Her eyes dart up to mine, then focus on the road. Where mine should be too, but fuck, she’s so beautiful I keep glancing her way.
“Yeah.” She sighs. “I’m sure. Not being around when it happens is safest for us.”
Itbeing the impending deaths of her uncle and cousin, carefully arranged by my brothers and me to occur once we’re clear of the county.
“We’re always very hands-on with our revenge,” I state redundantly. She knows. “I’m still worried it won’t bring you the same sense of closure.”
Jules’s hand lands on my thigh, and my cock instantly takes notice.
“It might not make sense, but the real closure was seeing my parents after all these years. Seeing that they’re still assholes and deserve whatever’s coming to them because of my article.”
I click my tongue, struggling to keep my eyes on the road when her voice carries that note of vulnerability. Do I want to scoop her up and comfort her? Yes. Does the predator in me want to exploit it, make her cry as she surrenders to my dominance? Hell yeah.
“I understand, Little Sapphire,” I say instead of acting on my baser needs. I take her hand in mine, keeping one on the wheel. “Nature dictates parents should protect us from harm. Nurture us. Be our safe haven. When they do the opposite… it fucks with you.”
She chuckles wryly. “Well said. Aren’t we a pair? Do you…”
I glance at her to see her hesitating, her bottom lip between her teeth.
“Do I what, baby?”
“Do you know where your father is?” she finally asks.
A smile stretches my lips. It’s not one of the genuine grins I’ve gotten used to quickly since she came into my life. It’s the mask I’ve been putting on ever since I can remember.
“You’ll meet him soon, Jewel,” I hum. “Very soon.”
She twists and pokes my side, the book on her lap snapping closed.
“Is he next?” she asks with a mix of curiosity, apprehension, and relish.
“Just a couple of stops down the line,” I answer.
Anticipation hums in my veins. Silas and I have been planning on killing our father since we were kids. All these years, we’ve practiced, honed our skills, getting ready to get revenge on the Prophet that hurt us more than any other.
“Will you tell me about him?” Jules asks quietly after a moment.
I look at the cars passing by our convoy on the other side of the road. Normal people. Normal families.
“His name is Malachi Voss, and he was the leader of the commune we were born into.”
Jules gasps, her fingers clenching around mine. “I don’t remember seeing his name in the files.”
“Silas likes to keep them with him,” I explain. “He has a large bone to pick with that devil.”
“What did he do to him?” she breathes. A quick glance reveals wide brown eyes and a slightly parted mouth.
A bitter smile stretches my lips. “I’m sorry to disappoint my reporter, but that’s his story to tell, Jewel.”
“Alright. That’s fair,” she says. “How about your story here? Will you tell me that?”
I blow air out of my nose, gathering my thoughts. What do I tell her that won’t add to her nightmares?
“Our father always had the final word. Sure, there was a council, but I think that was just to appease egos and give Prophets something to strive to achieve.”
“A vanity position,” she supplies, and I nod.
“That’s right, Jewel.”
