Rex stills. He shares a look with Jason and turns to face me, giving me his full attention. “What does that mean?”
The bartender brings me another drink, and instead of downing it, this time I hold it between my hands. “My mother’s family started the auctions a year after Brighton was founded. The majority of the girls in the first graduating class were sold. The top twelve girls that were sold for the most, their fathers were considered the founding fathers of the Society and were sworn in as council members.”
Rex’s eyebrows furrow, and he tenses as he processes my words. When he doesn’t speak, I continue. “It was their way of having a way to influence members to do their bidding. They’d hang it over government officials’ heads if they needed them to look the other way or pass a bill or law that was in their favor. They’d hang it over those who did illegal business as well, telling them they’d out them and disrupt their entire world.”
I down my drink one more time and cut myself off. I have to be coherent when I get home. I know McKenzie is probably worried.
“What are you going to do?” Rex asks. I haven’t told him about what McKenzie told me earlier today. I wanted to deny it, but I knew she wasn’t lying. Either it was really true or she believed it was true. Until the conversation I had with my father, I wasn’t sure if the memory she had was distorted. Now I know it wasn’t.
“I’m going to find my mother and I’m going to let Kenz kill her.”
The smell of chocolate and brown sugar hits me the moment I step inside the house. All the worry and unease I’ve felt all afternoon disappears. Even though McKenzie and I never said I love you before I got her back this last time, there were ways we showed each other. Her way was making me chocolate chip cookies.
I confessed to her once after she made them that they made our house feel like a home. Growing up, I always wanted a mom that did normal mom things. Like bake chocolate chip cookies or come watch my lacrosse games. She never did those things, so I tried and tried to do anything and everything I could to please her, to make her love me, but it never worked.
I swallow and push those thoughts aside. The signs have been there all along, and I chose to ignore them. Walking into the kitchen expecting to see McKenzie, I frown when she’s not there. Phillip turns to me and offers me a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Where’s McKenzie?” I ask.
“She went to get Anna a little while ago because dinner’s ready, but she hasn’t come back.” His brow wrinkles slightly as he looks back at the hallway that leads to Anna’s room.
“I’ll go check on them.” Walking down the hallway, the light streams out of Anna’s door. As I get closer, I hear them talking. I know Anna is having a hard time adjusting since we’ve found her. Hopefully now that Kenz is back she can help her more than Rex or I have been able to.
Stepping inside the door, I open my mouth to say hi, but stop at the words Kenz says. “I had some memories return a few days ago. The woman with the eyes that look like Phoenix.”What the hell?“That’s Phoenix’s mother. And I remember Dr. Chamberland drugging me so I’d lose my memory.” My ears begin pounding as my blood pressure rises. Anna glances at me over McKenzie’s shoulder.
“What the fuck?” I growl.
Chapter 16
McKenzie
Istand and twirl around so quickly I almost fall over. Phoenix’s neck and face are flushed, his nostrils flaring. I did not want him to find out this way.
“Nix,” I murmur. But I don’t know what to say.
“Upstairs. Now.” His tone leaves no room for argument.
I turn back to Anna, giving her a hug. “Good luck,” she whispers.
I touch her cheek. “Eat something,” I admonish. She nods once and I turn to face Phoenix. He waves at me to come on, so I hurriedly walk out into the hallway. Rex is standing there with a grim look on his face.
I grab his forearm. “Make sure Anna eats.”
His eyebrows draw together, but he nods once. Phoenix places his hand on the small of my back. His touch is gentle, even though I know he’s pissed. When we enter the kitchen, Phillip is waiting expectantly.
“Phillip, we have something to take care of. Can you make us a plate?” Nix doesn’t give Phillip time to answer as he rushes me out of the kitchen, through the living room, and up the stairs. My stomach churns as he leads me into our bedroom and closes the door.
I turn to face him, crossing my arms over my stomach and rubbing my hands up and down my arms. He doesn’t speak right away, instead he stares at me. He changed since this afternoon in the library. I exhale sharply.Was that just a few hours ago?He’s wearing his classic dark slacks and black button-up shirt.
He unbuttons the top buttons on his shirt, then the cuffs of the sleeves, and rolls them up. I watch as his tattooed skin is slowly revealed. I swallow and think over the day. I should have told him in the library, but he was so upset and I didn’t want to overwhelm him and he wouldn’t let me.
My breathing is erratic as I watch Nix. He looks like a caged lion. His arms hang at his side, his veins popping against his skin as he balls his hands into fists. His eyes are like glaciers as he stares at me. I swallow and take a step back, but he takes a step forward.
His voice is bourbon over ice. “If you had all your memories back, I’d put you over my knee and spank you.” My eyes widen as his hand flexes like he’s imagining it.
I take another step back and he takes another step forward. Heat swirls in my stomach, shocking me that I somehow like being the prey and him being the predator. One side of his mouth tips up like he knows it.
“We did that?” My voice is barely above a whisper. He takes another step forward, closing the distance between us further.
