I had a new respect for yo yos. And a thoroughly plotted out murder plan that involved a fork, sharp knife, and a couple garbage bags.
The sight of Angus perched at the head table wasn’t doing anything to improve my mood.
He nodded at us. “Good evening.”
I had to hold back a snicker. Good evening. Who spoke like that? What was he, a vampire? Some lord that time-traveled? On the upside, Angus seemed extra perturbed today, so there was a plus.
That’s when I noticed the guest sitting next to him. He was straight-laced and wearing a black suit with his hair slicked back. Making me think he was a business associate of Angus’s. But if that were the case, why weren’t Wyatt and Magnus here?
I let Devlin and Reese guide into the chair between them and eyed the stranger’s dark hair. He looked kind of familiar. I swear I’d see that dimple in his chin somewhere else.
“Who’s this?” Devlin said, asking what we were all thinking.
Angus leaned forward to fold his hands under his chin. “This is Pascello Ricci.”
My eyes widened. “Ricci?”
“Yes, Sydney.” Angus nodded. “He’s your uncle.”
I had an uncle?
Pascello tipped his head at me. “Ciao, Sydney. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
His accent was thick and obviously Italian, but I couldn’t stop staring at his eyes. They were the same color as mine. I barely noticed Devlin’s hand clamp down around my thigh.
So many questions floated through my head, yet I didn’t know what to say. Where did he come from? Did he know what happened to my father? Did he know about Charmaine? Why didn’t he come earlier? That’s when I started to get mad.
All this time, I had family out there, and they let me rot in the system. He didn’t come to pull me out of foster care or help Charmaine and me out when we struggled to pay rent. I didn’t even get a letter. There was nothing. No attempt at contact whatsoever.
“Why are you here?”
Pascello tipped his head, “I understand this must be confusing for you.”
I snorted. There was the understatement of the year.
“We only recently discovered where you were.”
We? I had more family who ignored me?
“Your mother… she… what’s the word?” He pressed his fingers together and looked up as if searching for something. “Hid you.”
He couldn’t blame this on Charmaine. If he really wanted to find me, then he would’ve. I couldn’t help but wonder if one of the bad people who drove her insane was currently sitting across the table.
“You can’t have her,” Reese suddenly blurted out. “She’s ours.”
The look that Pascello gave him rivaled some of the expressions I’d seen Devlin wear. “Is she?”
“You know the rules,” Devlin piped in. “The bond has already started.”
Pascello lifted his finger to point at Devlin. “But it’s not complete.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Angus argued. “She was chosen.”
Pascello shot back. “Last I heard, your sect had her chosen for a different role.”
What the hell were they talking about? Chosen and bonds. Was everyone in this house crazy?
“I don’t belong to anyone!” I snarled at them all.
