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“What task?” Starling asked before Liam could say a word, and he cut his glance at her. She stared right at King, an open challenge in her expression. Starling’s pure defiance added a sparkle to her eyes.
“He has his tasks,” King told her. “And you will have yours.”
“No,” she said, and that had Liam shifting. I palmed a knife because if Starling wanted to provoke the fight, I would end it for her.
“No?” King probably hadn’t heard that word very often.
“No, I will not havetasks,and Liam will not have themeither. You want to treat him like a servant, a player in your so-called game. It doesn’t mean either of us has to play.” She picked up the wine glass she’d been nursing and drained it all before leaning back in her seat. “Frankly, nothing you’ve done has benefited Liam or me, for that matter. So, if you want us to continue to ‘play’ whatever this sordid little game of yours is—I thinkyouneed to earn that privilege.”
Liam cut his gaze back to King, but I hadn’t moved mine. I could see my other half in my periphery. The danger present at this meal had just escalated. King’s expression chilled to ice. Nothing moved in his eyes or his manner as he glowered at her.
“I see,” he said. Those two words carried tremendous weight. He motioned to her glass. “Another?”
“No, thank you.” Starling betrayed nothing with those three words.
“Tell me, Bishop,” King said as he turned his attention to Liam. “Do you believe I need toearnthat privilege?”
“Yes,” Liam replied without hesitation. “Hellspawn has a point. You have not done a damn thing for me.”
“That you’re aware of,” King stated, as though questioning the possibility. What did he know that we didn’t?
“It only really matters if I know,” Liam stated, setting his silverware aside and wiping the corners of his mouth with the napkin. “Otherwise, what was done was charity or a gift. One doesn’t expect either of those to be repaid.”
King stared at him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. “Or it could be an act of forgiveness despite multiple failures.”
Liam and King locked gazes, except it was Starling who snorted. “It could also just be another manipulation in a long line of them. Telling someone they should be grateful for something tangible or not is not respect, affection… or even trust. It’s control.”
King snapped his gaze to her. The wobble in her voice, the faint tremor in her hands—I doubted they were audible or visible to anyone else. Although Liam heard what I did, his jaw tightening as a muscle jumped in his cheek.
Starling’s uncle had used his power over her to dictate the terms, to manipulate and control her. He’d used it tohurther and had for so long he convinced her she couldn’t tell anyone.
She couldn’t get help. She couldn’t seek out escape. She’d been trapped in the cage of lies he’d constructed around her and locked in by her parents. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to go back to the clubhouse and beat the answers out of her father. There were ways to extract the truth…
“Speaking from experience?” King asked.
“She doesn’t have to answer that,” Liam said, putting his hand on hers as if to ensure she listened. “In fact, we don’t have to answer anything. You want to make this a more equitable arrangement, we’ll consider entertaining your thoughts on various subjects. But I’m with Hellspawn…”
King placed his silverware down then leaned back in the chair, steepling his fingers as he studied them. Not once did he glance at me. I was okay with him dismissing me. I preferred the angle of observer rather than engaged.
“Let’s clarify this position you’re taking, Liam.” The use of my brother’s name seemed a tell, only for what, I wasn’t sure. As it was, my mirror didn’t react.
“Feel free,” was his only response.
“You have duties and obligations…”
“No,” Liam said, his hand flexing around Starling’s. “I have tasks and assignments. A duty is a moral or legal obligation, an implied responsibility. Obligations are pretty much the same thing.”
A chuckle escaped the man, and the humor in his expression was unsettling. “Very well, then you have tasks and assignments. Ones, I will remind you, that you accepted and performed. The contract, implied or explicit, exists through your actions and consequences.”
“Not my problem,” my mirror said. “Unless you decide to make it my problem. I once warned you what would happen if you made me an enemy.”
“And I have never gone after your brother. I’m not even addressing him, though he is seated at this table, andyouinvited him to join us.” Spreading his hands, King seemed to ask what else he wanted?
“No, you decided to involve mygirlfriend.”
“No,” King said with another chuckle. “Youdid that by making her important. She’s leverage. As much as your brother is, if not more.Youput her in that position.” He transferred his attention to Starling. “Emersyn can handle it, can’t you?”
She shrugged, nowhere near as careless as she tried to appear. “I can do a lot of things. Doesn’t mean I want to do them.”
