Page 72 of Bound Bride
I squint up at him as my heart lurches. "I thought you were busy with Ethan?"
"Ethan's being cared for," Calvin replies. "So I came back because we need to finish our talk."
"I don't have anything to say."
Calvin moves around and sits next to me on the bench, facing me with a grim look. "Yes, you do. I haven't told Kon about the kiss yet."
"Why?" I close the book and clutch it to my abdomen. "What are you waiting for?" If Calvin wants leverage, then I'll cave. Whatever he wants, I'll have no choice.
But to my surprise, he doesn't speak as if he wants to hold this against me. Instead, his expression softens.
"Because I'm worried about you, Rose. You said you were running out of time, and that a pregnancy could help save your family. Save them from what? Surely you know that if they're in trouble, then you can tell Kon and he will help you? You have to see how deeply he cares for you."
Tears warm behind my eyes and a stinging sensation rises in my throat. Calvin's right, which makes all of this worse.
Especially after my heart-to-heart with Kon last night in the bath.
He cares about me a lot.
He was betrayed once before and I'm set to do it all over again.
"You don't understand," I whisper. "What you're telling me to do is impossible."
"Then tell me why. If Kon can't help you, then maybe I can."
I scoff, unable to stop myself because yesterday I'd tried to get his help and he had rightfully rejected me.
My mind stumbles over several lies to explain everything away, but none of them feel like they'll satisfy Calvin's curiosity.
What choice do I have?
"You can't tell Kon."
"I can't make that promise, Rose."
"I…"
Fuck.
"My father…" I choke out and tears flood my eyes. "He's in debt. A lot of debt. The kind that's impossible to pay back in any lifetime. He likes to gamble, you see. He always has, but in the past few years, it has gotten much worse. Everything he earned, he gambled away. You know how this world works, Calvin. Can you even imagine how pissed any of Kon's suppliers would be if he didn't pay them their share of their profits?"
Calvin nods slowly as I sniffle.
"That's my dad. I love him, I do, but he's so single-minded in everything he does. No loss is enough to make him stop. In my childhood, we had three homes. We've lost them all. His competitors swallowed up his businesses as compensation and still, he kept gambling. He borrowed money from horrible people and he couldn't pay it back."
The damn's broken. Once I start talking, I can't stop. A chill sweeps down my arms and legs despite the hot sun gazing down from overhead.
"When he couldn't pay…" I blink, and a tear leaks down my cheek, so I hastily swipe it away. "They kidnapped us. My mom, my sister Beatie, and I. They wanted to take what they were owed in flesh." My voice wobbles violently and the next words that escape me are waspish and hoarse.
"The worst part is, I don't even think he noticed we were gone at first. He didn't come looking for us, he didn't answer any of the calls, and they were getting so angry. I did everything I couldto protect my sister while my mom pretended none of it was happening."
"What about your brother?" Calvin's hand suddenly covers mine. "Did he do anything to help your father?"
Our eyes meet and more tears leak down my cheeks.
The words don't come but I watch the realization dawn across Calvin's face, and his eyes dart back and forth as the pieces slip into place for him.
"Mathew isn't your brother, is he?"
