“I also can’t think of why they would want to hurt us,” Mateo says as he raises his hand. “Didn’t we come to a truce back in the olden days or something?”
My father snorts. “It wasn’t the olden days; it was fifty years ago. But I agree. I can’t see a logical reason they would break it.”
“Maybe they thought we knew Thomas murdered Sylvie,” Odette suggests, flinching softly at the mention of Sylvie’s name.
“If that’s the case, then why send Thomas himself here?” Shawn rises to his feet and begins to pace, his question hanging in the air. “That’s not a smart move.”
A hush falls over the table; everyone is deep in thought. After years of peace, why fuck it up now? Why ruin what was working for seemingly no reason?
I pinch the bridge of my nose. Of course, Rip couldn’t be a regular employee. He has to be an undercover intruder from a family we’re supposed to have no contact with. Had it not been for Shawn’s annoying persistence, we’d still be in the dark. Hell, they may have even gotten away with it.
“This is war,” my mother mumbles. She’s been quiet this whole time, but her sudden words have captured everyone’s focus.
Dad looks to his wife. “What was that?”
Mom’s gaze, dark and sharp with fury, shoots upwards. “Maybe they didn’t do everything, but they’re the reason my daughter-in-law’s gone. They murdered Sylvie in cold blood. That is an attack.”
A shiver crawls up my spine. My mom’s hands clench the table’s edges, her body vibrating with an unfamiliar, raw anger. I have never seen her so angry.
“Mya,” my father says calmly, “we don’t need a war.”
“They started it when they sent those boys here to spy on us!” she yells, the chair scraping loudly against the floor as she rises. “I welcomed Rip and Thomas into my home. They got close with my son, and for us to do nothing would be an insult to our name.”
Everyone stares, wide-eyed. I’ve always taken after Mom in choosing calm over anger, unlike my dad, who explodes when things don’t go his way. So, for everyone, witnessing my mom get so worked up is terrifying.
With a soft touch, Odette puts her hand in Mom’s. “They started it when Thomas murdered Sylvie on her and Kingsley’s wedding day. Whether or not it was just a job for him, he still did it. She is dead because of him.”
Everyone nods, but my stomach churns. The meager breakfast I ate this morning is threatening to come back up. I’m not stupid; I know we need to act, but is war the only way?
“I don’t want them as our enemies. We’re already hurting enough with Aralynn and the other damage they’ve done.” Dad rubs his chin, brows knit together as he thinks. Then he meets my gaze. “But to do nothing would be an insult to our name, like Mya said.”
“Kingsley, you know what we have to do,” Shawn states, his tone leaving no room for protest. “This is your chance to prove yourself for good. No more guessing.”
Shawn is right. If I take action against the Redgraves for their blatant disrespect, I’ll become the leader everyone expects. And if I’m going to do that, it means making the first move. A move against Rip and Thomas.
Thomas killed my fiancée, for fuck’s sake. I’ll have to make an example of them. There is no way around it.
God, I might be sick.
“We’ll talk more about this tomorrow. It’s late, and we can’t make any rash decisions,” Dad announces, ending the meeting.
Everyone leaves, but I don’t move a muscle. There’s a disgusting ache racking through my body, knowing that Rip and Thomas are chained in the basement while everyone I know is plotting their murder.
Only those who left the room know Rip and Thomas are Redgraves, but everyone will find out soon. They’ll want them dead for invading us, and they will expect me to do it. Do I want another reason for people to think I’m not fit to be Xavier Beaumont’s son?
If I want the rights to my name, I have to make an example of the intruders in our basement. If I can’t take down the people who killed my fiancée when they’re right in front of me, exposed and vulnerable, I’ll lose the last bit of credibility I have.
There isn’t another option. It’s their fault for coming. It’s my fault for getting so attached.
But how do I take the life of the person who made me feel alive again?
I jump as a warm hand settles on my shoulder. When I look up, my uncle is on one side, and Mateo is on the other. I keep my gaze fixed on the table.
“Forgive me, Lee,” Mateo says sheepishly. “I slipped up and told my dad about you and Rip. I was talking about everything, and it just came out.”
Of course he did. “Did you tell my dad?”
“Xavier does not know,” my uncle pats my back reassuringly. “I wasn’t going to bring it up, but now it makes sense why you’re so against acting against them.”
