“Run this society? You, boy, are nothing but a scuff on my shoe. Why did you have Abner Lancaster arrested? Because he was doing a job, that’s what the Sovereign is here for, to protect their members.”
He is right, I can’t deny him that. We’re meant to keep the names of all the men within the Sovereign secret. Anything they do or say is kept behind the walls of the rooms they hold their meetings in.
“Now, I’m leaving,” he mutters, spittle flying from his mouth. The dark hair, with his pale skin, is a stark contrast to his overly green eyes. They match his daughter’s glare that’s currently pinned on me. Why is she angry? Oh right, I’m messing with her father. But fuck that, he doesn’t deserve anything. He sure as fuck doesn’t deserve her. Not at all.
“I’ll be watching.” The warning weighs the room down like lead, keeping everyone seated as if it’s an external force. But it doesn’t stop Fergus who tugs the door open violently, causing the hinges to squeak.
Rukaiya follows him, but she stops on the threshold, her head shaking slowly as she regards me, and then she’s gone. I’m not sure what that means, why she’s so adamant to protect an asshole like that, but I’m damn sure going to get to the bottom of it.
6
Rukaiya
Dad doesn’t look at me as we walk to the elevator and take it down to the garage. Once we’re in his SUV, he still doesn’t speak, and I wonder if he knows Etienne likes me. It’s obvious to me because he’s been flirting with me non-stop, but I hope my father doesn’t realize it because he’ll try to hurt Etienne. And as much as Etienne annoys me, I can’t deny I’m attracted to him.
Even when I tried to warn the asshole from coming here, from meeting with my father, he still stayed. Which could mean one of two things—he’s stupid or he really does like me. I can’t think why else he’d be here fighting for me. But that doesn’t matter because either will get him killed.
We weave through the traffic before coming to a halt as we head toward the river. The sun is hidden behind clouds, and the rain trickles quietly on the windshield. It’s not a storm outside, but inside, the threat of an impending tornado hangs heavily in the air.
I want to say something, to gauge his reaction, but I don’t. Instead, I sit quietly, looking out at the other cars and wondering what the people in them are talking about. The silence is deafening, and for the first time in my life, I wish my father would just scream and shout because the silence is worse than his rages.
When we finally pull into the parking garage, dad kills the engine and turns toward me. His eyes glowering angrily, and I know I’m in for it. I shouldn’t cower but instinct makes me. My body is already trembling when he reaches for me. His hand tangling in my hair as he tugs me toward him.
“You go anywhere near that boy, and you’ll both see the bottom of the fucking river. You’re here to complete a job for me. Understand?”
I attempt to nod, but his hold on me is vise-like. I’ve never seen him like this, livid, fueled by hate. Granted, my father has never been one for love or cuddling, but he’s never been evil.
“If I ever see you around that boy, I’ll make sure he never sees the light of day again.” His threat hangs between us, so I nod, praying with all I have that Dad doesn’t realize I have feelings for Etienne.
“There’s nothing for you to worry about. I’m here to finish the job you need me to do,” I tell him, hoping he’ll listen, hoping he’ll believe me. I’ve lied to him before, and this time is no different. The moment I can escape, I’ll run. If I can get away from all the men in my life, I’d be happier.
But that means running from Etienne, and, inadvertently, it also means running from Dahlia. Perhaps once I’m free, I can let her know I’m alive, that I’m safe and happy. But until then, I can’t allow my father to see any weakness.
“Good.” He releases me, and I can’t help but drag in a deep breath. My lungs fill with air, but there’s no calm that follows. Instead, I’m met with a resounding tension that will not leave me as I make my way to my bedroom.
Once I’m alone, I flop on the bed and pull out my phone. Swiping through my social media, I smile at the high school photos of me and Dahlia being dorks. We’ve been best friends for longer than I can remember, and she’s always had my back.