Bonnie growled, sounding like a grizzly bear about to teach her cubs a lesson. “Drop her. Don’t make me say it again.”
Drop her? Like I’m some dog’s chew toy.
The bubbling darkness inside wanted to strike and rip out her voice box. I wanted her bleeding at my feet.
Just like him.
Jethro’s blood stained this house.
Hers will, too.
“This is bullshit,” Daniel spat, shoving me away from him. The moment I was free, Jasmine rolled toward me and captured my wrist with cold fingers.
My stomach churned.
I didn’t like this turn of events. I didn’t want any more confusion. Daniel was black and white. I was black and white. Death or life—those were my two choices. This scuffle was a grey area and if I let myself lose my cut-throat mentality, I wouldn’t be able to continue.
He’s dead.
He’s dead.
He’s not coming back.
The grief threatened to wash me away again.
“She’s mine. I’m the oldest.” Jasmine spun her chair, dragging me to face Bonnie and Cut. “You agreed. Tell him.”
I looked over my shoulder at Daniel, hating the fact he was behind me. I didn’t want to take my eyes off the little creep.
You’re a dead man walking, Buzzard.
My mind raced with images of my pilfered dirk sliding between his ribs. Of slashing his throat. Of cutting off his balls.
“You have a valid argument, Jasmine.” Bonnie nodded. “And we’ll discuss it further when the mess of today is over with.”
I swallowed a gasp. The mess of today? She talked about the murder of her two grandsons as if it was an inconvenient mishap.
Who are these people?
“No, I want to hear that she’s mine. Right now.” Her fingernails dug into my flesh, breaking my skin, imprinting crescent moon cuts.
I didn’t flinch.
Jaz’s eyes met mine. They were just as lifeless and cold as me. A switch had triggered in both of us, leaving us lost in this new world.
“You belong to me, Nila Weaver. You’re the reason my two brothers are dead.” Yanking me down to her height, she hissed, “You’ll pay. I’ll make you pay so damn much for what you’ve done.”
What?
A cloud worse than numbness consumed me.
She’d lost everything back in the parlour. She’d even lost herself.
Who was this woman? Sure, Jasmine had never been ultra-friendly with me. In fact, she’d asked me to die the last time I’d visited her to save her brother. But I’d never seen someone so remote and vastly changed.
Then again, what did I expect? Why would she soften toward me now that the worst had happened?
Cut jumped in. “We’ll discuss it at greater length. But I do agree; Daniel doesn’t get full rights to her. You are my daughter and the successor matriarch. You know our empire inside out, whereas Daniel is yet to be trained. It’s only fair that you have joint ownership of the final debts, and the pain she is required to pay.”
I bit my lip, unable to tear my eyes away from Jasmine.
What did this mean? Would I have to dig four graves instead of three? I never wanted to kill Jasmine. But I would if she gave me a reason.
It was me versus them now. I wouldn’t back down again.
I’m done being tortured.
It was their turn.
Daniel stomped forward, throwing his hands up in a bad boy tantrum. “But, you fucking promised.”
Cut sniffed. “I promised nothing. You will still inherit, but as I’m tearing up all the rules lately, there might be a dual inheritance. Primogeniture is over. I’m looking at all bases now.”
“But that’s not fair! There are rules, contracts!”
“Yes, and if I’d followed those rules, you wouldn’t have her either, you fucking ingrate,” Cut snapped. “I need a few days to unscramble this shit-storm. Then we can proceed correctly once the documents have been amended.”
Wait. Documents? What amendments?
Daniel laughed, slipping beside me and wrapping his hand in my hair. The long strands tangled around his wrist, providing a perfect rope to jerk me away from Jasmine.
Only, she didn’t let go. Her nails dug deeper into my wrist, keeping me pinned between the two fighting siblings.
“Let her go. She’s mine!” Jaz slammed on her brakes.
“You can have her when I’ve taken what I want.” Daniel yanked me toward him.
I cried out, tripping and swaying, two parts of me caught by two Hawks.
Oh, my God.
I was a piñata in the middle of a feuding family—tugged and devoured and ultimately beaten until I’d split open and die.
I laughed out loud at the insanity stinking up the room.
Jasmine was as bonkers as the rest of her bloodline. She would have to go, too.
He’s dead.
He’s dead.
He was good where they’re all bad.
“Quit it!” Cut roared at the same time as Bonnie screeched, “Behave yourselves!”
The Hawk siblings quit squabbling like brats. We looked at Cut and Bonnie, panting hard, trapped in a cycle of idiocy.
“For fuck’s sake.” Cut dragged a hand over his face. “You’re acting like two-year olds. I have a good mind to take the strap to both of you.” His gaze fell on his children, searing and intense. “She’ll be locked up until we have a family meeting. Then we can decide who has her first and what punishments shall be divided.”
Jasmine sneered, “See, Dan. Let her go.”
“You let go first.”
“God, you’re such a moron.” Jasmine relinquished her hold. Instantly, blood seeped from the slices she’d given, trickling down my wrist.
“You’re just an invalid who’s never been laid.” Daniel threw me away. “You always had it so easy, sister. Ever since your ‘accident.’”
My ears pricked. The aura of mystery surrounding Jasmine only grew thicker. I wanted to know everything about her before I ended her. Just like I wanted to know everything about Bonnie, Cut, and Daniel. I would wear their history like a talisman. I would be the last person to know their tales before they faded into obscurity.
Jasmine sniffed. “You’re pissed that your worthless invalid sister has won. I’m the eldest now; therefore, my word is law.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Jaz,” Cut said.
Daniel ignored him. “That’s not it at all.” Slamming his hands on the handrails of Jasmine’s chair, he hemmed her in. “Now I have two women on my shit list instead of one.” He dragged a finger across his throat. “I’d watch out if I were you.”
Pushing off, he deliberately shouldered Cut out of the way, scowled at Bonnie, and stalked from the room.
The moment he disappeared, my muscles quivered. Somehow, I’d avoided whatever would’ve happened. I’d slipped into shock and come out ready to murder. And I’d been given to yet another Hawk who hated me.
Cut shook his head, looking at his mother. “They never fucking learn.”
Bonnie laughed. “Neither did you, dear. Not for a long time.”
He wrapped an arm around her brittle shoulders. “I can’t imagine ever being so terrible.”
My fingernails dug into my palm as I witnessed a seemingly normal bond. How could evil have so many layers? How could it be so obvious one moment, then hidden by family ties and hierarchy the next?
Bonnie tapped her cane against Cut’s foot. “You’re not forgetting what you did, are you? Because I have news for you—you were worse. A lot worse.” Moving forward, she dislodged his hold. “But I straightened out the mess you made. I put things right. I have every faith you will, too.”
Cut nodded. “Damn right, I will.” His eyes strained but apart from a few cracks in his smooth veneer, I would never have guessed he’d pulled the trigger on two of his children.
He’s dead.
He’s dead.
All because of me.
Inching closer to Jasmine, I whispered so only she would hear. “He tried to shoot you, but Jethro saved you. Do you have no shame?”
Her eyes zeroed in on mine. Thoughts and emotions flickered over her face but she didn’t reply.
Her betrayal hurt. Jethro and Kes had loved her. They’d died for her. Who could claim to love them in return yet continue to be in the same house as the man who’d shot them?
My stomach twisted. “You make me sick.”
Her hands tightened around the rims of her wheels. Shutters slammed over her eyes, but still no response.
Tears stung but I had nothing else to say. Only one promise that she might as well hear, so she’d know who truly loved her brother. “I’ll kill you for this. Just like I’ll kill them.”
She sat taller. Locking eyes with me, she said icily, “I guess we’ll see, won’t we?” Raising her voice, she pointed at the door. “Your fate will be discussed and decreed. Go to your room. Leave us.”
I rubbed my wrist, smearing the blood she’d conjured. When I didn’t move, she herded me with silver wheels toward the exit.
“I said leave.” She didn’t stop, pushing me between Cut and Bonnie.
My skin crawled as Cut reached out, gathering me to him. He brushed aside black hair that’d stuck to my clammy cheeks. His golden eyes shone with power. “I’m afraid our timeframe has accelerated since you’ve arrived. Emma was in my control for a delightful length of time. I’d hoped Jethro could manage the same. But…I raised lacklustre sons and have to hope my daughter can do better.”