The guys are talking in hushed tones when I emerge from my bathroom ten minutes later, feeling more human after a shower. Wrangling my wet hair into a loose ponytail, I pad into my walk-in closet and pull on a pair of yoga pants and one of Chad’s old football T-shirts. I slide my feet into my fluffy slippers and head back out.
“I hope this means you two are going to put aside your differences,” I say when I find the guys still deep in conversation.
“We can’t defeat that bastard unless we’re united,” Ares says.
I breathe a sigh of relief I don’t have to have that conversation with them.
“And it means we need to put everything on the table.” Jase side-eyes him. “No more holding back.”
“I already told you I’ll explain everything,” Ares snarls as he rises to his feet. “Just because we’re working together to defeat our mutual enemy doesn’t mean I answer to you or anyone.”
I work hard to stop from rolling my eyes. I guess Ares wouldn’t be Ares if he didn’t still try to exert control. “We will make decisions as a team and execute them as a team. Unless we want to fail, there is no other way,” I say.
“Agreed.” Jase stands and threads his fingers in mine. “I was just filling Ares in on some of the Luminary background.”
Ares opens the door. “I doubt I would’ve believed it if I hadn’t seen that creepy shit for myself.”
“You haven’t heard the half of it,” Jase replies, steering me out of the bedroom.
“I still can’t wrap my head around it, and I only know the basics,” I admit.
“I can’t believe Mom lied to me about this. I get she was trying to protect me, but she should have told me the second I landed back on US soil.” Ares’s jaw clenches tight as we walk the hallway. “As soon as I get her away from that bastard Carter, she has a lot of explaining to do.”
ChapterSix
Ashley
“Imean it, Ashley.” Mom turns around in the doorway to pin me with one of her looks. “Just focus on finding Chad and leave the rest up to me.”
Not fucking likely. She has done such a stellar job of handling things thus far. How many more must die for her to wake up and smell the coffee?
But I let her believe she still holds the power. That I don’t hold her life in my hands. Or we’re incapable of coming up with a plan to defeat Carter by ourselves. If she wants to pretend otherwise, let her knock herself out.
She has always brushed me aside and underestimated me.
Right now, I just need her to get out of our way so we can get on with things. “Okay, Mom. I hear you.”
I’m just not going to listen.
“What are you going to tell Richard?” I inquire.
“I’m telling him the truth. I don’t keep secrets from my husband.”
That’s fucking rich. Pity she didn’t adopt that motto with me. Maybe Dad would still be alive if I’d been made aware of all the facts. Anger sparks to life inside me, but I tamp it down. “What about James?”
She winces, and her mouth pulls into a grimace. “I hate lying to my brother, but I have no choice. I have Julia’s phone. I’ll keep up the charade she’s alive, tell him you didn’t need treatment at HQ after all, and keep him away from here.”
“He might never forgive you when he finds out.”
She wraps her arms around herself. “That’s a risk I have to take.” There’s a strange look on her face as she stares into space. “Julia was way too much like her mother. James knew it too. It’s why he was pushing marriage to Jase.” She returns her focus to me. “He knew Julia was too self-obsessed and selfish. He needed someone strong to mold into his successor, and Jase fit the bill.” She shakes her head. “James was too lenient on Julia after Lucille’s death. He tried to overcompensate for the loss of her mother, and his inability to love her properly, by giving her everything she asked for, but he should’ve taken a firmer hand with her.” A harsh laugh bursts from her lips. “She was such a fool believing a man like Rhett Carter would ever be interested in someone like her. Honestly, I’m embarrassed for the child.”
I really couldn’t care less at this point. I have had my fill of Julia conversation. “Enough, Mom. Excuse me if I don’t want to stand around talking about that bitch. She tried to kill me. I have little feeling about how she ended up. She brought it on herself. And you can’t blame her failings on her father or the lack of a mother. I had to grow up without one too, and you didn’t see me plotting to murder her out of spiteful jealousy.”
Mom at least has the decency to look ashamed, but I don’t know if it’s sincere.
“You should go. Give Emilie a kiss from me.” I attempt to close the door, but she jams her foot in it before I can shut it.
“You’re angry with me, and I deserve it.” Her throat bobs as she gulps. “I have failed you and Doug.” Tears spring to her eyes, reminding me she is human somewhere underneath all of that cold exterior. “But I’m going to fix it.” Her eyes drill a hole in my face as she stares at me. “Don’t take this upon yourself. You need to heal and focus on rescuing Chad before that awful woman ruins him for life. Just do what the monster wants for now until I figure a way out of this mess.”
