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“I assume you know about my involvement with Damien, yes?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then there you go. That itself should tell you everything you need to know.”
He nodded again before he let out a sad sigh and leaned back in his seat. “So, Samara, what would you like to know first?”
“That depends,” I answered, my stiff brows raised high. “What’s in it for you?”
“What I want is Kinsley’s safety. I need you to take her under your wing and give me your word that she’ll pass Xavier’s trials.”
“Sorry.” I sadly shook my head at him. “I can’t promise that. Hell, there’s no guarantee I’ll make it through to the end.”
“You are Niccolò’s heir, Samara,” I was reminded for the third or fourth time now, as Jerimiah straightened his spine and locked his eyes fiercely on mine. “It won’t matter if you pass or fail. Niccolò willnotkill you.”
I blinked at him then, my brows furrowing. Licking my dry lips, I said, “You say that like he’s still alive...”
“That’s because he is,” Kinsley admonished with a humorous scoff. “Xavier Michaelson is really Niccolò Jr, your father.”
“I’m sorry…What?” My eyes narrowed on Kinsley who simply nodded as she approached, sighing while her father swore deeply under his breath and scrubbed a tired hand down his face, the action making my breath stutter hard in my chest.
“I thought we agreed I’d do all the talking?” he sneered at his daughter.
“I’m really sorry, Daddy, but we do not have the time to sit here beating around the bush.”
“You’re right,” he nodded. “You’re right.”
My heart sank. My stomach plummeted straight to my ass.
“I can see you’re in shock,” Jerimiah spoke again as he took in my pale complexion, watching as I shakily brought the liquor bottle Kinsley offered me to my lips while I fought not to burst into tears.
It can’t be true.
Rhett said my father didn’t have any siblings…
But if it is true, then that meant Finn was really my cousin and—oh my god…Val. She didn’t even look at me that night. Surely, she would’ve acknowledged me or saidsomethingif she’d recognized me…right?
And the guys…
Fuck, the guys!
“Why don’t we start from the beginning?” Jerimiah offered as he took in the anger, frustration, and absolute fucking devastation marring my face. “I think it’s better you understand what happened and why Niccolò—”
“It-it was my grandfather,” I shakily muttered.
Jerimiah and Kinsley blinked at me in utter surprise, like they frankly weren’t expecting me to say that. Obviously, they had questions, so to save them the trouble, I went ahead and relayed all the information Rhett had given me the other night. By the time I’d finished explaining, Jerimiah shared a look with his daughter and then offered me a deep, sympathetic frown.
“Everything Rhett told you is true, aside from your father dying in the explosion. Niccolò survived. I know this because I was the one who helped himdisappearthat night.”
“But-but how is that possible?” I asked as calmly as I could despite my body shaking. I was starting to lose it. “Xavier doesn’t lookanythinglike—”
“That’s because he got plastic surgery,” Kinsley cut in gently. “He changed his face and has been secretly parading around as Xaiver Michaelson for the last thirteen years.”
“And-and the Ravagers?” It was hard to stop the tears filling my eyes and my voice from trembling. “Do they know? Rhett, Isaac, and Phantom?”
Kinsley gave me an honest shrug at the same time her father shook his head at me. “Niccolò was already using Xavier’s alias before the boys had ever come into the picture. They’ve known him as Xavier since they were children, so I doubt they knowanything. I imagine one of them would’ve come clean by now if that were the case.”
I nodded, accepting his response was a sensible one, and blew out the deep breath I’d been holding in. “Fine. I know the truth now, and I thank you for your honesty. However, I have some questions of my own. Your answers will decide whether or not I agree to help you with Kinsley.”
