Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 491(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
I killed my grandfather.
I think if Severin had walked into the room even a minute later than he did he’d have found three bodies, not two. My plan was to kill them then kill myself. I needed to finish it. To end the endless pain of which the physical was nothing in comparison to what it did in my head. To the damage to my soul.
But Sev walked in and he took one look at them, at me, and just as I would have pushed my grandfather’s corpse from me and plunged the dagger into my own chest, he saved me.
Severin saved my life.
And then, when I was calm and all sharp objects had been removed from my vicinity, he took care of the problem. Made the bodies disappear. All that blood cleaned up and the room sealed forevermore.
That’s where The Society came in.
But nothing is ever done without a cost. A consequence.
Now we sit here side-by-side before the Councilor again and I see that watch my grandfather wore and I swear I hear the over-loud ticking timing my punishments. Although it’s not possible. It’s broken. I smashed it the day I killed him. I made sure it would never make that sound again.
“Gentlemen, we had an agreement.”
Severin doesn’t look at me. He opens his mouth, but I answer before him.
“Councilor.” Senna’s soulless eyes land on me. “My brother didn’t know I’d taken it. He was under the impression I’d destroyed it, as was agreed. Any consequence is my own.”
There’s a moment I wonder if he was ever one of those masked men. If he’d ever been in that room. I wouldn’t know. I’ll never know. But I shudder at the thought.
“Unfortunately, that is not how things work, Jethro.” He opens his folder, flips through some papers before closing it again. “You killed two of our men. You’ve been repaid in kind.”
Meaning he’s killed two of my men.
I grit my teeth and wonder if Malcom is one of the two or perhaps the new one, the one who turned green at the sight of blood. Guilt gnaws at me. I’m not so much a devil that I dismiss the loss of two lives especially when the consequence was not their own.
“The woman,” the Councilor says.
“My wife,” I correct, tensing even more.
“Of course. What do you know of her?”
“What do you mean what do I know of her?”
“She is now aware of our existence.”
“Because you went a little batshit—”
“Jet,” Sev’s hand clasps around my arm and he gives me a warning look.
“What? What the fuck is this? It was a watch, an old watch. No one would have been the wiser—”
“But they are wiser, aren’t they?” Senna interrupts. “Because of you. When your brother struck an agreement with us to help conceal your crime—”
“My crime?” I’m on my feet in an instant and in that same instant, two sets of hands clasp over my arms and shoulders. “What was my crime exactly, Councilor? Tell me, what exactly was I guilty of? Being raped? Or being beaten? Or simply fighting back?” I spit, shoving off the arms of the guards. “Enlighten me oh great Councilor of the fucking Tribunal!” I pound my first into the desk making Senna jump.
Soldiers grab me again, haul me away from Senna.
“Jethro.” Sev is at my side. Two men pull at him, too. “Let me handle this. Let me take care of it.”
“No, not this time. Last time, I couldn’t do it. Last time, you had no choice. Now, I have the choice and I'm taking it." I turn to the Councilor. “My brother will accompany my wife off this island. I am the only one you need to deal with here. I’m the one who kept the watch in the first place. I’m the reason it got into the wrong hands. I am the only one you will punish. I’m here. I’m cooperating. Now get your fucking goons off my brother and me before I break their fucking arms!”
“Sit down, Mr. Blackstone,” Senna demands, on his feet himself, his fist pounding the table but not having nearly the same impact. “Both of you. Sit down and be reasonable!”
The soldiers force us into our seats and Sev gives me a pleading look so I grit my teeth and dig my nails into my palms to stop. Because he’s right. Attacking Senna will only get us killed.
“There’s no need for such dramatics, Mr. Blackstone,” Senna tells me. “I do not deny that what happened to you should never have happened. Not to any child. We are all agreed on that. However, Society members were never found to be a party to the events.”
“Events.” I snort. “Call it what it is as unpleasant as it sounds,” I say, hypocritical though it may be because today is the first day I’ve named it myself. Rape. Rape. I was fucking raped by multiple men who paid my grandfather for the privilege. My grandfather who then turned around and blackmailed them for the perversion he fed.