AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Slipping my shirt on, I stand and button it, hiding the evidence of my new position from everyone but myself. I know it’s there, though. I know who and what I am, and I’m fucking proud of that.
I didn’t think I would be as proud as I am, but fuck, I want to walk around shirtless and show off my coat of arms even though nobody except the family would even know what it meant.
Once I’m dressed, my father hands me a glass of whiskey. I take it, dipping my chin before lifting it to my lips. The liquid familiarly burns my throat, and I can’t help but smirk at the feeling. A few moments later, the room fills with the rest of the family.
Dad doesn’t allow any social time but instead calls the meeting to attention immediately. I continue to sip on my drink while my brothers flank me and our father begins to speak. When he does, I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am slightly only because I didn’t think it would turn out this way.
“The Simons are going to be a problem. The girl was given the impression that she would be a prize to one of our men, and the oldest boy thought he would have money and power. The youngest is likely innocent just because of his age. I’m not someone who condones the murder of innocents. These people haven’t truly been involved in the dealings of their parents—”
“But they are involving themselves,” one of my uncles calls out.
“They are involving themselves. I’m not ready to end them just yet,” he continues, “but I want to put it up for a vote because I also don’t want to make the decision on this by myself. It’s not one I’m comfortable to just give orders on.”
The fact that my father says this is something he’s not quite comfortable with makes me believe he’s put a lot of thought into it and doesn’t have a clear black-and-white answer, which is unlike him.
It makes me think about Parker’s parents, and I know he doesn’t want to make a mistake like that again. So he’s sharing the blame and putting it all on our shoulders. It’s comical, really, but I don’t laugh, mainly because he might shoot me if I did.
The voting begins, and we all raise our hands whether we’re for or against ending an entire family. When the against wins, I’m surprised as fuck. But it doesn’t win without an exception.
“They live for now,” my father announces. “However, they will be under heavy surveillance. Hendrick?” he calls out.
Hendrick takes a step forward, lifts his hand as if he’s in a fucking classroom, then lowers it. Dad gives him instructions—wiring their fucking house in Vegas, hacking into their phones, including texts. He wants everything and anything until they are no longer considered a viable threat.
The meeting is adjourned moments later, and I take the moment to turn toward Wells. He has been quiet, and I realize that, being all wrapped up in my shit, I haven’t asked him about Parker. She found out the truth.
His gaze finds mine, and he must know what I’m about to ask because he shakes his head once, clearing his throat. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Wells,” I warn. “Are you two still good?”
He looks down at his feet, then slowly lifts his gaze to meet mine. “Good enough. It’ll be fine.”
That doesn’t sound good at all. In fact, it sounds fucking bad, but I don’t push it. He’ll tell me when he’s ready, or I’ll have to get him drunk and talking. I’m thinking the latter at this point, considering how tight-lipped he’s being. Wells doesn’t usually hide things, at least not from me.
CLAIRE
He doesn’t call me.
He doesn’t even want to talk to me, and Junior is trying everything he can to get information out of me. I don’t want to tell him shit. I don’t want to tell him that this stranger called me, said he had Allison, and that Parker and I were next. I want to tell Coleman this. I don’t want to play telephone like I’m in elementary school.
I think about calling Parker and asking her if she received this call, too, but I decide against it. Instead, I stare at Junior in defiance and refusal. I’m not usually an overly stubborn person, so I only do this for thirty minutes.
When Coleman doesn’t call me and it feels like he has no intention of doing so, I decide I have to tell Junior. I don’t want to be one of those stupid heroines in the books I sometimes read who hides something from their man and then ends up paying the price later.
“That phone call was from a stranger. A man’s voice I didn’t recognize, and he said that no amount of protection was going to keep him from taking me or Parker. That he already had Allison and that we were next.”
Silence.
I totally shocked the shit out of him and info-dumped, but I don’t care. It came pouring out of me. I don’t know if it was anxiety-driven annoyance or anger, but it’s out now. He blinks as he stares at me, clearing his throat, then shifts from foot to foot for a moment before he reaches into his pocket.
I watch him as he pulls his phone out and holds it to his ear, watching me the entire time. He doesn’t say a single word. He just stares at me, then he finally makes a noise. He growls, shoves his hand back in his pocket, and begins to pace.
I don’t know what to say or do, so instead of speaking, I continue to just stare at him. “Fuck,” he snaps. “Give me your phone.”
He reaches into his pocket again and takes out his own phone again. I watch him without speaking as his thumb glides across his screen and he lifts it to his ear. “I know you’re busy,” he murmurs. “I understand, but Coleman isn’t answering his phone, and I need you here.”
There is silence, then his eyes widen. “She’s safe, but there was a phone call.”
Silence.
