Valentin nodded. “On the one hand, being on this property makes me nauseous, but on the other, some of the best days of my life happened here.” He tilted Zinn’s chin up and planted a kiss on his lips. “Wehappened here.”
“We never have to come back after today,” Zinn said breathlessly. “But the good memories we take with us.”
They ambled over to the others. Valentin pointed out a row of young maple trees to Ked. “I planted those,” he said.
Calder grasped Valentin around the waist, nosing into his scent gland from behind. Zinn smelled the smoky sage and pine and clove swirling in the air as Calder murmured, “You belong to us, moonbeam. They can’t hurt you.”
Valentin nodded, then followed as Asher led them into the house.
The cavernous library took up most of the east wing on the second floor. Light spilled in from the windows. Zinn recalled reading in the big chair near the fireplace during Valentin’s early days working on the estate. Every afternoon, he would curl into the plush green velvet, hoping he’d get a chance to talk to the intriguing alpha. He hadn’t gone into the library after Ryde was born. Not once.
Yet he strode in confidently now.
Hand in hand with Valentin.
His parents were seated on the small couch in the center of the room, backs facing the entryway. They did not deign to turn around, forcing their visitors to come to them. Zinn had expected his alpha father to act this way. He’d see it as a power move.
Asher led them further into the library. “Father. Daddy,” he said. “I’ve brought Zeller, except he goes by Zinn now.”
“Yes, Antoni told us. And it’s about time you both came home.” Father spoke as though they’d stayed out past curfew, not severed ties for years. “Frankly, we’ve put up with the nonsense long enough—”
He stopped short.
Keyes and Deveron Parkenson stared as six men, two teens, a tween, and a baby assembled in front of them.
Daddy’s keen eyes met Zinn’s, but before Asher or Zinn could say anything, Father’s eyes lasered in on Valentin. “You,” he whispered.
Valentin met his malevolent gaze with one of equal intensity. “Fuck you,” he said simply.
“How dare—”
“I dare. Fuck. You. Fuck you. I wish I could say more, do more. But I won’t. You’re not worth it.”
Father’s eyes narrowed. “You can’t speak to me that way. I’ll make you regret it.”
“No, you won’t,” Zinn said. “And I also want to sayfuck youon behalf of all of us.” He motioned to his partners. “Normally, I wouldn’t condone cursing in front of my children, but this is an extraordinary circumstance.” He stepped forward. “After over three years of my being gone, this is the first thing you do? Threaten my partner?”
“Partner,” Daddy hushed out. “How?”
“Did you think having me tossed in prison would keep me from the man I loved?”
Father scoffed. “Love. You were an arrogant nineteen-year-old boy. Not worthy of my son.”
“What you did to Valentin was despicable. Just like everything you did to Zinn,” Asher interjected.
“You never could handle doing what needed to be done,” Father spat at him. “Your brother Jem understood, but you, both of you—such disappointments. But I suppose you’ll have to do now. For the family.”
Asher huffed a laugh. “You’re joking. We’re not back here to be your minions. I always tried to keep things copacetic, and all that happened was you nearly killed my brother.” He slung an arm around Zinn. “Heck, you actually did kill one of my brothers. Jem never would have turned out to be such an asshole if you hadn’t encouraged him.”
Daddy let out a soft cry and Zinn put a hand on Asher’s forearm. “We don’t need to drive the knife,” he said quietly. “They’ve lost their son. It’s enough that they can’t control us anymore.”
Asher nodded before turning to look at Father again. “I’m glad I had enough of a spine to defy you when it came to the baby. Thank the stars I did that at least.”
“What do you mean?”
“I knew exactly who the agency gave my brother’s child to. I chose the adoptive parents.” Zinn noticed Asher did not expose Antoni’s role in the scheme.
Father’s face turned bright red, like a vein had popped in his forehead.
