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My brother, the thorn in my side, and my father’s favorite weapon. Although, I questioned if much of it was his words or my mothers. Andrew was only seventeen, ten years younger than me, and double the troublemaker. He was rarely ever caught though. Mom and Dad always focused on me. The first born and heir to their fictitious hotel throne. One I didn’t care to want. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted, but it wasn’t the tea times and meetings with old men who didn’t take me seriously.
“Then, I’ll retire a few years late. This is what your behavior brings, young lady.”
“I have to get ready for tea,” I repeated, pointing to the door.
“I am serious, Audry,” he said in a stern voice, his eyes fixed on me. The sound of his voice was cold and unwavering, like a blade cutting through the air. “Your mother and I have been talking, and…you have done nothing but disprove your ability to handle the hotel. You lack the responsibility and the tenacity to handle it. You are controlled by your heart, allowing yourself to be played by any useless boy that gives you attention.”
“Awhore, Dad. Just say it. You and mom think me, your only daughter, a whore!” I shouted, my patience wearing thin.
“Watch your words with me,” he warned, an edge in his voice. There was no argument, no denial, and no comfort.
I nodded my head slowly, accepting the reality I was in. I stayed silent, focusing on the light peeking in around the edges of the window shade behind him. There was no escaping this life.
“The decisions you’re making right now only lead to the bad, Audry,” he said. His hand lingered on the doorknob.
I waited, numb to the lecture by now.
He turned back to face me, his stare piercing, said, “Don’t destroy your life.Anddon’t be late for tea,” and disappeared into the hallway.
The silence that followed was deafening, and the weight of his words hung heavily in the air. They threatened to suffocate me if I lolled them over for too long. Instead, I forced myself to clean up and shower. After all, I couldn’t be late for tea.
Chapter 4
Kai
We sat huddled in the unfinished living room of our most recent housing project. Each of us had chosen a room after Laila had her accident, except for Carson, Logan’s little sister. Carson stayed holed up at her apartment near the pier or the Serpent’s Palace.
Liam was my and Logan’s responsibility, so we each took up residence in the Casa de Liam. At least what was supposed to be his house. He never outright said he and Laila would move in when we finished building it, but all the small details fit what she wanted. From the extra carving in the staircase to the rustic decor that clashed with her more rave-type imagery in the primary bedroom, which now remained off-limits. Regardless of anything, it was a fact that Laila and him played house here. Her scent still lingered, a mixture of almonds and bad decisions.
Nowadays, Liam didn’t play house. He used it more like a bachelor pad than anything else. Women coming in and out at all hours, our job planning happening in the kitchen, and Logan constantly sweeping for bugs just in case.
“Now we gotta get this completely cleaned up before word gets around,” Liam explained, taking a sip from the amber bottle. He slammed it down, running his hand through hisdirty blonde hair. His green eyes burned into mine, alight with frustration and high on violence.
“If you didn’t shoot him…” I trailed off.I hated guns.
Liam glared at me before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “He was gonna kill you.”
“So?” I shrugged. “I’m so honored you care about my life, but I’ve survived worse than a little knife prick and a wussy-level choke.”
Logan snorted. “You’re a crybaby when you get hurt.” He grumbled as he twisted a coin in his hand, then hunched over the counter, his broad shoulders still taking up too much space. With another breath, he stood up. “Let’s get this taken care of, please.”
“Be my guest.” Liam waved.
“We know the rules.” I held my hands up, shaking my head. “Which means the bodies are all yours.”
“Witnesses?” Logan asked, going down our mental checklists. We moved the bodies from the alleyway right away, loading them into Liam’s soon-to-be trashed car. Logan would drive it somewhere we didn’t know, handling the disposal. Witnesses, though, that was all me and Liam.
I shrugged. “Cassidy. She’s at Serpents with Carson. So, she’s taken care of.”
“What about the girl?” Liam asked, a burp exhaling from his chest.
“What girl?” I glanced at Logan with the silent question of ‘has he gone insane?’
Logan merely shrugged, his foot tapping against the tile floor impatiently.
Liam downed the beer, finishing off even the foam. “The one from the bathroom. Is it his girlfriend?”
“Would you fuck your girlfriend in that bathroom?” I countered with a laugh.
