Page 78 of The Devil

I grit my teeth and wonder if Malcom is one of the two or perhaps the new one, the one who turned green at the sight of blood. Guilt gnaws at me. I’m not so much a devil that I dismiss the loss of two lives especially when the consequence was not their own.

“The woman,” the Councilor says.

“My wife,” I correct, tensing even more.

“Of course. What do you know of her?”

“What do you mean what do I know of her?”

“She is now aware of our existence.”

“Because you went a little batshit⁠—”

“Jet,” Sev’s hand clasps around my arm and he gives me a warning look.

“What? What the fuck is this? It was a watch, an old watch. No one would have been the wiser⁠—”

“But they are wiser, aren’t they?” Senna interrupts. “Because of you. When your brother struck an agreement with us to help conceal your crime⁠—”

“My crime?” I’m on my feet in an instant and in that same instant, two sets of hands clasp over my arms and shoulders. “What was my crime exactly, Councilor? Tell me, what exactly was I guilty of? Being raped? Or being beaten? Or simply fighting back?” I spit, shoving off the arms of the guards. “Enlighten me oh great Councilor of the fucking Tribunal!” I pound my first into the desk making Senna jump.

Soldiers grab me again, haul me away from Senna.

“Jethro.” Sev is at my side. Two men pull at him, too. “Let me handle this. Let me take care of it.”

“No, not this time. Last time, I couldn’t do it. Last time, you had no choice. Now, I have the choice and I'm taking it." I turn to the Councilor. “My brother will accompany my wife off this island. I am the only one you need to deal with here. I’m the one who kept the watch in the first place. I’m the reason it got into the wrong hands. I am the only one you will punish. I’m here. I’m cooperating. Now get your fucking goons off my brother and me before I break their fucking arms!”

“Sit down, Mr. Blackstone,” Senna demands, on his feet himself, his fist pounding the table but not having nearly the same impact. “Both of you. Sit down and be reasonable!”

The soldiers force us into our seats and Sev gives me a pleading look so I grit my teeth and dig my nails into my palms to stop. Because he’s right. Attacking Senna will only get us killed.

“There’s no need for such dramatics, Mr. Blackstone,” Senna tells me. “I do not deny that what happened to you should never have happened. Not to any child. We are all agreed on that. However, Society members were never found to be a party to the events.”

“Events.” I snort. “Call it what it is as unpleasant as it sounds,” I say, hypocritical though it may be because today is the first day I’ve named it myself. Rape. Rape. I was fucking raped by multiple men who paid my grandfather for the privilege. My grandfather who then turned around and blackmailed them for the perversion he fed.

And I still hate myself for it. Still feel all that shame. I will never not.

“I’m trying to do right by you, Jethro,” Senna says, his tone gentler. “Your grandfather was posthumously excommunicated from The Society, and your family was given the choice to stay or go. Severin, as the head of the family, you chose to leave us, and we honored your request with terms agreeable to us all. That agreement was broken when you, Jethro, decided to keep memorabilia–”

“I’m going to fucking⁠—”

“Brother,” Sev barks, hand over my thigh, his tone stopping me. “Focus on what’s important now.”

He’s right. And what’s important is somewhere upstairs in this godforsaken place and I need to get to her and get her off this island.

“That watch should have been destroyed but because it was not, it has cost more men their lives. I do believe you are here in good faith, and I understand what happened to you may be triggering.”

“Jesus. Fucking. Christ. Fucking get to it.”

“And thus, I will draw up a new agreement with updated terms.”

“Great. I’ll sign it. Now I’d like to get my wife and get the fuck out of here.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have to spend the night, at least.” He gestures out the window where hail pelts the glass. “One night, Mr. Blackstone. Tomorrow, the forms will be ready. Once you sign, you will be permitted to depart.”

“You can email the forms. I’m getting my wife and we’re all leaving now.”

“We don’t use electronics for such communications as I’m sure you and your brother would understand. It would be a shame for anything…untoward, to find its way into the wrong hands.”