// Best YA Romance in the Romance Fiction Awards 2021//
Thrill Hawthorne, keeping up to his name, lives his life on the edge. Or so people think.
Ignatius Rookwood is the darling son and the sole male heir to a gigantic business corporation. Or so...
Charlie__Tango made the cover (that I've attached in the media ^) many years ago for the original version of Akimbo. (｡ŏ﹏ŏ)
~~~~
Trigger warning : homophobia
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Ignatius disliked Seraphina's mother as much as he liked Seraphina, which was a lot. Best friend to his own mother, Mrs. Rosaline Reishi was just another rich, annoying, snobbish lady who never let go of any opportunities to throw subtle insults towards her to-be son-in-law.
"You shouldn't have interacted with such filth in the first place," Mrs. Reishi was telling Ignatius from where she sat beside Isadora, her favourite of the two Rookwood children.
Ignatius said nothing. Seraphina sat next to him, faking a smile now and then, and feigning interest in the ongoing conversation.
"It's not all that bad," Isadora replied. "Right, mother?" She turned to the woman sitting on a large armchair with a wine glass in hand.
Odette Rookwood hummed in agreement before turning to her friend, "Didn't I tell you, Rosaline? We've filled a case against the Hawthornes."
Mrs. Reishi nodded. "I'm just concerned, is all. David is quite popular with the higher ups."
"And his son, the fag, is the least popular among everyone in this country," Odette replied.
Subconsciously, Ignatius clenched his fists.
Isadora scoffed, propping up her feet on the couch, her silver stilletos reflecting the light coming from the chandelier hanging above them. "Everyone hates him. We're doing the country a favour."
Mrs. Reishi frowned. "I'm surprised he's still roaming free."
"Exactly," Odette broke in. "So we're going to show the country what happens when scum like him are not thrown in jails. Who knows how many more boys he has attacked the way he attacked my son?"
He didn't, Ignatius wanted to say. He did not attack me and I know he won't hurt anyone else either. He's not like that! But of course, Ignatius kept his mouth shut because he did not have the strength needed to face the consequences of saying those words.
"Considering what he did to his own brother?" Isadora laughed. "Is there even any doubts left about it? He's a pervert."
He's not!! Ignatius was clenching his fists so hard, it was starting to hurt.
"Ah yes, I almost forgot about that," Mrs. Reishi said. "How long ago was it?"
"Five or six months back," Isadora replied, as if she was an expert on the matter.
It perked Mrs. Reishi's interest. She smirked and leaned towards Isadora, "Do you still have that video that went viral?"
"Mother!" Seraphina cried, and for that Ignatius was grateful. Of the two of them, she was clearly the braver one. "Can you please let it go?"
