Page 22 of Eight of Swords, Part Two

‘You’re disgusting.’

‘We have that in common.’

Kade grits his teeth, but Riley, astonishingly, gets up.

‘You good for a minute?’ he asks Kade, assessing.

Surprised, Kade just nods and watches his boss head into the kitchens.

The fact that he didn’t send Kade to place the order is unsettling.

When Riley’s well out of earshot, Kade hisses at Lachlan, ‘Do you even care how much you’re fucking up my life?’

‘Oh no, the crime syndicate of Varrow City might fire you. How awful.’

‘Riley would never fire me.’

‘Believe me, I’m well aware of that.’

‘Why are you so angry at him?’

‘Why?’ Lachlan echoes, borderline indignant. ‘Fuck, I don’t know, Jules. Maybe because he locked you away just like your father did and used you for his own gain?’

The little slip of the name stings. Not necessarily in a bad way.

‘He’s not using me. I pull my weight like everyone else.’

‘You couldn’t be like everyone else if you tried.’

‘Because I’m a Brightling?’

‘Because you’re…’

‘I’m what?’

‘Look, he’s a big part of your life, and I need to get his measure.’

‘Why can’t I be like everyone else if I tried?’

‘Because you’re special,’ Lachlan answers. ‘You’re you, no matter what uniform he makes you wear or what idiotic title you hold.’

‘First Captain is—’

‘First Captain is nothing but an insult when you’re the light of the fucking world,’ Lachlan snaps. ‘They all look up to you. I didn’t just listen to that speech you gave. I watched the whole thing. When your boss told you, dig deep and bring them back, he needed you to do that because fear alone isn’t enough to command the kind of outfit he’s running here. I don’t think you even know what Iron Star is. The scope of it. The size of the offshore holdings I barely scraped the surface of. Riley Harker is dangerous.’

‘So are you, Lachlan.’

‘The difference is, I have your best interests at heart. I always have.’

‘Like when you left me last night?’

Lachlan deflates. ‘I’m really sorry for that.’

‘Why did you leave?’

‘You have no idea how hard it is seeing you, being near you but knowing you’re not… you. It’s confusing. All my instincts are spinning, trying to find north, but it’s lost.’

‘So pick another way.’