“We know Mathers was your guardian and that you and Roman have struggled to accept the truth of who he really was. Every time I’ve tried to talk to you about him, you get all defensive.”
“Because I can’t acknowledge the truth. It will kill me.”
“You already know the truth, Zayn,” Xavier says, coming over to me. “I know you’ve looked at the files I gave you. Like I know how smart you are and that you know there is no record of the accident for one reason only.”
“I can’t.” I step back and grab handfuls of my hair.
“You need to face this, brother,” Kai says. “You need to deal with this so you can put it behind you and fully move forward, and we all want that for you.”
“None of it is your fault,” Rick adds, sliding his arm over my shoulders. “You and Roman are innocent in all of this.”
“Get your grabby hands off me!” a woman with a high-pitched shriek says, and I spin around as the tall redhead materializes in the room, attempting to wiggle out of Drew’s iron grip on her arm.
“Who is she?” I ask.
“Isabella Mathers,” Drew says, dragging her into the room. “She’s Denton Mathers’s daughter.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Zayn
“Are you going to let him manhandle me, Maverick?” the redhead says, eyeballing my eldest brother.
“Why would I interfere?” Rick coolly replies. “I have no loyalty to you, Isabella.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t have cheated on him with my father,” Abby says, walking up beside us.
“It’s only cheating if we were in a relationship, and what Maverick and I had was all fake bullshit forced on us by our fathers,” she hisses, still trying to get away from Drew.
“At least we can agree on that much.” Rick looks at Drew. “If the deal is signed, I’m guessing you can let her go.”
“What deal?” I fucking hate being in the dark.
“Huss has given Isabella and her mother immunity from persecution for failing to disclose Denton’s death and pocketing income from his many businesses when a share should have already passed to the elite,” Charlie says.
“In exchange for what?” I shove my hands in the pockets of my jeans as I stare at my guardian’s offspring. She doesn’t look much like Denton, so I’m guessing she favors her mother.
“Telling you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth,” Isabella drawls as Drew shoves her down onto the couch in the place I just vacated.
“We aren’t privy to all the facts,” Kai explains, turning to look at me. “Isabella has answers we need.”
“Can we get this over with? I’ve already been gone for almost two days, and Mom will be freaking out.”
“Your mother has been updated and warned not to do anything that would jeopardize the deal,” Drew says.
“She won’t jeopardize it,” Isabella hisses. “We both want out of this country and to get away from the elite. Neither of us will risk the deal.”
“Good to hear.” Kai crouches down in front of her. “Because if you attempt to double-cross us, lie to us, or hold anything back, you’ll meet the same fate as your sister.”
“You say that like she meant anything to me. News flash, she didn’t. She was as cruel and self-centered as our father. Mother and I haven’t mourned either of them.”
“Wow. I thought my family was fucked up, but this takes the cake,” Abby says.
“All elite are fucked up, Abigail. Surely, you’ve realized that by now.”
Abby shrugs, and we all settle in seats as I try to prepare myself for the bombshells I know are about to be dropped. Kai sits close to me, his thigh brushing against mine in silent support.
“We want to know everything you know about Denton and his involvement with our brother’s adoption and what happened later with Vincent Becker, Roman, and Zayn,” Rick says, folding his arms over his chest.
