Page 82 of Always Us

“Like what?”

“You’ll see.” She smirks and walks away.

I don’t bother asking her what she means. It doesn’t matter. My dad and William will tell the members what she did. And when they’re done with her, she’ll have nothing left.

I spend the rest of the day with Lilly. Katherine left in the afternoon but came back after dinner. I’m glad she wasn’t here all day. That would’ve been awkward. I don’t know how my dad and her are going to live in the same house. It’s just for a few weeks, but still. It’s going to be a long few weeks.

Sunday I fly back to California. As soon as I get home, I send the security guys away. Then I hug Jade for a really long time. After that, I tell her what happened.

“I can’t believe it,” she says when I’m done.

“I know. It doesn’t even seem real. I mean, I saw it with my own eyes and I still can’t believe it.”

“He killed Arlin.” As Jade says it, tears well up in her eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Jade.” We’re lying in bed and she’s tucked in my arms. “My grandfather was evil. I think I always knew that but I didn’t want to believe it.”

“They’re all evil.” She pushes off me. “Every one of them. They kill people and they don’t care.”

“That’s not true. My dad hates being part of this. So does William. But they can’t get out of it.”

“Carson could get them out. He said he would. That guy he works for, Hanniford, is rich and powerful. He could help your dad get out. Maybe they could work together to take down the organization.”

“That’s not going to happen. The organization is too powerful and too many people are involved. They have people planted inside the government and law enforcement. If Hanniford had evidence and took it to the authorities, the evidence would disappear.”

I shouldn’t be telling her this, but I feel like I have to so she’ll understand.

“They’re not going away, Jade. They’ll never go away.”

“So they just get to control everything and do all these horrible things?”

“The only way things will change is if the change comes from the inside. And actually, that might happen.”

She sits up. “What do you mean?”

I tell her what my dad said about how William might be promoted. “If that happens, Jade, he could make changes. He might be able to stop some of the bad stuff they do.”

“But he’s just one person. There are lots of other men at that high-up level, right?”

“Yes, but William is very influential. People listen to him. He’s a good leader and can be very persuasive. That’s why he was able to get Katherine to go along with his plan. If anyone can create change in the organization, it’s him. And having him in that role will give us protection. He’ll make sure they leave us alone.”

“When does William find out if he’s getting promoted?”

“My dad thinks it’ll be voted on at the end of the year meeting. It’s the week after Christmas. It’s a big meeting where they make a lot of decisions. They’ll decide then if William gets the position.”

Jade lies down again, facing me. “I guess that’s good if he gets promoted, but I wish he could just get out of it instead. I wish your dad could, too.”

“Let’s not worry about it.” I hug her closer and kiss her cheek. “Let’s just go to sleep. I’m so tired. I’m so freaking tired.”

She snuggles into my chest and we fall asleep. I don’t wake up until morning. Jade assumed I’d stay home from class today, but I don’t need to. I’m not grieving his death. I’m not sad or depressed that he’s gone. I feel guilty for not feeling that way, but the man was evil. He was truly evil and I can’t seem to feel sad that he’s gone. I can’t forgive him for what he did to my mom, or my dad and me. And I will never forgive him for trying to kill Jade. I honestly don’t know how I was able to contain my rage enough to not kill him myself when I stood over his bed last Friday.

After my morning class, I check my messages and see one from my grandmother. She called last night when I was sleeping. Shit. I should’ve checked this sooner. She never calls me and now she probably thinks I’m avoiding her.

I call her back. “Grandmother, it’s Garret,” I say when she answers. “I’m sorry I missed your call.”

“It’s fine, Garret.” She doesn’t sound tired or sad. She just sounds like she always does. “I was calling to tell you that we’re having a private gathering at the house on Friday and I need you to be here. I understand your reluctance to attend the funeral, but Holton was your grandfather and you should pay your respects. This will allow you to do so.”

My grandmother pretends she doesn’t know what’s going on with the organization, but she does. That’s why she made that comment about the funeral. She knows I don’t want to be around all the members who will be there. She knows I was picked to be president and she didn’t want that for me. Unlike my grandfather, she didn’t want my life ruined by the organization’s plans for me.

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