Page 16 of Retrograde

Ever.

And it gave me the motivation to continue with the rest of my day. It really did because the shit never ended and I was always just exhausted.

But right then, I had another rat to deal with that just wouldn’t go away.

5

Kole

The punch came faster than I was ready for, not even a chance for me to block it. My skull felt like it shattered and I landed on the ground hard, pain shooting through several areas at once since the stone floor was unforgiving.

I groaned and tried to roll to my feet but failed.

“Enough, Onyx,” Father snapped.

“I’m getting to you next,” Uncle Onyx sneered, giving Father a warning look.

And he backed down. That was what floored me more than learning how psychotic my uncle really was.

“You shut your fucking—” Onyx warned me.

“No,” I bit out, wheezing as I tried to take in a full breath. “No, not on this. It is pathetic you’re so obsessed with my ex-girlfriend.”

“If you ever loved her, I would agree,” Onyx threw right back. “But youdidn’t.” He pulled up his pant legs and squatted down in front of me. “I felt the same. I felt pathetic and horrible all the time because I wanted her and she was with you.

“Thatdiedthe moment I learned you never cared and wanted the prize of being prince. So do not test me, Kole. Stop talking about her like you are and not just in front of me. Stop talking about her likeused goodsor so fucking help me I will endyou. I’m not—she’s mine.” He jerked his fist back when I snorted and Father grabbed his wrist.

My eyes went wide as Onyx stood and, in one powerful move, flipped Father over onto the stones next to me.

“What the fuck?” I whispered.

Onyx chuckled darkly. “That’s the secret your father never wanted even you to know. I’m more powerful. I’m stronger. My dragon is.That’swhy I left home so young. Your fatherbegged me toso I—”

“Enough, Onyx,” Father coughed.

“No, it was enough, but now I’m fucking done,” he seethed. “I warned youbothto handle this without hurting her because I want her to be my future. But you couldn’t. You couldn’t swallow your fucking pride andgrowas a man or—”

“He got recorded without his knowledge,” Father defended.

“Bullshit!” Onyx roared, dragging me up to my feet and then slamming me back down. “No more lies! Admit it to him now that you knew you were being recorded and set it up to get payback!”

“What?” Father gasped and looked at me in horror. “You swore to me that you were talking out of your ass—”

“I was, and it was stupid,” I lied. “I am sorry and I—”

“You’re so fucking full of shit, and it’s grotesque how Vex still can’t see the real you—this fucking blind spot for you.” He turned and kicked Father in the ribs. “And you? Paying media and doing focus groups to help this piece of shit? What are you doing, Vex? Like who are you?”

“I’m protecting this family and—”

Onyx let out a roar and kicked Father under the chin, knocking him out… And then turned to me with a smirk that scared me. My death was in his eyes and I was actually and truly afraid of my uncle.

“You should be,” he chuckled, knowing exactly where my head was. “You should be fucking terrified of me, Kole. I want you dead. I want youdeadafter this last bullshit hurting her.”

I backed away when he reached for me. “I’m your nephew.”

“You’re amaggotand she’s going to be my mate,” he bit out. He chuffed when I tried to swallow a snicker. “You areclueless, boy. You had the perfect woman right in front of you and you weren’t man enough to know what to do.I do, and she loves every second of it. You couldn’t get her wet? I do. One kiss and she reacts to me.”

I chuffed and he enjoyed it, ate it up, but I still couldn’t stop.