. It’s strange how comfortable this is. I’ve never been very good at relationships, but here with you, it feels so familiar.” She cocked her head. “I keep thinking that there’s something I should be remembering. It’s right there, on the edge of my consciousness, but for the life of me, I can’t put my finger on it.”

Icy tentacles of fear clutched at him. Merek was right. She would eventually remember. Merek had counseled him to come clean, to tell her everything before she remembered. “That’s your only hope of winning her back,” he’d said. But he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t go back to that horrific state to where she hated him.

Wisteria ran her fingers through his hair. “Hey, are you okay? You have a worried look on your face.”

He smiled. “No, I was only hoping that you would say
yes
.”

“But what about Rush?”

“He’s your son—a part of you. I’ll accept him as mine. You know that.”

Tears formed in her eyes.

“Hey,” he said tenderly. He touched her cheek, wiping away her tears. “It’s okay.”

She shook her head. “Rush’s been through so much, and I don’t want to add to it.”

It always went back to the boy. A fierce hate welled in his breast. In the other world, he’d hated Rush because he possessed all of the qualities that he wished Edward had. Then he hated him because of the wedge he put between him and Wisteria. And now it was happening again. He looked directly at her, hoping that she would understood the gravity of his words. “I want you, Wisteria, all of you. Whatever it takes, we’ll work through it. I’ll wait as long as I have to, but I won’t lose you.” Not again, he added silently. He’d die before letting that happen.

She searched his face. “Okay,” she finally said, “if you can give me some time to work things out …”

“Done, ” he said firmly. “Take all the time you need.”

She sighed in relief. “How did I ever get so lucky?”

A smile played on his lips. “I don’t think luck had much to do with it.”

“Oh?”

“No, it was providence.”

“Providence, huh? I like the sound of that.”

The moment his lips met hers, the doorbell rang. He groaned. “Not again.” He’d waited all night to get her alone and didn’t want to share her with anyone else. “Just ignore it.” It rang again. This time more persistent.

“You’d better answer it,” she said. “It could be one of the kids.”

Edward had his own key, so it couldn’t be him. If it were Rush, he’d probably deck him. He’d had enough of his intrusions for one night. The bell sounded again. Alexander reluctantly left Wisteria’s side and went to answer it. “This had better be good,” he grumbled. He straightened his clothes and opened the door. “What do you need?” he said in a crisp tone that said
state your business and get off my porch
.

“Retribution. That’s what I need.”

Alexander let out a gurgling sound and leaned against the doorframe for support. If the devil himself had been standing there, he wouldn’t have been more shocked. “Ruben,” he managed to utter.

The man flashed a mocking smile. “Hello, brother.”

T
his could not be happening
. Surely Merek would have warned him. He thought perhaps his eyes were playing tricks on him, but no, there he stood in the flesh—looking every bit as imposing as he remembered. Even though they were twins, they looked vastly different. Ruben was a head shorter than Alexander and bulky where he was lean. His steel-gray hair was cropped short, giving his head a squared effect. His head seemed to get lost in the deep fold of his thick neck, and those onyx eyes were still as cold and calculating as ever. Ruben’s button-up shirt was stretched tight over his barrel chest. He was solid muscle—looking every bit the warrior he’d been in the other realm. “H-how did you get here?” Alexander croaked.

Ruben threw back his head and laughed the way he did when they were growing up and he’d pulled something over on Alexander. “If only you could see yourself … standing there, quaking in your shoes. Don’t soil your pants.” His mouth twisted into a sneer, and his eyes dug into Alexander’s. “You didn’t really think you were going to get away with excluding me from your plan, did you, brother? Merek’s not the only one with power.”

“Griselda,” Alexander uttered as a wave of horror rushed over him. If Griselda wielded enough power to get Ruben here, then there was no telling what other complications she could cause.

Malice twisted Ruben’s face as he leaned into Alexander and whispered, “You wanna know why I’m here? I’m here to get back what’s mine. You stole the throne from me and my son, and I’m here to take it back.”

Alexander found his voice. “Still licking old wounds, I see.” He felt momentary satisfaction at the way Ruben’s face went red. “I never stole anything from you, brother, and you know it. You had every opportunity to win the throne, as did I. You’re just too much of a coward to face the fact that you lost the throne to me.” He got up in Ruben’s face. “Lost it! Fair and square.”

“Merek handed it to you on a silver platter!” Ruben roared.

“He came to you first, but you were too thick-headed to realize what was happening.” He straightened to his full height. “I’m the better man, and the better king.”

Ruben swore and grabbed Alexander by the collar. Alexander drew back his fist to strike.

“Hey, is everything okay?” Both men froze as Wisteria came up behind Alexander. Ruben let go of him and stepped back. Alexander hastily smoothed down his rumpled shirt. “Yes, everything is fine.”

Recognition lit Wisteria’s features as she looked at Ruben. “President Forrest. This is a surprise.” She held out her hand to him.

He took it in his and clasped his other hand over it, holding it there longer than was necessary. His eyes flickered over her appreciatively. “Wisteria Porter, as lovely as ever, I see. I certainly didn’t expect to find you here this evening.”

She returned the compliment with a gracious nod of her head. As Alexander watched the exchange, his blood began to boil. “What brings you to Alexander’s home this evening?” Wisteria looked up at Alexander, a question in her eyes. “I didn’t realize that the two of you knew each other.”

How to explain this to Wisteria. He frantically searched for an explanation. “Ruben and I are—”

“Old friends,” Ruben inserted.

Alexander cocked an eyebrow. “Is that what we are?”

Ruben forced a laugh and looked at Wisteria. “Is he always this difficult?”

A smile tugged at her lips. “Most definitely,” she said, linking her arm through Alexander’s. Alexander put a protective arm around her, holding her close. He didn’t know what twisted game Ruben was playing, but whatever it was, Wisteria was undoubtedly the pawn. This was getting out of control. He had to find a way to get rid of Ruben so that he could contact Merek to find out what was going on. A thought struck him. “You called him
President
.”

She gave him a funny look. “Why yes, you don’t know?”

“Know what?” he asked carefully, trying all the while to figure out when Wisteria and Ruben had met. It shocked him to think that they’d had interaction without him knowing. He’d never even considered that Ruben could break through the other realm to come here. All of his carefully laid plans were crumbling around him. He needed to talk to Merek—and fast! His stomach churned as he saw the triumphant look on Ruben’s face. “What do I not know?” he repeated, bracing himself for the answer.

“Your old friend here has just been named the new President of Knightly University.” Alexander’s face paled as Wisteria continued. “Remember how I told you that I was invited to sing at the University’s Multi-Cultural Event?”

He nodded.

“Ruben …
President Forrest
…” she amended, “is the one who invited me.”

“Please, call me
Ruben
.” His eyes trailed over Wisteria and then he looked at Alexander. “From the moment I heard her perform at The Black Orchid, I knew she’d be a perfect addition to the entertainment. She’s a natural, as if she’s performed a thousand times before.” He gave Wisteria a polite smile. “You performed like a queen.”

Wisteria blushed with pleasure, and Alexander wanted to rip that pompous head right off his stout neck. He would have had Wisteria not been standing beside him.

Ruben motioned. “Might I come in?”

“That’s not a good idea,” Alexander said quickly, blocking the door.

“But Alexander,” Wisteria countered, giving him a look of reproof. “Why not?”

Alexander and Ruben locked eyes. Finally, Ruben offered a slight bow. “Another time then. I’m sure our paths will cross again soon.”

“You can count on it,” Alexander shot back.

R
ushton sat staring
into the fire, trying to figure out how things had gone so terribly wrong. All of his carefully laid plains were for naught, for he’d thrown Cinderella right into Prince Edward’s arms. He’d come upon the scene moments after she fainted. The sight of Edward, holding her in his arms and cradling her head made him physically ill. A part of him ripped open inside when he caught a glimpse of how pale and fragile she was, lying on that cold, cobblestone road. He’d questioned a merchant that had witnessed the accident firsthand. The man told him that Edward had saved her from severe injury. A thought struck him. What if the man were wrong? What if she were maimed … or dead? Fear rose thick in his throat, and he tried to swallow it back down. Cinderella was okay. That was the only scenario that his mind could conceive. “She’s alive!” he told himself fiercely. Edward had whisked her away to the castle, and he’d not heard anything since. His first impulse was to go to her side, but his mother cautioned him against it. “You don’t want to arouse suspicion,” she told him.

Suspicion? He didn’t give a rat’s tail about arousing suspicion! All he cared about was getting to Cinderella. Shortly after the accident, he’d ridden home in a frenzied state and told his mother everything that he’d done. He told her about taking Edward to see the Sorceress Griselda and how he’d tried to ensure that Josselyn, not Cinderella, would be the damsel in distress. She was angry at first that he’d gone to Griselda without telling her then softened when she realized how distraught he was. She listened to him vent and howl until she could stand it no longer. “I’ll go and see how Cinderella’s doing,” she finally said, winding her scarf around her head.

He sat at the table, cradling his head in his hand, going over and over the events. For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out how Cinderella had come to be in the marketplace. When the door opened, he jumped up and searched his mother’s face. “How is she?”

“She has a sprained ankle and a few bruises. Otherwise, she’s perfectly healthy.”

Rushton let out a sigh of relief. “Thank God Almighty,” he breathed, and then he got a look at her worried expression.

“There’s more.” She paused, looking at him. The sympathy welling in her eyes cut him to the quick. He felt a shiver run through him.

“What’s wrong?” he said flatly.

“I think ye need to sit down.”

He gave her a questioning look, and she pulled out a chair and bade him to sit. She began pacing back and forth in front of him, her index finger to her lips.

“Mother, tell me,” he implored. Whatever news she had couldn’t be as bad as not knowing.

She turned to face him. “Thou were right about Edward. He firmly believes that Cinderella is the maiden of which Griselda spoke.” She looked directly at him. “He intends to marry her, Rushton. He intends to make her his bride.”

He clenched his fist and beat it on the table. “Nay! I’ll go to him. I’ll tell him the truth!”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “The truth? Like how ye tricked him into going to see Griselda … and how ye were going to trick him into saving Josselyn? Is that what you’re going to tell him?”