Prologue

TALLULAH

W hen I was a child, my father used to perform magic tricks for me.

I would sit on his lap and clap excitedly as he performed one after another. Looking back, they weren’t complicated or that hard to figure out, but as a little girl, I loved them. I would put my chubby little arms up with delight and clap my small hands.

Mom always looked at us with affection. But sometimes, I saw that look on her face change. She’d clear her throat, look away. She’d wipe away the smile from her face and we’d carry on as if nothing had ever happened.

Since my younger sister was born, I’ve known I’m not my parents’ favorite child.

But until my fifteenth birthday, I did not know why.

That one birthday changed everything and my life as I knew it was over in a split second the moment the truth came out. Everything made sense after that - my parents keeping their distance, keeping my baby sister away from me. I finally understood it all.

On the morning of my fifteenth birthday, I wake up with a bright smile on my face.

Nothing will stop me from feeling happy today, not even my parents, who congratulate me in quiet voices and hand me their gift. Tearing into the wrapping paper, I light up as I pull out a beautiful necklace. It’s a silver cross pendant on a rope chain.

“I love it,” I tell my parents with a delighted smile, and they nod to acknowledge my words. “Thank you so much!”

Just then, my little sister comes through the door. She’s a sulky eleven-year-old right now, and she’s obsessed with me.

Perhaps it’s because my parents don’t pay me much attention and she feels sorry for me. Perhaps it’s because I’m her older sister and a built-in role model for Mathilda. Either way, she loves me, and I’m grateful to have at least one person who seems to enjoy my company.

Mathilda runs up to me and wraps her arms around me, giving me a sloppy kiss on the cheek as she says, “Happy birthday, big sister!”

“Thanks, baby,” I say with a bright smile. “It means a lot.”

All of us call Mathilda baby since she’s the youngest of our little family, but I think she only really likes it when I do it.

She sits next to me and we eat breakfast together. Nobody offers to put my necklace on, so I do it myself, admiring the way the cross falls against my skin. My heart is beating into overdrive with anticipation as I prepare myself to ask what I know my parents are already dreading. Finally, I gather enough courage to ask.

“When is Xavier coming?”

Instantly, my parents share a troubled look.

“He’ll be here soon enough, I’m sure,” my father says in a clipped tone. “Finish your breakfast, girls.”

Unsatisfied with the answer, I know I won’t get much more out of my parents. They’re strangely annoyed by Xavier, which is why I don’t understand why they allowed him to be my godfather. Surely, if they hate him that much, they’d try to keep him out of my life. And yet, without fail, every year on my birthday, Xavier shows up bearing luxurious gifts my parents begrudgingly allow me to accept. And every year, I get more and more excited about seeing my guardian.

I’ve always been in awe of Xavier. He’s older than me by quite a lot, with jet-black hair that has a few silver streaks. He’s tall, towering over me, and so muscular I sometimes watch his muscles stretch his shirt with wonder. I know he’s my father’s adoptive uncle, so we’re not a blood relation. I’m grateful for that, otherwise my little crush would be even more inappropriate.

I shake my head, reminding myself Xavier would never look at me twice. He’s so much older, he has no interest in a stupid young girl like me. Besides, Mom and Dad say he’s quite the womanizer.

The doorbell rings and I’m instantly off my seat and running toward it as my parents call out after me to slow down. But I’m too excited to listen to their warnings.

I take a deep breath, standing in front of the door. I can hear giggling and laughter on the other side, and I know I’m about to finally see Xavier after a year of being separated. I live for my birthday, not for the gifts, but because I get to see him and be in his presence. Something about Xavier is so damn electric, making me want to be near him at all times.

With another deep breath, I open the door.

On the doorstep, there’s a scantily dressed woman in a barely there dress that shows more than it covers. She has dark red hair and her arms are all over my guardian. Xavier stands beside her, his eyes darkening as they meet mine. He smirks at me.

“Growing up on me, are you, Tallulah?”

I shriek with excitement and throw my arms around his shoulders. He pushes the redhead out of the way, which gives me a sick sense of satisfaction. As I pull back, I realize the woman seems pretty annoyed too, but I’m too wrapped up in Xavier to notice. It feels so good to see him again. To inhale his scent of sharp pepper. I’ve been counting down the days to this event all year.

“Do I look that different?” I ask, spinning around in front of him. “Probably not... I’ve only grown an inch since last year.”

“You look different every year,” he mutters, his eyes silently drinking me in. “Aren’t you going to invite us in, angel?”

His nickname that he uses only for me makes my heart sing, and I nod vigorously, stepping aside to allow them to enter the Palacio.

After they exchange polite hellos, we head to the veranda so I can open Xavier’s presents. There’s no explanation to who the woman is, and none of us ask.

One gift Xavier bought for me is a gorgeous red velvet cake that’s heart-shaped and surrounded by red roses. He tells me he had it made just for me, and I squeal on the inside.

While I dig through the other treasures in Xavier’s beautifully packaged gifts, I risk a look at my little sister.

Mathilda is clinging to our mother. Even though she’s shy with everyone, Xavier makes her especially uncomfortable, and she’s told me before she fears him.

But I don’t share those feelings, and I leap to hug my godfather every time I open another box. My parents and Mathilda, however, can only manage tight smiles for the entire exchange. None of them say a word.

Unluckily for me, the woman Xavier’s brought with him keeps babbling on and on. It quickly becomes apparent she’s going out with Xavier. My suspicion is helped by her constantly running her hands all over my guardian. He doesn’t make a move to stop her.

I’m struggling with my feelings of jealousy as I unwrap another gift. This one is a golden tiara, and even Mathilda’s eyes widen at the sight of its glittering stones.

“This is too much.”

Dad has finally spoken up, and he’s glaring at Xavier as he shakes his head.

“She can’t accept that.”

“Why the fuck not?”

Mathilda gasps when Xavier growls the response. Neither we nor our parents curse. She slips further behind our mother.

“Because it’s too expensive, and we’re not interested in making Tallulah’s birthday all about money.”

“Well, why not?” Xavier smirks. “We have plenty of it, right? Why not shower her with gifts?”

He looks at me, winking and making butterflies float in my stomach.

“You deserve to be spoiled, don’t you, angel?”

“Enough.”

My father’s tone is enough for all of us to look at him.

“I don’t want you in my house anymore,” Dad mutters. “You need to fucking leave.”

“Kicking me out already?” Xavier laughs. “I’ve barely been here five minutes.”

“Seems really fucking rude to me,” the redhead says. “I don’t think you should let them treat you this way, Xavier...”

There’s a moment of unbearable tension in the room. I can see my father signaling to the guards that are always watching us. One of them reaches for his gun, making Xavier laugh at him.

“Relax,” he says calmly. “We won’t spoil angel’s birthday party, will we, slut?”

I watch with wide eyes as the redhead swings herself on his lap. They kiss sloppily, and Xavier’s hand goes to her throat, choking her.

The sight is enough to send my mind spinning. By the time I’ve come back to my senses, Mom is trying to drag me away, along with Mathilda. I shake her off until she finally leaves with my little sister in tow.

“You need to fucking leave,” Dad hisses at Xavier, who now has the redhead straddling him.

Xavier’s fingers travel all over the woman’s back, and I watch him unclip her bra through her dress before tearing off her panties with a loud rip that sends a shiver down my spine.

My eyes keep widening until they’re as wide as saucers. I don’t even dare look at Dad - he’ll be angry without a doubt; he despises Xavier.

Xavier picks up the woman, and she wraps her legs around him as he carries her out of the room. They kiss again and the woman giggles, throwing her head back.

She’s so carefree. I’ll never be anything like her.

“Sorry for spoiling your birthday, angel,” Xavier winks at me. “Better luck next year.”

He steps outside where his lacquered black Cadillac and guards are waiting for him.

I don’t know what Xavier does, but I know he’s just as rich as we are, or perhaps even richer. His presents are always luxurious and over the top. I love that he likes to spoil me.

Before Xavier has time to say anything else, Dad slams the door in his face and I cry out, stomping.

“Xavier!”

I attempt to run after him, but Dad stops me with a firm hand on my forearm.

“Let go of me!”

I shake him off, glaring.

“How dare you ruin this for me!”

“Excuse me?”

Dad faces me with a stony expression.

“The one good day in my life, the only day I get excited for, and you had to ruin it.”

I cross my arms and glare at him.

“Why do you think I’m so excited when Xavier comes here, Dad? It’s because he’s the only one who really loves me!”

“He doesn’t love you.”

Dad’s voice is tinged with disgust. I smirk, nodding with a sick sense of satisfaction.

“Well, then nobody does,” I hiss, running up the stairs.

He doesn’t call out after me and I’m not stupid enough to turn around and check if he’s watching me. I slam the door of my bedroom closed, hearing a guard step in place in front of my door.

Groaning, I slam my fist into a pink pillow. Then I hold it up against my mouth and scream into it as loudly as I can. It’s the only thing that helps me keep it together lately.

The knock on my door comes hours later. I’ve fallen asleep splayed on the bed and I rub my eyes, calling for whoever is outside to come in.

I expect Mathilda, but my parents stand on the doorstep with worried expressions.

“We need to talk about Xavier,” Mom says in a clipped tone.

“What about him?” I narrow my eyes at them both.

“Not everything is what it seems, Tallulah,” Dad mutters. “And it’s about time we told you the truth.”

I’m not Daddy’s little girl. Perhaps I never was, even though I craved it desperately. I chose darkness over the light. I followed Xavier to the depths of hell to be with him.

And I never broke my role, not once.

After all, a true magician never reveals their secrets.

Once mine comes out, it will be too late. Not just for Xavier, but for me, too...