Page 30 of London Has Fallen

I open my mouth and close it twice before I finally speak. “I couldn’t do that to you?—”

“Bullshit!” He roars before he begins to pace, pausing every couple seconds to glare at me. “If taking over meant ending him, then you would have done it, no matter how much it would have hurt me you would have done it to save the triplets.” I drop my gaze to the floor unable to answer, if he knew why I let her die he would blame himself. “Artemis?” At the broken sound of his voice I slowly lift my gaze to his and when I see the shattered look in his eyes, it flays me open.

He knows.

“I couldn’t… I had to make a choice, I’m so fucking sorry–” He raises his hand, cutting me off, pain is pulsing inside me.

“Aida was killed because Costa planned to kill the triplets if you beat the trial, wasn’t she?”

“Before the final trial he told me if I succeeded in saving one brother I would lose three. I didn’t know what he meant until we entered that room and I saw Aida. He had three men at the house ready to take out the triplets if I completed the trial.” Pain is evident on his face but the sight that kills me inside is the sight of the unshed tears in his eyes. “I never meant to hurt you?—”

“The scars on your body, they aren’t from underground fights, are they?” I drop my gaze to the floor again. I’ve always told Cronos that I fight to relieve myself of some of the anger not wanting him to know the extent of our fathers sickness. Don’t get me wrong, he has beaten all of us but not to the extent he does me. “Answer me.”

I snap my gaze back to his locking down all my emotions. “I’m the selfish brother who only cares about himself and stealing the power of our father. It's better you keep that view of me, it will fuel your need to win these trials.”

“Horse shit! Don’t fucking lie to me, he did that shit to you, didn’t he?”

“Stop fucking asking questions you don’t want to know the answers to!” I roar. “You blame me for Aida’s death and I’m sorry for that, but I can’t change it. I can change the outcome of this trial.”

“What did you do?” I say nothing as I climb in my car and get the fuck out of there.

Breaking her will save them. I keep repeating that mantra in my head all day. As I enter the restaurant that is empty except for the families at the back, the sound of my approach has all their gazes lift to me. Bishop, Royal, King, Chaos, Chanel, Vincent, Knight, Gage, Rook and the bane of my existence London sits opposite Costa and my brother’s.

“Nice of you to join us, Son,” Costa says in a tone that passes as fatherly but I hear the undercurrent of his threat. I claim the empty seat across from London who sits between her father and grandfather, looking like the cold hearted badass that she is. “This is my eldest son and heir, Artemis.” I say nothing as I keep my gaze on her. She stares right back giving nothing away.

“Unless your heir wants me to kill him now, he’ll stop staring at my granddaughter,” Bishop grits out, the fucker is intimidating. I've never met any of them in the flesh before, only heard stories and seen pictures but those don’t do them justice.

Costa laughs. “The girl is beautiful, can you blame him?” My upper lip twitches in anger at him speaking about her like that. The slight frown on her face tells me she can sense my anger.

London snaps her gaze to my father. “The girl has a name, use it.” The cold tone of her voice has pride sparking inside me but I snuff that shit out, this girl is nothing to me but a pawn to be turned.

I can feel Costa simmering beside me but he masks it with a fake laugh. “Forgive me, London.” Hearing her name from his lips has me clenching my fists.

“What’s it going to take to get her out of the trials?” Royal asks, I can feel him glaring at me, but I keep my gaze on his daughter. Before Costa can reply, Ian, Knox, Andreas and Karl enter the restaurant drawing all our attention to the head of the table. I spy the Murdochs out of the corner of my eye to see them with a surprised look on their faces.

“Why are you all here?” King says, two guards bring over chairs for the newcomers who don’t answer until they claim their seats and Knox is the one who answers.

“Given the circumstances of this situation we thought it better we be present to mediate this situation.” He shifts his gaze from King to Chanel. “Given some of you seem to fire first and ask questions later.” Chanel smirks but says nothing, I’ve heard rumors about her and her ruthlessness.

“Unless you want that rumor to become a reality, I suggest we get back to discussing my niece no longer being in these trials.” London bites down on her lip to keep from smiling at her Aunt’s taunt.

“There is no way out,” Costa states.

“The fuck do you mean?” Royal snaps.

“She killed the rabbit, she must take part in the trials, it's our law–”

London cuts Costa off. “The bastard ran in front of my car, it wasn’t intentional like you’re making it out to be.” She keeps her hateful glare pointed at my father. I see Costa’s jaw ticking at her blatant disrespect and it fucking gives me satisfaction seeing her push him.

“It’s the law, you will participate in these trials regardless of what you or your family wishes.”

“Name your price,” Bishop counters, earning a scoff from my father.

“There is no price,” Costa rebukes.

“So, you want me to do these fucking trials against four of your sons?”

Costa smirks at London. “Yes.”

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