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My gaze shifts over to the last of the four. He looks like a younger version of Judah, and the deep anger I’ve been holding onto since the meeting in the lawyer’s office laces my question as I enquire again, “Who are you?”
“We’re the Lawless Princes, sweetheart,” the guy wearing the hoodie says before he slips the material off his head and grins. His smile brightens the blue of his eyes, and I take in his chestnut hair that’s buzzed short. He looks like he should be a model or in a boy band—he’s beautiful.
“I’m Jordan,” the one who looks a lot like Judah tells me. “Judah’s younger, but handsomer brother.” He offers me a confident smirk, and I can see he looks even more like his brother with that expression on his face.
“You’re full of shit,” the guy with the hoodie laughs out loud. “I’m Valen, but you can call me Val.” He holds out his hand, and I regard it for a while before accepting it. Heat sizzles through me when he brings my knuckles up to his lips and presses a kiss to them. “The pleasure is definitely all mine.”
“That’s enough,” comes from the young man with golden eyes like mine, but I can’t bring myself to look at him again.
Anger and confusion surge within me as I’m reminded that no matter how well I think I know my father, it’s abundantly clear I don’t. There are secrets he’s been keeping from me, and it seems that the biggest one, my half-sibling, is standing a few feet away from me. I’m not sure what to say, because I feel as if the wind has been knocked from my lungs.
I want my father to explain himself, but I probably won’t get the opportunity to see him again. When he said goodbye to me, there was a finality to it. The only thing I can pray is that he’s still alive after he meets with the heads of the families.
Valen releases me, stepping back to allow my brother to step forward. I finally drag my gaze towards his, and I can’t help but shiver. He looks so much like our father that it’s strange looking into his eyes. There’s no denying he’s a Saviatti. He is my father’s son.
“You’re…” I don’t know what I want to say. I’m not sure there are enough words to express what’s roiling within me, so I stay silent.
“I’m Emilio,” he says, and my stomach drops. This is Papa’s son, but he’s not my brother. I can’t accept that he’s my family. I had no clue he even existed until today. “It’s nice to finally meet you,sister.”He emphasises my new title slowly, the word hanging between us, heavy and pained. “I wish things were different.”
The one who’s tattooed continues to look me over, but he doesn’t say anything. It’s Jordan who introduces him. “This is Malachi, but we call him Kai. He prefers watching to speaking.”
Something tells me there’s more to what Jordan just said than the innocent explanation in my mind. I take Kai in, noticing his tanned skin that’s marked like a beautiful piece of artwork. His arms are pure, lean muscle when he moves.
Valen speaks from behind Emilio. “Let’s go. Judah wants us in a meeting, and we need to make sure she knows where she’s staying.”
He turns and leaves me with my brother. Emilio tips his head to the side, gesturing for me to walk, and I have no choice but to follow him towards the waiting car.
Valen holds the rear passenger door open, waiting for me to slip into the seat. The interior is spotless, the smooth leather of the seats pristine, and when the guys all get in, I’m surrounded by their cologne. Each one different, but they all seem to mingle and fit together.
It’s Emilio who takes the wheel, while Jordan sits beside him in the front passenger seat and Kai and Valen are on either side of me.
The drive is silent, tension hanging in the air, and I wonder if they’re keeping quiet because they’re each assessing me in their own unique way. Emilio turns left onto a road that seems to wind up a steep cliff.
“Where are we going?” I ask, glancing beside me to find Kai watching me.
His eyes penetrate through my defences, and a shiver of apprehension dances down my spine. I didn’t even consider where I would live while on the island. I don’t know these guys, even though one of them is my brother.
“Home,” Val offers, and the two guys in the front seats chuckle.
But when I meet Kai’s gaze, he gives nothing away. His expression remains neutral, a reminder that these men have been trained to be cold-blooded killers. I’m under no illusion—they’d willingly kill me without hesitation.
They are aware of my last name, and I know I’m not the woman they would’ve wanted in their world, which is what this island is. It’s a piece of land, cut off from the rest of the world, where the violent and most dangerous men come to play. There are no rules here, only the ones that they make up for themselves, and something tells me these Princes don’t play by those either.
Even though they own Black Hollow, this is still a place of learning, I reassure myself. However, I know I’m going to be one of the very few girls here. It’s only in the past ten years that females have been allowed to attend the university.
“I thought I was staying in a dorm,” I say, confusion settling in my gut. I can’t stay with them. There’s no way I’ll be safe in a house filled with monsters.
“Who told you that?” Emilio asks, glancing at me from over his shoulder.
I’m still struck speechless when I look into his eyes. The boy who my father left behind, only to take me to England and raise me in secret. There are so many questions I have for him. Did he know about me, and why didn’t he come looking for me if he did? Maybe he didn’t want to be sullied with the bad name I grew up with. Which in some ways, I understand. But it still hurts that I have a brother I didn’t grow up with.
The silence is a palpable force in the luxurious interior of the vehicle. Suddenly, we come to an abrupt stop, and it seems we’ve reached our destination.
“Welcome home,” Jordan says before exiting the car.
The other guys get out, and Val opens my door and offers me his hand, which for a long moment I consider refusing, but I sigh and take it.
“The Venier Manor in all its grand opulence,” he announces.
