“Which Luminary family was the guy from?” Ash asks.
“I panicked when I saw the arm branding and ran without checking. All I could think was I killed a member of a Luminary family and I would be murdered if anyone found out. Especially if I had interfered in an official mission and taken out one of our own. I didn’t even stop to check if any others had the branding.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” Jase says. “A Luminary family member would not be involved at that level. At most, it was someone from a master’s family. You would be punished but not killed for that.”
His words incense me. “So, it’s okay to kill one man if he’s of a lower social standing as long as we don’t touch the precious Luminaries?” I hiss, finding little comfort in the fact I apparently can’t be murdered without consequence.
Jase nods. “It’s a toxic system, and it shouldn’t be okay to kill anyone, but murder is a normal way of life in our world. I’m just stating facts. Not saying I agree because I don’t.”
“It’s such bullshit anyway,” Ash says. “The Luminaries break the rules all the time. Look at what Rhett has done and is planning. It’s clear there are loopholes and ways around that rule. The man came up behind you with the intent to kill you. I’m betting he knew who you were. It’s a clear case of self-defense, and we could argue that if we had to.” She tilts her head, her features hardening as she looks at her friend. “But I get why you’re worried. That fucking prick who gave me life could hand whatever evidence he has over and land you in a world of trouble.”
“It would be his word against mine, and he has the upper hand because he’s one of the most powerful men in the country and I’m a known ‘problem child.’ It’s not hard to imagine who they’d believe.”
“How did Carter get his hands on evidence?” Jase scrubs a hand along his jaw, looking worn out. “Why is that asshole always ten steps ahead of us?”
“He’s been plotting this for a long time, and we’re playing catch-up,” Ash says.
It might seem insurmountable, but I’m determined we are going to win this battle. “That bastard is going down, and we’re going to be the ones to do it,” I say. Steely resolve resonates in my tone.
Jase nods. “Nothing less will be acceptable.” He looks over at his sister. “Do you have a theory on how Carter knew about this?”
Bree bobs her head and wets her lips. “I was living with a photographer and his girlfriend at the time. We were all fucking, and while it started out amicably, the dude couldn’t handle it when his girlfriend grew closer to me. Turns out, he followed me that day and took pictures. He used them to blackmail me into leaving.” She barks out a laugh. “The irony is, he didn’t need them. I was terrified of repercussions and knew I needed to come home. I figured if shit was going to rain down on me, I would be better off under the protection of my family.”
“You told Baz,” Ash surmises.
Bree nods, and Jase curses. She turns to her brother. “I know you don’t trust him, but you are wrong. Baz is on our side.”
“I am,” Baz says, entering the room from the bathroom where he has clearly been hiding this entire time.
Jase looks furious as he glares at Bree. “Are you for real right now?” he yells, standing and pacing. Ash gets up, grabbing his hand and threading her fingers in his. She whispers in his ear, calming him down.
“If you’re on Bree’s side, how did Rhett Carter get his hands on this evidence to blackmail her with?”
“He didn’t.” Baz takes a few photos from a large brown envelope. “I buried it and covered the tracks. No one should have known, but that prick Carter didn’t need it.” Baz holds up a photo and I rise, moving with Ash and Jase to inspect it.
“Fucking hell.” Ash looks between me and Jase. “The guy Bree killed had the Greed & Gluttony brand on his chest.”
“Meaning he was a Luminary, and I’m standing in an ocean full of hot water,” Bree says, sliding her arm around her older brother’s waist.
“Why would a man of his status be involved in a low-level sting operation?” Jase asks, frowning as he looks at Baz.
“A better question is, why would the Greed & Gluttony family be anywhere near an operation that falls solely under the responsibility of Lust & Envy?”
“He’s running a side hustle,” I say, connecting the dots. “Rhett Carter has his dirty hands all over this, and I’d bet my life he gave the order to take my sister. He didn’t investigate to find out where she is. He’s known all along.”
ChapterTwenty-Three
Ashley
“Jase is back,” Bree says as I pull my Lexus into my parking spot in front of our townhome and kill the engine the following afternoon. Her brother’s Maserati is at the end beside a sleek black Bugatti that has me salivating and creaming my panties.
“I wasn’t expecting him back so soon,” I admit, grabbing my workout bag from the back seat and hopping out of my SUV.
“The meeting must not have gone well.” Bree purses her lips as she slams the passenger door shut.
“Who owns this?” I ask, running my fingers reverently along the side of the coveted Bugatti.
“Baz,” she confirms as I lock my car with the key fob.
