I nodded, chewing my lip ring again. “Since I was sixteen or so? He buried Mom’s sickness, buried me, too. Thought he could fix us by hiding the mess. Now I’m making him face it.”
Slash snorted, but there was no humor in it. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Runo.”
I grinned wider, ignoring the pain. “That’s the only kind worth playing.”
Samael leaned forward, his hands braced on the table. “And what’s the endgame? You keep pushing your dad until he breaks?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but that’s when my phone rang, a call I had been waiting for. I held up a finger, my smile taking on a wicked edge as I answered. "Hey, Dad," I said, sweetening my voice as much as possible.
His shout came immediately, blasting through the speaker, his words tumbling out in a furious rush. "Runo, you reckless idiot! What the hell are you thinking? Take your crazy ass somewhere else or lock it down before you destroy everything I've built!"
I leaned back in my chair, a grin creeping across my face as I twirled my lip ring with my tongue before leaving it alone. The metal was more of Finn’s thing but I hadn’t had time to get rid ofit. "Why would I do that? It’s much more fun messing with you. By the way, did you clean up my bedroom?"
He exploded again, his voice cracking with rage and something deeper, a tremble that made my grin widen. "What is the point of all of this? I’m sorry for whatever I did, but why did you have to come back?"
My men watched me curiously as I put the call on speaker, letting them see a side of Chief Matthews no one other than I and my mother had seen. I waited a few beats longer before speaking. "Why can’t you just love me as me?" I asked, my voice still sweet, but edged with the hurt I'd carried for years, the void where his acceptance should've been.
Dad's breath hitched, his tone shifting to pleading, terror seeping through the speaker. "Son, you need help. Help I can’t give. I can only cover up so much for you, and the deaths at the facility…"
A wild cackle tore from my mouth, echoing off the kitchen walls. "Dad, I didn’t do all this so you could cover up for me," I said, my cackle fading to a purr. "I’m helping you atone for your sins. You’re really going to like this one, though. I was going to send you a picture, but it’d ruin the moment."
His voice trembled, the terror now full-blown. I could imagine him cowering in that office of his or curled over the dinner table as he spoke into the phone. "Where are you?"
"You don’t have time to worry about that," I said, sweetening my voice again. "You have a cleanup on aisle nine. I've always wanted to say that. But no, in the forest, at the edge of Primrose, I left you a little present." I didn’t give him time to say anything else as I hung up and refocused my attention on my men. "I think it’s time to say hello to our friends in the basement, yes?"
RUNO
We’d have to make this quick if I wanted to take a napandlook somewhat presentable. I had already ripped the fucking lip ring out before heading down the stairs, my men following close behind. Everyone was a bit antsy, including Finn who kept yelling at me that there was something he needed to tell me.
That could wait.
Our guests needed a little attention.
Jade sat bound in her chair, tears streaming down her face, her eyes red and puffy as she twisted against the ropes. Brent was a little more subdued, glaring at us from his spot, his hands tied behind his back, his face a mask of pure hatred. It made sense, though. Not only was he Samael’s friend but he had warned Samael about me.
It’s a good thing my beautiful cop hadn’t listened.
Dark: Can we hold up just a second and talk about why Jade is down here? I don’t want to kill her.
Daemon: Brent’s the real prize. Break him slow. Make him beg.
Killian said nothing but I didn’t expect him to. However, it surprised me that Finn was begging for their lives, mainly Jade’s.
Finn: Just let them go, okay? You can lock me away but let her go.
“Just shut up!” I whisper-yelled before stalking forward to rip the duct tape off Jade’s mouth. I had a big speech planned for her, words ready before I put her to rest but she got there first, a scream tearing from her lips.
“Runo, don’t hurt me! Please, just let me go!”
Finn: She’s pregnant! Don’t hurt her, you idiot!
I froze, my hand still clutching the tape, the world narrowing to that single word.Pregnant. My breath caught in my throat, a strange mix of shock and something warmer, almost possessive, stirring in my gut. The basement spun for a second, the pain in my back fading to a dull ache as I stared at her.
My men crowded in, Samael’s voice cutting through my thoughts. “What’s wrong?”
Slash leaned closer, his wary eyes flicking to Jade. “Runo?”
I turned to her, my voice coming out as soft as I could make it. “You’re pregnant? I’m going to be a daddy?”
