King's Treasure (Oil Kings Book 3) by Marie Johnston (spanish books to read txt) 📕

“Provided for you? Given you everything you needed? He at least agreed that you needed to learn how the world works for yourself. I wanted you to learn to care for yourself instead of depending on someone, especially a husband.”

The irony that I was depending on my husband to hand me money so I could do just that constricted every vessel in my chest. I sucked in a hard breath. “You’ve been so hard on me because of how Chief treats you?”

“No, dear. I was being hard on you so you could learn everything I wasn’t allowed to.” My eyes widened and she nodded. “I care for the house and take charge of the staff because it’s what I know how to do, and I enjoy it. I can donate to any charity I want without asking for permission. I can volunteer for the local food pantry for eight months if I’m so moved. Unfortunately, I was worthless to them and they said that my financial support was more than enough.”

A chuckle escaped my lips and grew to a laugh. I couldn’t picture Mother stocking shelves in her Louboutins and pencil skirt. “Mother. What about Em? Chief shoved Carter on her.”

“Dear.” Mother rolled her eyes, a wry smile twisting her matte red-stained lips. “Emerald begged your father to introduce her to Carter. The poor boy didn’t stand a chance.”

My eyes narrowed. “But she doesn’t work and she acts . . .” Like you. But I was learning my mother was more than how I’d pigeonholed her.

“She can’t decide what she wants to do with her life. Carter is understanding. Happy wife, happy life. She’s been talking about going back to school.”

“She went to Georgetown.”

“She also did more outside of the house than you. You can’t tell Emerald what to do, you know that.”

“Pearl? Never mind. None of us worry about her.”

“She was always headstrong. But you, Sapphire. You were too scared to contradict us and when you did act out, you withdrew into your shell so deep and for so long . . . I worried.”

She’d worried some man would sucker me into marrying him so he could get to my family’s money. Her gentle shoves out of the nest had turned into an expensive heel to the ass. “Why did you keep insisting Xander use Davis to get around?”

Her hands fluttered on her lap and for the first time in my life, I witnessed my mother blush. “Well, I wanted to make sure he wasn’t using you . . .”

“You were testing him?”

“Yes. The way he looked at you—I didn’t think it was necessary. But I bought him all those clothes and he didn’t argue.”

“He was being polite.” My voice was a screech. Mother was diabolical.

She lifted a shoulder. “It made me nervous. Then he didn’t wear them, and he started leaving before I could offer Davis’s services.” Concern crinkled her eyes. “Then he left for good and I’m afraid you’re too far into your shell to do anything.”

She hadn’t wanted me to get married for money, but I had and it wasn’t mine. Mother didn’t know about the trust, yet she was talking about Xander like she knew he was important to me.

“I don’t know if he wants to be with me.”

“I thought he left because he couldn’t be with you.” My mouth turned down and she shrugged. “Thin walls.”

“I work for Chief. I can’t just leave.”

“Sapphire, if you want something enough, you go for it. That’s how your father and I know when you’re on the right track. You lack focus until you decide not to. Why didn’t you go with him?”

“I was trying to be responsible.” I was getting so sick of those words.

There went that shaped brow. “By forcing him to live here and be miserable?”

“I woke up married in Vegas because it was either get married to someone I picked or get stuck with Lex.”

“Yes, that. Em and Carter worked out so well, Walter thought you and Lex could too, but I do admit, he seems rather arrogant. I might’ve had to step in if you’d shown real interest.”

I feared what her interference would’ve looked like.

“You made it to twenty-five without breaking down and getting married. Do you really think you did it as an act of rebellion?” Her voice softened. “I saw you two in the snow.” She patted my knee. “You fight for what you really want.”

Had I used my parents as an excuse, my path of least resistance? It had taken a quarter of a century, and just one five-minute conversation, to learn that my parents were a weird mix of smothering and shoving me out of the nest. That didn’t change the reason why Xander had married me. Mother didn’t know the story, but I needed her advice. “What if he married me for his own reasons and isn’t interested in a relationship?”

“The young man I met was very much interested in you. Whatever you two told yourselves about why you married, I think you’ve overlooked the obvious.”

“What if I fail?” Would there be a shell deep enough I could climb into?

She patted my knee. “What if you don’t?” She rose and turned to go, unconcerned about her reading glasses. A ruse to check on me? Mother was crafty. How did I not see it? “But Savvy, whatever you decide, wherever you go, make sure you’re living life on your terms and not someone else’s. You’ve done that long enough.”

Xander

Sun bounced off the trees around me, making it seem like I was working in a forest of emeralds. The base of the Sharr mountain range was gorgeous this time of year. I hadn’t arrived in time to help my buddy with his ski business, but he’d put me to work as a hired hand, slash hiking, and camping guide.

I was more hired help than buddy. I’d been piss-poor company since I’d arrived. I’d given Hector an abridged version of what had happened. Considering Savvy and I had been together only a month before