Page 17 of Anywhere

“Um… I’m pretty sure your exact words were: go and see how it works out, and if it doesn’t, you can come home,” I said, the muscle in my jaw twitching.

“Was that what I said?”

I wanted to kill him. He’d tricked me, and now I was trapped on this large rock with no way off. I should’ve known better. This was exactly the kind of shit my father would pull.

“So, Rook, I know you don’t like to educate yourself on the workings of… well, anything not centered around you… So I’m going to teach you a valuable lesson right now. Your third will not be drawn to you until you and your second connect. Do you understand? She is not going to waltz through the front doors and yell, ‘Take me oh great Rook,’” he drawled. My nostrils flared, my fist clenching.

My father drew in a puff, I assumed, of one of his signature cigars. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to get up off your sorry excuse for an ass. You’re going to find Rhys, and you’re going to do whatever you need to do to convince him that you want the triad union. When you’ve established a semblance of a connection with him, then you can go looking for your third. Once you do, you will both need to find a way to convince her to join the union. I mean, you could force her, I guess, but we are trying to be more gentlemanly these days.”

“And what if I don’t or can’t convince him that this is something I want? Which, let me remind you, it’s not,” I grumbled.

“Then you can forget about your rockstar career. In case you’ve forgotten, I control all the money that comes in and goes out for the family. That includes the costs associated with putting on your concerts. There are cross-border fees into the other Faction areas, and of course, I have to pay so that you’re not assassinated. Yes, it also means that all the money you make comes to me first. I own you, Rook. Until you prove, you don’t need daddy to hang on to the purse strings. It’s time you grew up.”

I wanted to reach through the phone and rip out my father’s tongue or choke him with his fucking tie. I could picture his smug face as he sipped his brandy and puffed on his cigar, and my teeth ground together.

“I can sense your disdain for me through the phone, son.”

“Colour me fucking shocked. You tricked me, and you fucking know it,” I fumed.

“Maybe. Let me be frank and honest with you, Rook.” This ought to be good. “I hoped you’d never be chosen, which is why I allowed you to gallivant all over, singing and not taking anything to do with the Faction seriously. I don’t think you have what it takes to lead. I hoped the spirits would see that too. I knew Rhys would be paired. He does have what is needed to lead, and I was disappointed that Rhys wasn’t paired with Rylan instead. But I don’t get a choice any more than you do. So here I am, stuck forcing you to man up.”

My father’s words hurt and shocked me. I always assumed he wanted me at the helm of the family, but he just openly admitted that he didn’t want that at all. In fact, it sounded like he thought of me as useless and had written me off, which was why he’d been supporting my singing. Did he even think I was good at that? All this time, the one thing I thought he thought I was great at was only a way for him to keep me out of the way.

“Look, I get that you don’t understand why, but here are the facts.” He took another sip of his drink, and I stood to pace the room. “We’re the largest Faction.” He paused, and I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to say something. “Oh, Dad, what does that mean?” my father mocked. “Well, Rook, it means that we must maintain our strength within the community by ensuring that our power source is the strongest and most secure. But, Dad, why should we care?” My blood was boiling as he continued to taunt me. “Son, you couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to what was going on in the Factions because your head is shoved so far up your arrogant, entitled ass, and, yes, I blame myself for that, but the reality is that we have enemies. These enemies are looking for any opportunity to destroy us.”

My power began to simmer and spiral like a storm in my gut as he spoke to me like I was a useless child. Just because I hadn’t studied all the goings-on with the Factions didn’t mean I was stupid.

“Why do you do that? Why do you treat me like I’m an imbecile?”

“I treat you the way you act.” It was like he reached through the phone and smacked me. “Rook, for fuck’s sake, Rhys is a top pairing. I mean, like the very top tier, grade A, can’t do better, pairing. Rhys should’ve been the number one. I have no idea how this mess happened. When you look in the mirror, do you really see yourself with anyone better?”

My mouth fell open. “Wow, insult me and compliment him in one breath. I’m impressed. You are turning into a bigger asshole than I already thought,” I growled.

“Be sarcastic all you want, but you could do worse than a man who is highly intelligent, extremely powerful, also happens to share the same passion for music, and, let’s face it, he’s not hard on the eyes. If I were a younger man, I would be all over him.”

My nose scrunched at the image of my father ogling Rhys. It brought the same strange twinge of jealousy that I’d been suffering with since meeting the guy, and I quickly pushed it down.

“Dad, look. I know you think I will be some powerful triad that will help us save our Faction from falling into the wrong hands, but….”

“Whoa, who said I thought you’re going to be a top pairing? No, I think Rhys is a top pairing. You? So far, all I have seen from you is a selfish brat acting out. If you prove me wrong, I will happily eat my words, but I doubt you will. You’re too self-centred for that.” My father’s voice had slipped from sarcastic to annoyed with me. I was the one who had the right to be furious with him. “I still can’t believe you would sit in the hall at the rituals like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum. So humiliating. You embarrass me, Rook. My first born, and you made me look a fool and shamed your mother’s memory. I’m sure she’s rolling in her grave watching you.”

Sharp pain stabbed me in the chest, and my mouth fell open. I didn’t even know how to respond. It was one of those rare moments when I didn’t have a quick response. My father was straight with me for once, and in a matter of minutes, he ripped me apart and made me feel like I was an insignificant nothing.

“Real talk here, Rook. I’ve been in charge of the family for too long—almost fifty years too long—and I’m tired. The spirits have chosen, and it’s time for you to step up. You were the one who decided to reject Rhys before the ritual was even complete. You gave it and him no thought. So am I surprised he wants nothing to do with you? No. It’s your job to fix the mess you created with your hasty choice.”

“Fucking great. So you’re saying that the weight of the entire Faction is lying in my lap?”

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying.”

“And I have to get a guy who hates me to decide to spend his life with me even though I don’t want a triad?” I marched across the room, my pace getting faster with the building anger.

“Yes.”

“Or you’re never letting me come home or sing on a stage again?”

“See, I knew you’d get it. Buck up, son. It could be worse.”

“There’s worse?” I asked.