Volatile Love (The Gilded Sovereign 2)

Leaving her peaceful and asleep, I head out into the hallway and pad through the empty house down toward the office where I find Ares and Tarian already working on something. My best friends look up at me when I walk into the space, and Ares lifts a folder.

The moment I have it, I flip it open and scan the wording. He’s changed a few of the items on the contract, but now that it’s ready, I would like to get this over and done with. I want Fergus out of my life, out of Rukaiya’s life, and as soon as that happens, we can move on from this bullshit. This is no longer revenge; it’s about putting the past behind us.

“You think he’ll agree to all of this?” I ask, looking at Ares. We really should have Philipe here as well. I’m sure he’s busy with business in the city, but this decision has to be made by all four of us. His club is on the verge of making it big. When he told us about opening a chain of clubs in London, Paris, and Rome, I could tell it meant a lot to him. He’s never been one for the Sovereign. Even though Abner was adamant both sons should sit at the table, Philipe has always had his own path.

“He has to,” Ares tells me, as he settles back in the chair, regarding me with dark eyes. Fergus was already nervous about spilling the beans, but he was the one who told us he’d sign the contract if we brought it to him. If he fucks us over, I won’t think twice about killing him. Having blood on my hands doesn’t faze me, I’ll enjoy watching him take his last breath, and when he does, I’ll know it’s over.

But something tells me that it may not be the ending we’re all hoping for.

We have Thane and Yasmine to deal with. They’re another concern I’ve tried to ignore, but each time I look at my girl, their threat hangs heavily on my shoulders. Thane wants the Sovereign, and I know he won’t stop until he’s sitting at the table. Him being both Rukaiya’s father and Tarian’s uncle makes me nervous. If he were to have a hold on this society, and if Abner were to regain control on the men he lost not so long ago, we may all be in shit.

“Etienne,” Tarian calls to me, breaking into the thoughts of doubt and worry that have taken hold of me. “I know that you want to take her away. And I respect that. You know that Thane won’t step back. I have a feeling he wants his daughter along with a seat and inking into the Sovereign.”

“Well, he can’t have her. She’s mine, and I won’t stop until he’s either admitted defeat, or…” I don’t voice what I want to say, because I know Tarian wouldn’t be happy. As much as I know he hates his uncle, having his best friend harm anyone in his family, is something he may not be able to forgive. And I refuse to lose one of my best friends over this.

“You know, Etienne, I never pegged you for a killer.” There’s a smile on Tarian’s face as he watches me. Dark hair falls into his eyes, and his lip ring glints as he grins. “I know that she’s your soul mate, and I ain’t standing in the way of that and neither will Thane. I’ll make sure of it.” There’s a dark, dangerous promise in his words, but I have to shake my head in response to him. I can’t watch him kill his uncle for me. Or, for that matter, for Rukaiya.

Thane is her father.

“As much as I would love to see the asshole dead, we can’t do that. Not right now anyway. We will find another way,” I tell him.

“What if we don’t?” This comes from Ares. He knows that sometimes we have to do shit we don’t want to do. He had to put his father behind bars, and I know it hurt him to do it. Even though Abner was an evil bastard, he’s still blood.

“I’m not sure I can answer that right now,” I tell Ares, then turn my attention back to Tarian. “Whatever happens, I’ll never break apart your family.”

“My family is dead,” Tarian grits out through clenched teeth. “They died the night that car crashed into the fucking truck. Everything after that, all the bullshit Thane wants me to believe, I won’t. Yasmine is not my mother because she died along with my dad.”

“So, there won’t be any way that you would consider reconciling with her?” Ares asks Tarian. I wonder briefly if Ares would ever forgive Abner.

Tarian gives us both a look—cold and emotionless. “As much as I would’ve wanted my family back together when I was barely sixteen, that stupid boy is long gone. There are no happy families in Tynewood, all that’s left are the scars of lies and deception from the past.”