Malum: Part 1 (The Elite King's Club 4)

“And what is that, exactly?” I bite out, my anger reaching a new level. “A place to kill newborn baby girls? A community that keeps people sheltered and away from the real world? Those people don’t even know that this world exists!”

“It’s the way the movie plays in this world, Tillie.”

I exhale, licking my lips. “I know. I just wish I understood it more.”

“You will,” he says, his hand coming to my knee. My eyes go up to his, the blue depths reminding me so much of his son. “You’re smarter than everyone else. More street smart than your mother, resilient from your upbringing. Now that the power is offered to you, are you going to take it?”

I think over his words, the same throbbing pain in my chest from missing Micaela thumping inside of me. Everything reminds me of her. “Take me to Perdita. I’ll make a decision then.”

I already know what my choice is.

His lip kicks up in a smile. “Deal.” Then he hands me a small leather pouch. I pop it open and peer inside. Three credit cards are inside as well as a few other pieces of papers. “The account is yours anyway, Tillie. Whether you choose to take on your rightful duty or not. I wouldn’t hold it over you.”

“And why not?”

He looks outside his window. “Because I am no longer a King.”

Nate

“What the fuck do you mean she sent you a text?” I grit my teeth, making my way into my house. I called the hit on The Rebels. Kings don’t do the dirty work unless it’s personal. The Rebels aren’t personal. They’re not worth us getting our hands dirty over, so I sent Rob in. Rob resembles Bullet Tooth Tony from the movie Snatch. Accent and all. He’s ruthless, expensive, and about as lethal as a virgin on a stripper pole.

“I mean she sent this text saying someone was following her.”

My body stiffens, my foot landing on the third step. “I gotta go.”

I hit dial for Hector as soon as I’ve hung up on Madison. He picks up. “Yes?”

“We have a problem.” I begin telling him everything Madison just told me, including her little attempt to go onto Perdita to follow Daemon and his stupid fucking sketchbook.

“Call a meet!” Hector barks down the phone, hanging up. He’s not happy. With good reason. Hector has been wanting to shut down Perdita for a while now, buying time until he figures out how to do that by putting his cock warmer in charge over there. If Tillie takes over—as she was supposed to—that means that we no longer have control over Perdita or the soldiers and people on there. I mean, under it all, we have power and pull, but they only ever answer to a Stuprum. Handing someone like Tillie that much power can be catastrophic. Not to mention…

I send out a group text. H has called a meet at his house. Be there asap.

I’m walking passed Daemon’s room when I stop, slamming his door open. I let it swing open and hit the wall, my eyes flying all over the place. “Motherfucker.”

Hector is one of those people who exude power, like most of us. Wherever he is, whoever he is with. He could be sitting right beside the President and he’d still pour out more dominance than him and his crew.

“This has to be Gabriel’s doing…” I mutter once we’re all in Hector’s office.

Brantley clears his throat. “Why? Why does this have anything to do with Gabriel?”

My jaw remains as hard as rock.

“Because.” Hector’s eyes come to mine. “Let me tell you a story about Gabriel and Katsia…”

What? “What?” That has my attention. “If you tell me that Tillie is my long-lost sister, I swear to fucking Judah I will slice every motherfucker in this room and then myself before I wait for you in Valhalla.”

Hector rolls his eyes. “Malum, sit down. She is not your sister, but her mother and Gabriel did have a brief fling. As you all know, the girls that are accepted into our way of life are often shared amongst us.”

Brantley kicks my chair.

I flip him off without looking.

Bishop laughs, so I flip him off too. “Oh don’t get me started on Madison.” I grin at Bishop and his eyes narrow.

Hector exhales. “Point made…” Then he lights his cigar. “But Katsia and Gabriel were different. She wanted exclusivity. Which is fine, most women do, but the ones who patter into our world don’t last long if they don’t at least have an open mind. Katsia never did to begin with until she found her right on the throne. Her story is not mine to tell, and I’m sure Tillie will learn about it one day, but their love is what pushed Katsia onto the throne. As I am sure” —his eyes come to mine— “Tillie’s will too. We have to stop it from happening.”