Volatile Love: Gilded Sovereign, page 3
4
Rukaiya
It started when I was five. Listening to the arguing, I would shut my eyes, hide under the sheets, and hum to myself. With every fight they had, I thought the world would come to a standstill. I prayed it would.
Dad was an asshole, there was no mistaking it. Even when he landed the job as a cop, he still acted as if everyone owed him something. I came to hate my father when I turned sixteen, and he made sure I would serve drinks at his poker games. His friends would leer at me, chuckling when I would race out of the room.
Which is why I spent most of my nights at my best friend’s house.
The only man I knew wasn’t a pervert was Patrick. My best friend’s dad was friendly enough, but he was far too locked up in his own mind to even pay me and Dahlia any attention.
I never told anyone about my home life. It wasn’t their business. Why would I spew shit about what I was going through when someone else was probably going through something worse?
I used to be the ‘suffer in silence’ type. And it worked well for me over the years until Dad refused to let me go to Tynewood. I wanted to go to University with Dahlia, not be watched as I attempted to enjoy my college years. I begged and pleaded until he finally relented. And I thought he’d allow me to go on my own, but I couldn’t escape him.
Momma did though. She was clever enough to die. I shouldn’t say it like that, but it’s true. The night I found her in our bathroom is forever ingrained in my mind. I was only ten. Too young to do anything to help. The blood that soaked through the grit in the tiles, the stench of metal that I could never rid myself of still haunts me.
She left me to fend for myself, and I did. I learned how to protect myself by going to self-defense classes. When Dad was undercover, I would visit the local gym, which wasn’t far from our house, and I learned how to fuck men up that were double my size.
I was doing well.
I could survive.
I didn’t need a goddamned knight in shining armor. I was strong and independent. Only, my father didn’t know anything about that part of me. He only thought of me as his fragile little girl. I allowed him to believe it. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.
Right?
Wrong.
My father knows how to dole out punishment, and mine was normally being locked up tight, so nobody could come near me. Nobody but Dahlia. I never understood why he wasn’t against our friendship. We drifted toward each other since he worked with her dad, but I knew there was more to it. Perhaps it was a sixth sense, or something like that, but I could read my father like a book. When he was planning something, it was so clearly written on his face. That dark satisfaction of a plan coming together.
Two months ago, I learned the truth about who Fergus Harrison really is. I was stupid because I trusted him. Even through all his outbursts and the way he would react to me and mom, I still loved him.
But it wasn’t real.
None of it was.
The Society he was a part of brought darkness into our lives, and now I’m here, in London, helping my father to bring down Isaac Durand. My twentieth birthday is coming up, and I have a feeling my father wants me to do more than just smile as I serve drinks and act like the elegant lady at the society’s parties.
Deep in my heart, I know he’s going to use me as a pawn. His love isn’t as pure as I thought it was. Fergus Harrison was my mother’s worst mistake, and now I’m having to deal with the aftermath of that choice.
With quick steps, I try to focus on the here and now, on getting to my destination. The city is busy today as I head toward what looks like a more modernized area with glass buildings and high rises, Canary Wharf.
London is something else: it’s beautiful and old with buildings that I want to explore. I’ve always loved history and being in such an ancient place is exciting. I just wish I was here under better circumstances.
The buildings in this part of London are all glass and metal. But near the wharf itself, open brick apartments line the river. Their balconies overlook the water, and I wonder just how magical it must be at night when the lights dance along the dark surface.
The building I enter is where I’m meeting Dad. He’s with the rest of the Sovereign who run things in the UK, and even though they’re a larger society than the one in Tynewood, they still obey the rules set out by the four men back home.
The slate walls and floor to ceiling windows make the place feel modern, but the further into the bowels of the property you go, the open brick shows evidence that this is one of those older buildings.
As the elevator takes me up to the top floor, I think about Tynewood. About school. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here, but I want to finish my degree, one way or another. And I want to do it at home—in Tynewood. I never thought I’d ever consider a place as home if it weren’t D.C., but knowing I left my best friend back there makes my heart ache. She must hate me for running away; I just wish I could let her know I’m okay.
The problem is, any move I make, Dad will find out. It’s as if he’s tracking me. The metal doors slide open, depositing me in a long brightly lit hallway. At the far end, I notice a door that’s currently shut, but it’s the only exit on this floor. My heart thumps in my chest, but as much as anxiety is twisting in my gut, I follow the hallway toward the waiting doorway.
I knock once, twice, and a third time. It’s the way Dad showed me. As soon as it opens, I’m met with the familiar gaze of Etienne Durand. The one person I didn’t want to know where I was.
“Etienne?”
“I need answers,” he tells me, before stepping aside and allowing me to enter the penthouse, which takes up the whole top floor. “And I need them before we walk in there.” His voice is low, a threat hanging between us.
I can’t look at him or I’ll lose my nerve. His face covered in dark stubble makes my fingers itch to touch it. To feel him against me, but I know this will never work between us.
Meeting his dark eyes, I silently plead with him to leave this. But the more I stare at him I know he’ll never give up. I move to walk by him, but he’s fast, his hand shooting out to grab my arm. I turn my attention to the man who is chipping away at my walls and pin him with a glare.
“Not now. Not here.”
He releases me when I tug my arm free. As I walk away, I feel his eyes burning into my back, and for just a moment, I toy with him by swaying my hips left and right as I walk into the office, which sits on the opposite side of the entrance and the living room.
Time to learn about Daddy and his cronies.
5
Etienne
Settling at the table, I can’t keep my eyes off her. Long blonde dreads hang down her back, the smooth, caramel skin that taunts me from under the white tank top she’s wearing causes my blood to heat.
“It’s nice to see you here today,” my dad, Isaac, smiles over at her. From the information Dad gave, I’ve learned about her past.
Her mother, an exotic film star from India, moved to London when she was shooting a movie. She met Fergus, fell in love, and moved to America not long after filming finished.
We know her mother died, committing suicide when Rukaiya was very young. Rukaiya had found her mother in the bathtub, her wrists torn from an old razor blade with blood everywhere. That’s when Fergus ended up joining the police force. He went undercover, leaving Rukaiya with the nannies he’d hired.
What we don’t know is how he links up with Abner. I glance at the asshole as frustration burns in my veins at not being able to grab him by the throat and squeeze tight. I want to see him take his final fucking breath for what he did to both Rukaiya and her mother.
“Can we get started?” Fergus mutters, his sneer at me doesn’t go unnoticed. What he doesn’t realize is that I don’t give a shit who he is, I’ll kill him right now without blinking. “I don’t see why your son has to be present, this is business for the London Sovereign.”
“It doesn’t matter which country you go to, I’ll be there, because I don’t trust assholes like you,” I tell him, leaning forward, my hands clenched into fists at the balls on this fucker.
“Etienne,” my dad says in a warning tone, so I simmer down, but not by much. There’s nothing I can do to Fergus right now, but if I ever see him doing shit to hurt Rukaiya, he’ll pay with blood. “Let’s get started.”
“Abner has been taken in, he won’t be seeing the light of day again,” I inform the table. There are six men surrounding it, including my father and Fergus. Rukaiya’s gaze lingers on me for a moment, and I can’t stop a smirk from curling my lips. The moment she notices it, she turns away. Her cheeks darken with a rosy hue. Fuck, she’s beautiful.
“And where does that leave the Tynewood Sovereign?” One of the other men questions, leaning his elbows on the table.
“Philipe has taken his father’s place. As it was meant to be, no matter where Abner is.” I shove the paperwork across the table to the man who asked me the question. I don’t know any of their names, but I’ll learn soon enough.
“That’s fine,” Dad says, “and what are you going to do when it comes to the other societies? Philipe will have to visit each one in person.”
“He’s planning that, we just needed to make sure Tynewood was secure before we even considered that,” I tell him. The focus was always on the main arm of the Sovereign. The rest of the societies will have to wait. Besides the fact that they’ve all heard about Abner’s arrest, there hasn’t been much drama. “And that’s why I’m here.”
The room was silent before, but right now, it feels like all the air has been sucked out of the space. I wonder if they know I’m about to drop a bomb that will ensure this whole fucking society will be rocked.
“Fergus was working for Abner, undercover.”
“What?” The man in question gasps in surprise, but his act is see-through. I’m sure everyone in the room can see it. “That’s a joke, right?” His face turns bright red at the accusation; only, it’s not a lie, and he knows it.
“Why would Etienne lie about something like this?” Isaac questions, turning his attention on Fergus who’s practically spluttering at being the center of attention. This is what he wanted, so why not take it and run with it. Having one of the top Crowns paying you off should make him happy, but he knows he’s in shit when my father says, “I’ve seen the bank statements, Harrison. Why don’t you tell us what happened?”
“This is such bullshit,” Fergus fumes, rising from his seat, knocking it back as it tumbles to the floor. “I don’t have to explain myself to anyone.”
“You are part of the Sovereign,” Isaac reminds him, his voice calm and collected. One thing about my father is that he never loses his shit—not with his colleagues, or me and my mother. He emanates control in every aspect of his life, and I wish I could be like that. But the fire that burns in my veins scorches me far too strongly. “It is our business what you do with the money you are receiving from us.”
I’m certain Fergus is about to lose his shit, as his face is turning a shade of beet red I’ve never seen before on a human, and it can’t be healthy. Silence hangs in the air like a lead weight. It’s a dangerous, volatile cloud, and I’m sure it’s about to implode all over us.
He turns to his daughter. “We’re leaving.” He doesn’t touch her, but the invisible tether is there. She rises, silent and obedient. I’m tempted to stop her. I want to push her against the goddamned wall and claim her mouth with mine. I don’t like that he has such a hold on her.
“Like fuck if you think you’re walking out of here without explaining yourself.” It’s me who explodes. And it’s not because he’s being an asshole. No, my eyes are locked on the blonde beauty behind him. I’m selfish, she’s mine. She’s been mine since the moment I laid eyes on her in the quad back in Tynewood.
“You,” Fergus sneers, his accent coming in thick and strong as he rounds the long table. From the corner of my eye, I can see Dad rising from his seat, but I offer a swift shake of my head. I don’t need him to fight my battles. I’ve spent my life doing it myself, and right now isn’t the time to appear weak. “You don’t get to question me.”
“Just because I’m younger than you does not mean I don’t run this fucking society with the rest of the Crowns who sit at the head of the table.” I saunter closer to him. The rest of the old stiffs stare with mouths gaped at the exchange. None of them are strong enough or have the balls to stand up to this asshole, but that’s where I’m better. I am not afraid of dickheads who run their mouths off, steal shit from others, and murder without consequence.
“Run this society? You, boy, are nothing but a scuff on my shoe. Why did you have Abner Lancaster arrested? Because he was doing a job, that’s what the Sovereign is here for, to protect their members.”
He is right, I can’t deny him that. We’re meant to keep the names of all the men within the Sovereign secret. Anything they do or say is kept behind the walls of the rooms they hold their meetings in.
“Now, I’m leaving,” he mutters, spittle flying from his mouth. The dark hair, with his pale skin, is a stark contrast to his overly green eyes. They match his daughter’s glare that’s currently pinned on me. Why is she angry? Oh right, I’m messing with her father. But fuck that, he doesn’t deserve anything. He sure as fuck doesn’t deserve her. Not at all.
“I’ll be watching.” The warning weighs the room down like lead, keeping everyone seated as if it’s an external force. But it doesn’t stop Fergus who tugs the door open violently, causing the hinges to squeak.
Rukaiya follows him, but she stops on the threshold, her head shaking slowly as she regards me, and then she’s gone. I’m not sure what that means, why she’s so adamant to protect an asshole like that, but I’m damn sure going to get to the bottom of it.
6
Rukaiya
Dad doesn’t look at me as we walk to the elevator and take it down to the garage. Once we’re in his SUV, he still doesn’t speak, and I wonder if he knows Etienne likes me. It’s obvious to me because he’s been flirting with me non-stop, but I hope my father doesn’t realize it because he’ll try to hurt Etienne. And as much as Etienne annoys me, I can’t deny I’m attracted to him.
Even when I tried to warn the asshole from coming here, from meeting with my father, he still stayed. Which could mean one of two things—he’s stupid or he really does like me. I can’t think why else he’d be here fighting for me. But that doesn’t matter because either will get him killed.
We weave through the traffic before coming to a halt as we head toward the river. The sun is hidden behind clouds, and the rain trickles quietly on the windshield. It’s not a storm outside, but inside, the threat of an impending tornado hangs heavily in the air.
I want to say something, to gauge his reaction, but I don’t. Instead, I sit quietly, looking out at the other cars and wondering what the people in them are talking about. The silence is deafening, and for the first time in my life, I wish my father would just scream and shout because the silence is worse than his rages.
When we finally pull into the parking garage, dad kills the engine and turns toward me. His eyes glowering angrily, and I know I’m in for it. I shouldn’t cower but instinct makes me. My body is already trembling when he reaches for me. His hand tangling in my hair as he tugs me toward him.
“You go anywhere near that boy, and you’ll both see the bottom of the fucking river. You’re here to complete a job for me. Understand?”
I attempt to nod, but his hold on me is vise-like. I’ve never seen him like this, livid, fueled by hate. Granted, my father has never been one for love or cuddling, but he’s never been evil.
“If I ever see you around that boy, I’ll make sure he never sees the light of day again.” His threat hangs between us, so I nod, praying with all I have that Dad doesn’t realize I have feelings for Etienne.
“There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m here to finish the job you need me to do,” I tell him, hoping he’ll listen, hoping he’ll believe me. I’ve lied to him before, and this time is no different. The moment I can escape, I’ll run. If I can get away from all the men in my life, I’d be happier.
But that means running from Etienne, and, inadvertently, it also means running from Dahlia. Perhaps once I’m free, I can let her know I’m alive, that I’m safe and happy. But until then, I can’t allow my father to see any weakness.
“Good.” He releases me, and I can’t help but drag in a deep breath. My lungs fill with air, but there’s no calm that follows. Instead, I’m met with a resounding tension that will not leave me as I make my way to my bedroom.
Once I’m alone, I flop on the bed and pull out my phone. Swiping through my social media, I smile at the high school photos of me and Dahlia being dorks. We’ve been best friends for longer than I can remember, and she’s always had my back.
I miss my best friend.
If only my life wasn’t as fucked up as it is.
Dahlia was lucky; her dad was killed. I watched the coffin sink into the ground, and I held her as she cried. Sometimes, I wish it was my father who we buried instead of Patrick. Perhaps if it were Fergus lying six feet under, I’d have a normal life, studying for my degree and enjoying my young life in a small town. Maybe, just maybe, I’d have a boyfriend.
Etienne.
Shaking my head, I roll over and close my eyes, pretending I’m not here. I fantasize about being back in Tynewood with the people I’ve come to care for before my father stole me from a happy life and brought me to a place I’d rather die than live in.
Fergus has always been a monster. Hate brewed in my gut for him, year after year, and the older I got, the stronger the emotion became. After my mother died, I promised myself to be strong. She always told me I was a fighter, that I would get through everything, and I allowed my hate of the man who I called father to strengthen me further.
Rukaiya
It started when I was five. Listening to the arguing, I would shut my eyes, hide under the sheets, and hum to myself. With every fight they had, I thought the world would come to a standstill. I prayed it would.
Dad was an asshole, there was no mistaking it. Even when he landed the job as a cop, he still acted as if everyone owed him something. I came to hate my father when I turned sixteen, and he made sure I would serve drinks at his poker games. His friends would leer at me, chuckling when I would race out of the room.
Which is why I spent most of my nights at my best friend’s house.
The only man I knew wasn’t a pervert was Patrick. My best friend’s dad was friendly enough, but he was far too locked up in his own mind to even pay me and Dahlia any attention.
I never told anyone about my home life. It wasn’t their business. Why would I spew shit about what I was going through when someone else was probably going through something worse?
I used to be the ‘suffer in silence’ type. And it worked well for me over the years until Dad refused to let me go to Tynewood. I wanted to go to University with Dahlia, not be watched as I attempted to enjoy my college years. I begged and pleaded until he finally relented. And I thought he’d allow me to go on my own, but I couldn’t escape him.
Momma did though. She was clever enough to die. I shouldn’t say it like that, but it’s true. The night I found her in our bathroom is forever ingrained in my mind. I was only ten. Too young to do anything to help. The blood that soaked through the grit in the tiles, the stench of metal that I could never rid myself of still haunts me.
She left me to fend for myself, and I did. I learned how to protect myself by going to self-defense classes. When Dad was undercover, I would visit the local gym, which wasn’t far from our house, and I learned how to fuck men up that were double my size.
I was doing well.
I could survive.
I didn’t need a goddamned knight in shining armor. I was strong and independent. Only, my father didn’t know anything about that part of me. He only thought of me as his fragile little girl. I allowed him to believe it. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.
Right?
Wrong.
My father knows how to dole out punishment, and mine was normally being locked up tight, so nobody could come near me. Nobody but Dahlia. I never understood why he wasn’t against our friendship. We drifted toward each other since he worked with her dad, but I knew there was more to it. Perhaps it was a sixth sense, or something like that, but I could read my father like a book. When he was planning something, it was so clearly written on his face. That dark satisfaction of a plan coming together.
Two months ago, I learned the truth about who Fergus Harrison really is. I was stupid because I trusted him. Even through all his outbursts and the way he would react to me and mom, I still loved him.
But it wasn’t real.
None of it was.
The Society he was a part of brought darkness into our lives, and now I’m here, in London, helping my father to bring down Isaac Durand. My twentieth birthday is coming up, and I have a feeling my father wants me to do more than just smile as I serve drinks and act like the elegant lady at the society’s parties.
Deep in my heart, I know he’s going to use me as a pawn. His love isn’t as pure as I thought it was. Fergus Harrison was my mother’s worst mistake, and now I’m having to deal with the aftermath of that choice.
With quick steps, I try to focus on the here and now, on getting to my destination. The city is busy today as I head toward what looks like a more modernized area with glass buildings and high rises, Canary Wharf.
London is something else: it’s beautiful and old with buildings that I want to explore. I’ve always loved history and being in such an ancient place is exciting. I just wish I was here under better circumstances.
The buildings in this part of London are all glass and metal. But near the wharf itself, open brick apartments line the river. Their balconies overlook the water, and I wonder just how magical it must be at night when the lights dance along the dark surface.
The building I enter is where I’m meeting Dad. He’s with the rest of the Sovereign who run things in the UK, and even though they’re a larger society than the one in Tynewood, they still obey the rules set out by the four men back home.
The slate walls and floor to ceiling windows make the place feel modern, but the further into the bowels of the property you go, the open brick shows evidence that this is one of those older buildings.
As the elevator takes me up to the top floor, I think about Tynewood. About school. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here, but I want to finish my degree, one way or another. And I want to do it at home—in Tynewood. I never thought I’d ever consider a place as home if it weren’t D.C., but knowing I left my best friend back there makes my heart ache. She must hate me for running away; I just wish I could let her know I’m okay.
The problem is, any move I make, Dad will find out. It’s as if he’s tracking me. The metal doors slide open, depositing me in a long brightly lit hallway. At the far end, I notice a door that’s currently shut, but it’s the only exit on this floor. My heart thumps in my chest, but as much as anxiety is twisting in my gut, I follow the hallway toward the waiting doorway.
I knock once, twice, and a third time. It’s the way Dad showed me. As soon as it opens, I’m met with the familiar gaze of Etienne Durand. The one person I didn’t want to know where I was.
“Etienne?”
“I need answers,” he tells me, before stepping aside and allowing me to enter the penthouse, which takes up the whole top floor. “And I need them before we walk in there.” His voice is low, a threat hanging between us.
I can’t look at him or I’ll lose my nerve. His face covered in dark stubble makes my fingers itch to touch it. To feel him against me, but I know this will never work between us.
Meeting his dark eyes, I silently plead with him to leave this. But the more I stare at him I know he’ll never give up. I move to walk by him, but he’s fast, his hand shooting out to grab my arm. I turn my attention to the man who is chipping away at my walls and pin him with a glare.
“Not now. Not here.”
He releases me when I tug my arm free. As I walk away, I feel his eyes burning into my back, and for just a moment, I toy with him by swaying my hips left and right as I walk into the office, which sits on the opposite side of the entrance and the living room.
Time to learn about Daddy and his cronies.
5
Etienne
Settling at the table, I can’t keep my eyes off her. Long blonde dreads hang down her back, the smooth, caramel skin that taunts me from under the white tank top she’s wearing causes my blood to heat.
“It’s nice to see you here today,” my dad, Isaac, smiles over at her. From the information Dad gave, I’ve learned about her past.
Her mother, an exotic film star from India, moved to London when she was shooting a movie. She met Fergus, fell in love, and moved to America not long after filming finished.
We know her mother died, committing suicide when Rukaiya was very young. Rukaiya had found her mother in the bathtub, her wrists torn from an old razor blade with blood everywhere. That’s when Fergus ended up joining the police force. He went undercover, leaving Rukaiya with the nannies he’d hired.
What we don’t know is how he links up with Abner. I glance at the asshole as frustration burns in my veins at not being able to grab him by the throat and squeeze tight. I want to see him take his final fucking breath for what he did to both Rukaiya and her mother.
“Can we get started?” Fergus mutters, his sneer at me doesn’t go unnoticed. What he doesn’t realize is that I don’t give a shit who he is, I’ll kill him right now without blinking. “I don’t see why your son has to be present, this is business for the London Sovereign.”
“It doesn’t matter which country you go to, I’ll be there, because I don’t trust assholes like you,” I tell him, leaning forward, my hands clenched into fists at the balls on this fucker.
“Etienne,” my dad says in a warning tone, so I simmer down, but not by much. There’s nothing I can do to Fergus right now, but if I ever see him doing shit to hurt Rukaiya, he’ll pay with blood. “Let’s get started.”
“Abner has been taken in, he won’t be seeing the light of day again,” I inform the table. There are six men surrounding it, including my father and Fergus. Rukaiya’s gaze lingers on me for a moment, and I can’t stop a smirk from curling my lips. The moment she notices it, she turns away. Her cheeks darken with a rosy hue. Fuck, she’s beautiful.
“And where does that leave the Tynewood Sovereign?” One of the other men questions, leaning his elbows on the table.
“Philipe has taken his father’s place. As it was meant to be, no matter where Abner is.” I shove the paperwork across the table to the man who asked me the question. I don’t know any of their names, but I’ll learn soon enough.
“That’s fine,” Dad says, “and what are you going to do when it comes to the other societies? Philipe will have to visit each one in person.”
“He’s planning that, we just needed to make sure Tynewood was secure before we even considered that,” I tell him. The focus was always on the main arm of the Sovereign. The rest of the societies will have to wait. Besides the fact that they’ve all heard about Abner’s arrest, there hasn’t been much drama. “And that’s why I’m here.”
The room was silent before, but right now, it feels like all the air has been sucked out of the space. I wonder if they know I’m about to drop a bomb that will ensure this whole fucking society will be rocked.
“Fergus was working for Abner, undercover.”
“What?” The man in question gasps in surprise, but his act is see-through. I’m sure everyone in the room can see it. “That’s a joke, right?” His face turns bright red at the accusation; only, it’s not a lie, and he knows it.
“Why would Etienne lie about something like this?” Isaac questions, turning his attention on Fergus who’s practically spluttering at being the center of attention. This is what he wanted, so why not take it and run with it. Having one of the top Crowns paying you off should make him happy, but he knows he’s in shit when my father says, “I’ve seen the bank statements, Harrison. Why don’t you tell us what happened?”
“This is such bullshit,” Fergus fumes, rising from his seat, knocking it back as it tumbles to the floor. “I don’t have to explain myself to anyone.”
“You are part of the Sovereign,” Isaac reminds him, his voice calm and collected. One thing about my father is that he never loses his shit—not with his colleagues, or me and my mother. He emanates control in every aspect of his life, and I wish I could be like that. But the fire that burns in my veins scorches me far too strongly. “It is our business what you do with the money you are receiving from us.”
I’m certain Fergus is about to lose his shit, as his face is turning a shade of beet red I’ve never seen before on a human, and it can’t be healthy. Silence hangs in the air like a lead weight. It’s a dangerous, volatile cloud, and I’m sure it’s about to implode all over us.
He turns to his daughter. “We’re leaving.” He doesn’t touch her, but the invisible tether is there. She rises, silent and obedient. I’m tempted to stop her. I want to push her against the goddamned wall and claim her mouth with mine. I don’t like that he has such a hold on her.
“Like fuck if you think you’re walking out of here without explaining yourself.” It’s me who explodes. And it’s not because he’s being an asshole. No, my eyes are locked on the blonde beauty behind him. I’m selfish, she’s mine. She’s been mine since the moment I laid eyes on her in the quad back in Tynewood.
“You,” Fergus sneers, his accent coming in thick and strong as he rounds the long table. From the corner of my eye, I can see Dad rising from his seat, but I offer a swift shake of my head. I don’t need him to fight my battles. I’ve spent my life doing it myself, and right now isn’t the time to appear weak. “You don’t get to question me.”
“Just because I’m younger than you does not mean I don’t run this fucking society with the rest of the Crowns who sit at the head of the table.” I saunter closer to him. The rest of the old stiffs stare with mouths gaped at the exchange. None of them are strong enough or have the balls to stand up to this asshole, but that’s where I’m better. I am not afraid of dickheads who run their mouths off, steal shit from others, and murder without consequence.
“Run this society? You, boy, are nothing but a scuff on my shoe. Why did you have Abner Lancaster arrested? Because he was doing a job, that’s what the Sovereign is here for, to protect their members.”
He is right, I can’t deny him that. We’re meant to keep the names of all the men within the Sovereign secret. Anything they do or say is kept behind the walls of the rooms they hold their meetings in.
“Now, I’m leaving,” he mutters, spittle flying from his mouth. The dark hair, with his pale skin, is a stark contrast to his overly green eyes. They match his daughter’s glare that’s currently pinned on me. Why is she angry? Oh right, I’m messing with her father. But fuck that, he doesn’t deserve anything. He sure as fuck doesn’t deserve her. Not at all.
“I’ll be watching.” The warning weighs the room down like lead, keeping everyone seated as if it’s an external force. But it doesn’t stop Fergus who tugs the door open violently, causing the hinges to squeak.
Rukaiya follows him, but she stops on the threshold, her head shaking slowly as she regards me, and then she’s gone. I’m not sure what that means, why she’s so adamant to protect an asshole like that, but I’m damn sure going to get to the bottom of it.
6
Rukaiya
Dad doesn’t look at me as we walk to the elevator and take it down to the garage. Once we’re in his SUV, he still doesn’t speak, and I wonder if he knows Etienne likes me. It’s obvious to me because he’s been flirting with me non-stop, but I hope my father doesn’t realize it because he’ll try to hurt Etienne. And as much as Etienne annoys me, I can’t deny I’m attracted to him.
Even when I tried to warn the asshole from coming here, from meeting with my father, he still stayed. Which could mean one of two things—he’s stupid or he really does like me. I can’t think why else he’d be here fighting for me. But that doesn’t matter because either will get him killed.
We weave through the traffic before coming to a halt as we head toward the river. The sun is hidden behind clouds, and the rain trickles quietly on the windshield. It’s not a storm outside, but inside, the threat of an impending tornado hangs heavily in the air.
I want to say something, to gauge his reaction, but I don’t. Instead, I sit quietly, looking out at the other cars and wondering what the people in them are talking about. The silence is deafening, and for the first time in my life, I wish my father would just scream and shout because the silence is worse than his rages.
When we finally pull into the parking garage, dad kills the engine and turns toward me. His eyes glowering angrily, and I know I’m in for it. I shouldn’t cower but instinct makes me. My body is already trembling when he reaches for me. His hand tangling in my hair as he tugs me toward him.
“You go anywhere near that boy, and you’ll both see the bottom of the fucking river. You’re here to complete a job for me. Understand?”
I attempt to nod, but his hold on me is vise-like. I’ve never seen him like this, livid, fueled by hate. Granted, my father has never been one for love or cuddling, but he’s never been evil.
“If I ever see you around that boy, I’ll make sure he never sees the light of day again.” His threat hangs between us, so I nod, praying with all I have that Dad doesn’t realize I have feelings for Etienne.
“There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m here to finish the job you need me to do,” I tell him, hoping he’ll listen, hoping he’ll believe me. I’ve lied to him before, and this time is no different. The moment I can escape, I’ll run. If I can get away from all the men in my life, I’d be happier.
But that means running from Etienne, and, inadvertently, it also means running from Dahlia. Perhaps once I’m free, I can let her know I’m alive, that I’m safe and happy. But until then, I can’t allow my father to see any weakness.
“Good.” He releases me, and I can’t help but drag in a deep breath. My lungs fill with air, but there’s no calm that follows. Instead, I’m met with a resounding tension that will not leave me as I make my way to my bedroom.
Once I’m alone, I flop on the bed and pull out my phone. Swiping through my social media, I smile at the high school photos of me and Dahlia being dorks. We’ve been best friends for longer than I can remember, and she’s always had my back.
I miss my best friend.
If only my life wasn’t as fucked up as it is.
Dahlia was lucky; her dad was killed. I watched the coffin sink into the ground, and I held her as she cried. Sometimes, I wish it was my father who we buried instead of Patrick. Perhaps if it were Fergus lying six feet under, I’d have a normal life, studying for my degree and enjoying my young life in a small town. Maybe, just maybe, I’d have a boyfriend.
Etienne.
Shaking my head, I roll over and close my eyes, pretending I’m not here. I fantasize about being back in Tynewood with the people I’ve come to care for before my father stole me from a happy life and brought me to a place I’d rather die than live in.
Fergus has always been a monster. Hate brewed in my gut for him, year after year, and the older I got, the stronger the emotion became. After my mother died, I promised myself to be strong. She always told me I was a fighter, that I would get through everything, and I allowed my hate of the man who I called father to strengthen me further.
