Page 63 of Until Death or Defeat

“Talk about what?”

“Later, unless you want to ruin your family time.”

She huffs and we walk back to the table. She gets in the booth with Leo, and I can’t help but be lost in thought. Roman said it’s not confirmed, it was mostly a misunderstanding. Or that it was an attempt at framing them to weaken the family. But I don’t think her father would have believed something without proof. If he didn’t believe it, why cut them off from the family?

“I’m surprised you really came,” I turn and see Caesar leaning over the railing next to me.

“Well, Giselle tends to dive in headfirst without a lifeguard.”

He chuckles as he watches her sit and talk with Leo. “I trust Leo. Giselle was all worried too, but I’d never put her in harm’s way.”

“No? Then why hasn’t anyone told her about what happened to her mother?”

“That wasn’t true. It was?—”

“Yeah, yeah. But neither of you saw her body after the crash supposedly happened.”

He stops for a moment to think and looks up. “Well, it was a bad accident. She couldn’t have an open casket.”

I sigh. Then he doesn’t really believe it. But he does know. “But she doesn’t know that it might’ve not been?—”

“Stop, Artem. I get what you’re doing here but it isn’t true. I’d never tell Giselle something to make her upset when it isn’t even confirmed. It’s the same reason my father never told her.”

I don’t know why it bothers me that she’s left in the dark. All I want is to keep her there myself. But...death is complicated. I couldn’t bear the thought of not knowing the possibility of how my mother died.

“Please, Artem. She’s happy right now. She’s still in her bubble. You want her there too, don’t you?”

I do. But when is it too far? When do I decide that the woman I’ve come to know so well is capable of handling it?

“I love her. That’s why I don’t tell her everything. My dad is the same way. She...just deserves to live unburdened. She’s my baby sister and I can’t think about her constantly worrying. I know you agree.”

She deserves more than that.

The entire universe.

The role she always dreamed of.

A stand-up man who will treat her right.

All the luck and gold and happiness and stupid fucking rainbows the world can offer her.

But she gets none of it. Only me and my fucked-up life.

That, and the label of ‘too complicated to be told shit by her own family.’

He can say it whatever way he wants. He loves her, yes, but I know he and her father only want to keep her sated. Only he doesn’t realize how much they’ve fucked up by keeping her in the tiny bubble her whole life.

After another hour of forcing myself to not jump from the railing onto the first-floor dance floor, Giselle finally says goodbye to them.

“Until next time,” Leo mutters with a smug grin at me, and I turn.

“Jeez wait up,” she says behind me as we hit the outside air, and my ears can finally pop after all that noise inside. We get in the car and both sit quietly.

“Why are you acting like you’re going to tell me my goldfish died?”

My head tilts back against the headrest as I sigh.

“I’m conflicted. And I’m usually not conflicted.”