The fight with Jonathan is a blur of red wrath. He’s threatening me, and I’m threatening him, and I’m sure he thinks he’s won as he leaves me screaming in my office.
But we’ll see about that.
On my life, on everything I have, on myparents’ graves… He will rue the day he made me feel this. All of it, everything he’smade me feel over the last decade-plus… It will come crashing down on his pretty head.
No one makes The Ivory feel things and gets away with it.
You think you’ve beenmiserablefor the last decade of your life,Velle??Well, guess what, my pet?
You ain’t seen nothing yet.
Apparently, we’re just acting like everything is normal.
It’s been a few weeks since Jonathan came back, and for the time being, we’re amicable. Or so I would have them believe.
It’s fine. I do enjoy when people underestimate me.
But they will rue the day…
I’m listening to a recording of Lemuel hate-fucking The Carver, after essentially breaking up with him—it was brutal—when I heat hushed voices outside of my office door.
Sauntering over, I whip open the door to reveal Kent and Yari whispering to one another. They freeze when they see me.
My apologies, amIdistractingyou??
“What’s the problem out here?” I grunt. They’re both gaping at me in between sharing nervous looks. My brow cocks. “Spit it out. What?”
“Okay, um…” Yari clears his throat. “We just… heard something.”
Dios mio, what now??
Famine? Pestilence? Is there a swarm of goddamn locusts headed for the East Wing??
Yari is clearly struggling, so Kent takes over. “Lio’s friend in Atlanta called. The Alvarez twins… are dead.”
Every ounce of blood drains from my face in an instant. My heart is no longer beating, I’m not breathing… I’m suspended in limbo.
No…
“W-what…” is all that comes out of me.
“They were killed,” Kent goes on, swallowing visibly. Watching as I crash to my knees. “By Trevel Fenwick.”
My face snaps. “Dr. Love’s patient??” He nods. “The one who was dating Avianna…?”
“We think,” he corrects. “But… yes.”
No no no.
Dios… por favor…
No.
I’m going to be sick. I fear that if I open my mouth, I’ll throw up everywhere.
But I manage it, just enough to croak, “Angel?”
Yari has literal tears in his eyes. “Jefe, I’m so sorry—”
