Cardinal

Chapter 6

5 years ago...

"Mooooom, I'm leaving!" I yell as I start walking to the front door. I'm running late again and I don't want to be yelled at by Mr. Grim in my Advanced Gifted Studies class today at the Academy. 

"Wait, wait, wait!" I hear my mom's melodious voice as I come to a screeching halt waiting for her to get to where I was at the front of the house. I impatiently tap my foot when a force suddenly engulfs me in a big hug and kisses both of my cheeks sloppily. 

"Ew mom, come on! I'm not three anymore. I'm sixteen now." I exclaim in feigned disgust as I wipe her saliva off of my cheeks, laughing at her antics. 

"My baby is not a baby anymore. I want time to freeze for you and for time to move faster for this one." She sniffs audibly, a frown marring her beautiful face as she pats and caresses her protruding belly.  I roll my eyes at her and hug her before I make my way to the door. 

Another hulking figure walks in from somewhere, hugging mom from behind, caressing her very pregnant belly as well. "Don't roll your eyes at your mom, Lil." My dad jokes at me, reaching out to ruffle my hair. 

"Hey dad, come on, I can't attract any boys with messed-up hair like this." 

"Boys? What boys?"  Another voice exclaims from the other room. I groan and stomp my feet. 

"Ugh, dad, why didn't you tell anyone you were there again? You're so weird!" I yell towards the reading room. 

"Ugh guys, too early to be yelling around like this. Lilac, you're so loud. Wake up the whole house why don't you?"  Dad exclaims grumpily walking down the stairs. My mom chuckles as Dad gives her a kiss on the cheek. 

"You raised me like this and you're complaining?" I retort back. He laughs and gives me a kiss on the cheek. 

"I didn't raise you to dawdle around and be late though!" I panic and look at my watch, panicking more with the time. 

"Aaaah, I'm so late. Bye Mom, bye Dads! Love you!"  I sprint towards the door and grabbing the keys to my car, as I hear a chorus of goodbyes and snickers. 

Little did I know that this would be the last happy memory I had of them. 

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I'm awakened by the pang of hunger, reminding me that I haven't had food for almost a day and a half. It's honestly astonishing that all that shit just happened today. I'm still trying to reel in the events which landed me in this mansion with my links. The pang of hunger motivates me to get out of bed and go down the stairs to the kitchen to find some food. I don't know where Martha would be to inquire about food so I attempt to find some leftover food in the kitchen to eat. I'm sorely met with disappointment with the almost clinical arrangement of the refrigerator. Who lives like this? All the condiments have barely been touched and all of the food is stacked in an organized fashion?

As I close the door of the refrigerator, a shirtless William appears in my peripheral who enters the kitchen area with only gray sweatpants, sitting low on his hips. He smirks as my gaze trails up from the V-shape of his hips, the tuft of dark hair above the waistband, and his well-defined six-pack with an intricate tattoo design on his chest and arms. No, this really isn't the 16-year-old William anymore. What the hell? They were always sinewy, but this is a different kind of physique that can only be achieved through hard, grueling exercise. 

"See something you like?" William cheekily responds. 

I shake my head at him as my stomach growls violently and audibly. My cheeks heat with embarrassment as I cover my stomach. 

He frowns at me. "Steel didn't feed you?" 

"No, but I also didn't tell him I was hungry. I was tired." I respond to him, defending Steel. Did he deserve it? That ass. 

William sighs and walks towards the stove. "Sit there. Don't move. I'll cook you food." 

His statement has got me reeling. I feel unnerved by his sudden amenable behavior. 

"You don't have to do that. I'm sure I can figure out how to cook and..." I immediately stop talking when his expression becomes murderous. 

"Stop arguing with me, Lilac. Just stay for one second... Okay?" I don't miss the slight desperation in his voice and the double entendre to his words. 

"Fine," I tell him succinctly, not wanting to argue. I proceed to sit on the other side of this oversized island. 

As he's chopping the vegetables and starts cooking, I observe him quietly. I commit this scene to memory, memorizing every scar I see and every mole I see. His tattoos, the way he wipes sweat from his forehead with his forearm, and the peaceful expression he has without me ruining it for him. My heart clenches with the desire to be near him and aches with the longing that I so badly want to fulfill. William's gripping the knife more intently than before as the tightening of our link starts to overwhelm me in my chest, making me take deeper breaths. He cuts the vegetables more violently as I start to desperately try to quiet and calm our link. I watch him intently, avoiding my instinct to close my eyes and tune everything out. I'm gripping my shirt with the intensity that almost explodes in my chest with the need to touch him. 

Oh god. It's not just me, it's him too. I quietly figure out the conundrum of the link in my head. 

Against my better judgment, I leave my seat and make my way over to William. He stills and stops his violent chopping as I lay my cheek on his back, wrapping my arms around his waist. My tears wet his back as I come to a realization. He wasn't rejecting me on the plane..he was reaching out to me through the weak link that we had, his hurt mixing with my own earlier, his desire for our link, for me, trying to seep through. I understand now. 

The longer we're in skin-to-skin contact, the more it seems to quiet the stretch in my chest. It leaves me with a warm feeling throughout, like sunshine entering my body in the most magical way. 

"I don't know why you won't tell us if you had a good reason. I just want to help you. I promised you, Lilac. I'll be here for you no matter what. Did my promises mean shit? Am I not what you wanted in a link?" He quietly rasps out, voice cracking, as I feel his own tears drop on my hand wrapped around his waist. I'm the worst person in the world. 

My throat tightens at his statement. My chest, soul, aches, feeling as if my heart's being ripped up. I hurt him. Badly.  

I shake my head, keeping quiet, not trusting myself to not reveal everything to him. 

"You're everything I dreamt of and more, Will. Never doubt that." I whisper to him, saying nothing more because I can't. 

My heart shatters with the revelation of the link and his statement. I grow more and more troubled with my nonexistent backbone. Where's the girl that left her links for their safety? I need her resolve now. 

She saw how beautiful and perfect her links were despite having a monster and a bitch of a  cardinal who left them. 

Better that you're alive, Will. Over my dead fucking body will they be able to hurt you guys.  

I untangle myself from Will and return to my seat across the island. He avoids any eye contact with me as he continues to cook. He spoons the delicious-looking noodle soup concoction in a bowl and sets it on the island. He doesn't attempt to hand it to me. 

He gives me one last pained expression and leaves the kitchen wordlessly, leaving my heart in shatters on the kitchen floor.