Page 150 of Pink Ink

“I never claimed to have authority. However, it would be most unfortunate if the acolytes discovered that the engagement was a farce coordinated by their high saint all along.”

Fuck, it’s hard not to grin.

“Are you threatening me?”

I smile because bloody hell this feels good. “You don’t have to do anything you aren’t comfortable with,” I say to Spencer. “Roland will respect your decision.”

“He’s my son. He’ll do as I say.” Roland’s voice is low and lethal.

I might be frightened if I weren’t the killer in our family. “I have on good authority thattwoattempts were made on the life of the woman under the grand magistrate’s protection.” I murdered the first person to harm Reyna. From this day forward, I’ll murder anyone else who tries again. “I believe Shepherd’s only spoken to you about the one from yesterday. It would be a shame if he were to discover that one of Wilson Shaw’s clients made another attempt on her life.”

“There was no second hit.” He glares.

I tip my head to the side. “Wasn’t there? I saw it happen myself.”

The man who attacked Reyna at Paddy’s house was nothing more than a thug doing his boss’s dirty work. It was just a fortunate turn of events that I discovered the aforesaidbossis a client of Wilson Shaw.

“If you ask me, that’s not a transgression I’d imagine the grand magistrate would take lightly. Once is bad. Twice?” I shake my head, blowing out a whistle.

“He’ll never believe your baseless claim.” The vein in his forehead looks a second away from bursting. Fingers crossed that happens.

“Who is he going to believe? His favorite solider”—and future son-in-law—“or the man who was already caught once.”

Roland’s face falls.

Checkmate, cunt.

The wooden chair slides along the rug as I stand, gesturing for Spencer to do the same.

“Sit down,” Roland orders.

Spencer glances between us, indecision ripe in his eyes. I’m not going to make choices for him anymore. If he wants to stay here, I won’t hold it against him. In time, he’ll learn the truth, and maybe then he’ll decide he wants to distance himself from the Shaw name.

I lift my disgusting drink to my lips and down the remaining liquid. “Enjoy the rest of your meal,Father.”

“Sit. Down,”he grinds out.

I turn on my heel and waltz out the door, hearing him rise from his seat.

Spencer stays exactly where he is.

“I’m talking to you.”

“Send the Dornmonts my regards. Oh, and let Daniel know that he has my vote,” I throw over my shoulder.

My last name will still be Shaw, but I’m no longer part of its house.

MADDOX

“Act natural and pretend I’m not here,” Reyna complains.

“I’ve never been able to ignore your presence before. That’s not going to start now, love.” I level her with a glare since she’s been evading my questions all morning. “How was breakfast with the leader of a secret society? Life-altering? Mind-blowing? Inspiring?”

She blew Shepherd off on Wednesday and, to my surprise, agreed to meet him a couple of days later once he confirmed my engagement had been called off, with no repercussions.

Reyna and I have barely had time to see each other this week—which is utter bullshit, seeing as the only threat we now face is an HR complaint and the unlikely loss of the scholarship Shepherd set up solely for her a year ago.

With only a week until the exhibit’s opening night, I’ve been going mad trying to complete everything and finish the painting for Theo’s charity gala. It helps that I’m finally in the right headspace to clearly envision where I want to take each piece.