Page 52 of Jace
I flip him off and turn to Sire, the source of wisdom. He’s the eldest. He remembers our father’s evil nature the most. “Why would Ruslan be followingme?”
Sire casts his stare to the ceiling, pondering aloud. “Well, he came after me because I’m the firstborn, and he wanted me to find Sasha, and he wanted my kidney. My guess is,” he lowers his stare, aiming it at me, “now he wants yours.”
“Mine?”
Sire shrugs. “You’re the biggest, the strongest. You’re his last chance of survival.”
“And Loch isn’t his son.” Grant adds. “Remember that whole heteropaternal super whatever? How Mom got pregnant with Loch, Maxim’s son, and with Sasha, Ruslan’s daughter, at almost the same time? That’s how they’re twins.”
I shake my head. Biology blows my mind.
I just know Ruslan violated my mom in the worst way, repeatedly, then he took the one saving grace from her: her child, her daughter.
The years that Mom’s missed with Sasha: it kills her, and that kills me.
That’s why I’m gonna fucking killhim.
I wasn’t kidding with Vivian. Humbly, I’m the cutest. Honestly, I’m the sweetest. Because horrifically, I’m the most violent.
Being locked in a trunk did something to me.
It made me a fighter. I’m hypervigilant, and when I get angry, I go dark. I can’t see anything but death. Anything but killing to survive.
“If that’s the case.” I cock an eyebrow, reasoning, “Ruslan won’t hurt me; he needs me.”
“Careful.” Sire mirrors my logic. “If he needs you, he may take someoneyouneed to make sure he gets you.”
“Pft.Yep, Vivian’s never leaving your side,” Grant decrees. “So you’ll be hiding out at her place?”
My gut twists, fighting my heart. “Maybe I should secure her somewhere, put guards on her, and leave her be. Now I’m a risk to her, and?—”
“No!” Nash barks. “Our queens are safest with us. And that’s who Vivian will be, your queen. A king and queen are stronger together, not separated. Trust me.”
I do trust him.
I know how Nash learned that hard lesson with Vale. How Axel followed Ruby. How Sire rescued Wren. How Loch fought for Alena. How Grant won Delphine. How Nick came out for Zar. How Maxim died for our mom.
A king never abandons his queen.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
VIVIAN
Two hours pass.The sun sets. Heavy footfalls boot down the stairs, but Jace’s brothers don’t approach my studio where I took the time to clean my lenses. And my lights. And the prop closet.
The place is spotless.
“Hungry?” Jace appears in the doorway, holding a paper bag delivery from my favorite local restaurant.
The familiar aroma hits me, making me and my stomach growl. “Is that shrimp and grits?”
“Your favorite.”
He’d know. Jace has cataloged the things I love, and I’m always searching for treasures to give him.
We sit downstairs in the former dining room, now our staff kitchen, devouring the Lowcountry classic cuisine that was my father’s favorite.
“Text him.” Jace taps my phone between us on the table. He means my ex, and my gut twists. “Give him bullshit he’ll believe because it’s me and you now.”
