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Gabe laughed, and Tabs glanced between the two of us. "What's going on?"
Gabe glowered at her. "What's going on is the two of you roam around as if the rules don't apply to you. I counted on you. You're her best friend, so fucking act like it. You're supposed to take care of her. You're supposed to look out for her. She deserves better."
Tabs pressed her lips together and honest to God, I thought she was going to strike him right across the face. I stepped in. "Tabs is what I need. She's my friend, and she doesn't choke the life out of me. For fuck's sake, Gabe."
He scowled. "Effective immediately, Tabs, you are off active duty, and you are training. We have a new recruit for you, too."
Tabs glowered at him. “You're not serious."
"Oh, but I am. And Saff, your trainee, like I said, is going to be Lachlan King."
Tabs frowned for a moment, and I could tell she was trying to remember where she'd heard that name from. I hoped to Christ she was able to hold it in until we were out of there. I shook my head. "No, I'm not. Find another punishment."
"Sorry, but this is the one that's going to stick. Because I've tried everything else. If you won't listen, I'm going to put you to work. That way, you won't have time to not listen."
“I hate you."
He gave a sharp chuckle. "Excellent. I love you. See you for dinner in two days."
I ground my teeth. Tabs grabbed my elbow and started tugging me out because she knew I was going to launch myself at Gabe. And ever since we were kids, it didn't matter how many times I tried to go at my brother, I always lost. Why the fuck was I being punished now? I hadn't done anything wrong except try to leave to get fucking ice cream.
Tabs pulled me. "Come on. You can talk when you're both more rational. It's late."
When I reached the door, Gabe called out, “Don't forget. Training tomorrow, six a.m. And baby sis, you may be the heir, but I am running the show right now. The sooner you fall into line, the easier things will be for you. Lachlan King is your trainee. Make him good and make sure he does not die, because then it'll be my arse in a sling, and I will be very cross about that."
I turned to glower at my brother. “I love you. I always have. But this is bullshit, and you know it. Mum and dad would not want you treating me like this. I'll train him. But when I'm done, I'm leaving. You won't give me a mission, you won't actually make me a full-fledged Rogue, and you're keeping me in prison. Sure, it's a gilded tower, but it's still a prison tower.“
One way or another, I was going to get out from under Gabe’s thumb.
* * *
Lachlan
I had knownI was going to be called in. There was no avoiding it. I'd expected it last night, so I'd lain in bed tossing and turning, waiting for Hector or Jason to come, but neither one of them did. No one showed up to get me until I was in the training hall grabbing breakfast. I had my croissant half way to my mouth when Jason nodded at me and angled his head. I grabbed my pastry and a bunch of grapes before running and pouring my coffee into a to-go cup. “I assume this means I'm being summoned?"
Jason nodded. “Yeah. You're being summoned."
I groaned. "Right. How much trouble am I in?"
Jason shrugged. “I don't think you're in trouble."
"Sure."
On the way, I caught my flatmate, Saint, working out in the gym. Our gazes met, and he gave me a nod. When he saw we were headed toward the main house, he leaned out the window, "Oi, mate, where are you going? We're training in ten."
I grinned and lobbed a grape at his head, which he caught effortlessly with his mouth. “I've been summoned."
Saint raised a brow. "Right. For last night?"
I shrugged. “I'll fill you in and give you all the gossipy details your teenage heart needs later."
Saint smirked. “You know you're dying to tell me."
Surprisingly, he'd become an actual mate. The first couple of months in here had been rough. I'd been lost and confused and shocked that I was even in a place like this. And fair enough, it was like a country resort where I got to live out all my boyhood fantasies. I got to learn to fight, and knife throwing was a particular favorite of mine. I learned hacking skills and how to shoot. It was like summer camp, except I couldn't leave when I wanted.
You just have to survive it here.
A whole fucking year though. How was I supposed to survive that? I was three months into what seemed like a life sentence.
