Tacet a Mortuis (The Elite King's Club 3)

“—well, what?” I snapped, getting frustrated with his snail pace explanation.

“My dad.”

After swinging by In & Out, we’re getting out of the car back at my house when Madison started with her questions again. As long as she didn’t ask why I was keeping her away from her house—I didn’t care.

“What did you mean by your dad?” She shoved a few fries into her mouth and I snatched the bag from her before she ate them all.

I took out my burger. “Exactly what it is.”

“Oh, ok, Mr. Cryptic.”

“It’s not the fucking Davinci code, Madison,” I scolded her, walking to the side of the house that led to the pool house. “It’s just fucking wait and I’ll tell you.”

I took my burger out of its wrapper and bit into it, then handed the bag back to Madison.

“Fine!” She huffed. “But I want to talk about Tillie.”

My chewing paused briefly. I knew it was coming, I just dreaded when she was going to mention it. Just as we came out the side, I saw my dad talking with Justin near the pool. I stopped in my tracks which had Madison slamming into my back.

I pointed to the pool house. “I’ll meet you inside.” Even though Dad had a lot to do with why Madison and her father were still alive, I wasn’t too keen on testing the strength of his patience with her.

Her eyes darted from Dad to me and then back again.

“Now,” I growled, pointedly looking to my room.

She rolled her eyes so hard it made me want to smack her, and then stormed off into the pool house. She made me fucking violent. Once the door closed, I made my way to Dad and Justin. “What?” Biting into my burger, I watched them both carefully.

Dad took out a cigar and lit it, inhaling. “I now understand the Khales’ bullshit.”

“What?” I paid him no attention because Dad liked to beat around the bush a lot. He was powerful—probably one of the most influential and powerful men in this country, but he liked to fuck around before getting to his point. He wasn’t only known by the underworld either—nicknamed Patronus, which is Latin for Godfather, but he also had his influence over the legal system in everyday life. He was more powerful and lethal than any man walking this fucking planet—more than the goddamn president. Madison underestimates his power, which was why I’d always have to shield her—for the most part—from him.

He handed me a photo, and I took it with my free hand. My eyes fell on it and then went back to the both of them, sucking the grease off my finger.

Keeping my poker face in check, I shrugged. “So?”

“So?” my dad exclaimed. Fuck. “The reason you hid Khales was because she was pregnant with your kid?”

Pausing, I looked between the two of them, then once I realized they weren’t fucking kidding, I started laughing. Yeah, the image showed Khales pregnant, but— “That was not my fucking kid.” My eyes bored into Dad’s. “And you know it.”

His eyes slanted at me, and then he shot Justin a look. “Leave.” Justin, who looked confused as fuck, left and went straight into the pool house. He got thrown into the world of Lost Boys when he was born—but he’s a soldier. One of their best. Built for war.

Dad rubbed his jaw. “When the fuck did this happen?”

“Well, about six months after you put your dick in her.”

“Now’s not the time for your smart mouth, son.”

“Hey, I ain’t judging.” I took another bite. “I mean, it’s a little sick considering her age and all…”

“She was sixteen, not twelve.”

I deadpanned, “My point exactly.” I mean, he wasn’t an ugly guy. He had salt and pepper hair, scattered through golden strands. He always kept it short on the sides and long on the top, slicking it back. He had a good dose of ink tattooed on his flesh—including his wings on the back of his neck—identical to mine. Only The King had those wings, and the only ones who could obtain them was of our bloodline, meaning, either me or my cousin Spyder needed to have a kid one day.

Nope.

He sighed, rubbing his hand over his hair. “Shit. How long had you known?”

I chuckled, my head tilting back. “What? All along. You were chasing young pussy and she was looking for a way to get back at me, only I never gave a fuck. Once she figured out that the game she was playing with you had no effect on me, she was pregnant and it was too late.”

“What happened to the baby?” he asked, ignoring my admitting that she only did it to get back at me. Which was true, but I also knew that she had grown feelings for him—and maybe he had too, I wasn’t sure, and I sure as fuck wasn’t about to get into that pool of bullshit. My mom would kill her, but then again, maybe she knew all along too, which was why she had never really liked Khales. My mom may be a hard ass bitch, but she had a heart under the cold demeanor. Probably something we shared.