Cruel War (The Gilded Sovereign 1)

I stare at the tombstone that has my father’s name engraved on it. At the top of the hill, beside the church where the Sovereign meet, my father lies in a grave six feet under. When I watched him die, I knew I had to do something with my life. I didn’t want what happened to him to steer me in the wrong direction.

At nineteen, I should be out partying, but instead, I’m about to be crowned by a secret society. I’m about to become one of the Gilded Sovereign. I’m changing history and the future, and all I want is for him to be proud of me.

With all the evidence Tarian and Philipe found, Abner Lancaster was arrested. He had deep pockets, that’s for sure. From what I understand, they had to dig deep to find someone who wasn’t on the Sovereign payroll. They had to find a man who wouldn’t be scared to put the leader of a secret society in jail.

But that doesn’t stop what’s coming. Abner promised one thing that we would be sorry we double-crossed him, and I have a feeling we won’t be living a peaceful existence until we eradicate all the evil from the Sovereign.

“Goodbye, Dad.” My voice sounds foreign to me. I don’t know how to feel: the sadness has gone, and it’s been replaced with indifference. My father hurt me, he wanted me dead, and he would’ve succeeded if Philipe hadn’t stepped in and saved me. I wonder what he would’ve done had I died. Would he have been sad?

“Are you ready?” Ares’ voice comes from behind me, causing me to pivot. He looks so handsome dressed in a suit and tie.

“I am.” He takes my hand and leads me to the Maserati, helping me slip into the passenger seat. Tonight, we meet with the older Crowns who have since stepped down. They have each offered their full support once a court date is set for Abner. After watching him shoot his own son, they came to their senses and realized the man they thought was their equal was nothing more than a criminal.

“Are you okay?” Ares places a hand on my thigh as he speeds down the road toward the university. Thankfully, we’re not headed to the church. With the gala dinner being held in the large hall at school, everyone from town will be there.

Looking at Ares, I offer a smile. “I will be,” I tell him. “I’m just worried about Rukaiya.” It seems my best friend and her father disappeared. As soon as the FBI arrested Abner, they had a team go to Rukaiya’s house, but it was empty.

“We’ll find her,” Ares promises with a small smile that makes my heart catapult in my chest. As happy as I feel being with Ares, knowing his father is locked up tight, there’s a niggling deep down that Rukaiya, and her dad will be back. And we’ll have to deal with them one way or another.

Epilogue

Ares

Watching her at the table, the needle piercing flesh as it skims across the smooth, creamy skin that I’ve only just licked a few hours ago, makes my dick hard. The blood trickles from the artwork as the black seeps into the open abrasion on her lower back.

The emblem of the Sovereign that will forever stain her skin and mine makes me smile. She took all my father had to give, and she fought back. Her fire, her confidence, and that goddamned sassy mouth are what I live for now.

Dahlia walked into this town as a stranger, and she’s become so much more. She’s family, she’s part of the Sovereign, she’s a fucking Crown.

“Ouch,” Dahlia whimpers, causing me to turn my attention to the artist who I’ve known most of my young life—Billy. The one man I’ve come to trust.

Philipe stalks into the room, his gaze set on the scene before him. On Dahlia. I want to punch him. When I woke up and saw his arms around her, I wanted to kill him, but I knew I could trust Philipe.

He glances my way, lifting his hand in greeting. “Brother.” Philipe settles beside me to watch my girl get her ink. “I thought you’d have been to the house.”

“I don’t want to be near that place, at least for a while. Dahlia needs time.” The past is far too prominent right now, and I don’t know how to get over what happened. I don’t want to be a Lancaster, only because of what our father did. But I know it’s time for Philipe and me to make things right.

“Does she need time, or do you need time?”

“When are you going back to New York?” I question, ignoring his question, pinning him with a glare.

A low chuckle vibrates in his chest, and he pats me on the back in a show of camaraderie. After everything that’s happened, I think Philipe and I have grown closer. I respect him, I’ve seen a different side to my brother, one that I hope to get to know better.