Page 120 of Feral King

He stops pacing and looks me square in the eye.

“He’ll choose the crown. He’llalwayschoose the crown. I would know—I grew up watching him being groomed for it,hearing Dad talk about Julian like he was the second coming, telling him toalwaysput the family and the business first.” He steps in front of me and leans down a bit. “You think thisbabyis going to change anything?”

He says the word baby like it’s the most disgusting thing imaginable.

“You think he’s some eager dad-to-be? No. That baby is just another loose end. He’ll cut you a check, put a wall around himself with his lawyers, and make goddamn sure you and that kid don’t come anywhere near him and his precious empire.”

He’s trying to get to me, trying to find my weak spot and attack it. The idea of Julian abandoning me and the baby hurts like hell to think about.

But I don’t let Alexander see that. I meet his gaze head-on, a smirk forming on my lips.

It takes him a second to notice it. But when he does, he frowns.

Then the anger hits.

“What the hell are you grinningat?”

“Do you hear what you’re saying? Alex, you’re not describing Julian, you’re describingyourself.”

The cockiness dies for a second and the mask drops, revealing a boy who’s been competing with his older brother since the day he was born.

“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” he snarls.

“Of course, I do. We dated for years.You’rethe one who cares only about the empire.You’rethe one who’ll shove anyone aside who gets in your way.You’rethe one who’s selfish and egotistical and wouldn’t allow a pregnant woman to block your ambitions. You’re pathetic. You think you know Julian? You don’t know the first thing about him.”

Rage flashes in his eyes, and for a moment, I think he might take out a gun and end my life right there on the spot.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he mutters and turns away.

That's when I see it.

A shadow on the catwalk above. The slightest movement against the dark, a shape that doesn't belong, gliding along the steel beam fifteen feet above Lee's men. I keep my face expressionless.

Julian.

His eyes find mine, and he raises a finger to his lips before dissolving back into the shadows like smoke.

He’s here. He came for me.

My heart is hammering so hard against my ribs, I'm sure they can hear it. I force my breathing to slow down.

I have to give him time. I have to somehow make sure that this room stays distracted while he prepares for whatever he’s about to do.

A plan pops into my head. I clear my throat and speak.

“Mrs. Lee,” I say, projecting my voice loud enough thatevery head in the room turns toward me, including, for the first time since she walked in, Mrs. Lee’s.

But she doesn’t say a word.

“Before you do anything else, you should know something. You need to know what Sophia told me before you and Alex showed up.”

“Lyra, shut up,” Sophia hisses. I can tell she’s not sure where I’m going with this, only that whatever I have to say won’t be good for her.

I need to say it quick, plant the seed of doubt in Lee’s head. I hope it’s enough.

“He’s going to cut you out,” I say. “If the council falls back under Alex’s control, he’s going to push you out of the picture. She said that he told her he doesn’t trust you at all. The Triad alliance is temporary—nothing more than a useful tool to legitimize the takeover. Then he’s going to replace you and the route with his people.”

For a moment, Alex looks too shocked to speak.