Astrid Knight was the definition of cold. Preferring to stay in shadows, she had managed to successfully avoid any life-threatening incidents.
Fending for herself was hard when she was a minor, forcing her to work on the other side of the law.
After...
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—A S T R I D—
"I assume she told you about me." The observation itself felt more like a statement as if she was sure that snitch had told him, "Didn't she?"
"Briefly." Austin hissed back, the pain in his shoulder making him squeeze his eyes close, "Slow down, please."
The doctor did, slightly.
"And was it true?" Austin had wanted to believe she would have been spared from the cruelty, but who was really? Everyone had experienced cruelty, just in some different doses.
"You have to more certain 'bout what you're asking, little brother."
Austin rolled his eyes and blew out a breathe, "You know what I'm talking about. Don't play dumb— it doesn't suit you."
Astrid held her arms near her head and closed her eyes in a mocking manner, "Come on, brother. You know me better than that—"
"Be serious for once, Ash."
"Fine," She huffed in a childish way, "I had always wanted more, brother, I craved more. More affection, more attention, and more knowledge. I had been too much for everyone— too much for the tutors, too much for my fellow kids, too much for the orphanage owner. No one ever really knew what to do with me.
"No matter the punishment or the threats, I couldn't sit still. They gave me the books to read for a week and I could complete them in one night. I was brilliant, Austin.
"No threats ever worked on me, but I wasn't enough for one person. Marina. Never enough for her. She gave me everything I needed." She glanced at him, smiling as if she were remembering some buried memory.
"She gave me everything— affection, attention and knowledge— everything but freedom. She knew the only threat that would work on me was not the one against me but my sister. So she used her and it worked.
"And you never—"
"Never told my anyone? I had no one except her, Austin. No one. And in the most platonic way, she was my soul mate." He stayed silent now, listening intently as if he turned around he might not hear anything.
"Everything was fine as long as she was there, Austin. Everything was amazing as long as she was calling the shots." Astrid struggled not to laugh at the irony. Marina was an amazing woman, there was no denying that.
