Page 3 of Root

A muscle works in his jaw. “How’d you end up here?”

“Kara couldn’t take me to soccer practice, and she asked Ben to make sure I was on time. And he said he already got the memo.”

Nikolai shakes his head. “This is nowhere near that part of town.”

“He put the gun down and…” I squeeze my eyes shut, wishing I didn’t need to think about it.

“Rush?”

I lift my eyes to my cousin. “What?”

“You did the right thing. I’m proud of you. I get how fucking scary it is.” He scrubs a hand over his face. “I just want you to own it.”

Stomach souring, I look at him and throw up.

Later that night, I sneak downstairs, skillfully avoiding the steps I know creak. I want cookies. I want milk. I want—

My heart hits my ribs painfully, and I stop as a coldness slithers through me, like one of the monsters in my closet tried to escape, even though I know they’re not real.

And while I could eat cookies—Mia makes the best chocolate-pecan cookies—it’s not why I’m creeping around.

Or why I’m gonna walk past Nikolai’s office so he can see me and call me in.

I want to make sure what Mia and Tony discussed outside my room isn’t true.

The study door’s open, letting out the lowest murmur of voices.

I creep up, a shadow spilling into the light hitting the floor. It isn’t moving–Tony?

Somewhere, a clock ticks loud, and my heart joins it, each beat making my ribs ache. I haven’t seen Kara since we got back from…from earlier.

I’m old enough that I don’t need a nanny, but I’m glad she’s still here, which sounds really dumb, because I do like her. She’s been here for as long as I can remember.

Suddenly, I stop, feet refusing to move as the voices in the study register in my mind. One is soft, feminine, pleading, the other male, dark, menacing, like from the depths of hell.

I force myself to move, creeping up to the door.

Nikolai has Kara against the wall, like they’re gonna kiss, but his hand is around her throat, and his face is twisted in anger, the kind of anger that scares me. Like this, he’s not my cousin. Like this, he’s a monster.

“You want to fucking tell me why I’d let a piece of scum like you breathe after throwing in with a man like fucking Finnegan? A man who destroyed a family for power? A man who respects rules so little, he’ll probably rape and murder you for a job well done?”

Her eyes bulge with panic. “Please—”

“Please fucking what?” Nikolai doesn’t give her a chance to speak. “You chose a sick fuck of a man, one who’d have children taken to him because of parentage? For what you think might be his parentage? You’d hand over a child?”

“It’s not—”

“Shut your fucking mouth.” The words are quiet, and he’s so close to her, I just barely catch them. They’re not full of rage; no, they’re empty, flat, and my bladder cramps right as my body burns with cold.

“You don’t fucking get to speak again.” Nikolai steps back and looks Kara in the eye before he lets her go.

She half slides down the wall, and he doesn’t lift his gaze from her. I feel for her–I know the power of his stare. It’s evil, served hot from hell.

“Tony? Phone.” He holds out his hand, and Tony sets the cell into his palm.

Nikolai presses a number and puts the phone on speaker as it rings.

“What the fuck does a pissant like you want, Wilder?” The voice is one I hate. Not like hate my cousin because that’s different. Complicated. This is real hate: strong and sticky moving through me.

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