Page 156 of Hell and High Water

“No, don’t talk like that,” I command, looking around for anyone I can call, anything I can do. Pressing down on the worst of the gunshots, I feel a sob rise up, threatening to choke me.

“Hellena.”

“Yes?”

“I need to tell you something. For Ora…”

“Stop. You can tell her when she gets here.”

“She better fucking not… Girl needs to get to safety. Make sure they don’t find the secondary compound. You make sure she does, alright?”

“O–Okay.”

“I was planning on telling her sooner, but…well. Better that it’s you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Inertia. I know who he was. Your dad.”

The admission isn’t as shocking as I would expect, but even so, I don’t know how to respond.

“You knew him?”

“Not exactly. See, there’s some things about my family that I chose to leave behind. But that knowledge was passed down. A certain role was passed to me from my father.”

“Ardor. You’re?—”

“Was. I chose to step down. To abandon that title. It only ever caused anyone pain. And I hoped that when I did, with so many of the others gone, the Sinful might find their way if only one member, a good man, was leading the way.”

“Damon.”

Clive nods.

“But then my dad had himself killed…”

It clicks. Not the why, but the terrible knowledge that Clive’s plan didn’t work out. That my father wasn’t willing or able to continue.

“Never could figure out why. Or who was still there pulling the strings. And there is someone, Hellena. And it’s not me.”

I can see him struggling, his eyes drooping slightly.

“So damn tired.”

“Hang on…”

“Stop fretting. You’re worse than Ora.” He smiles, the expression warm despite the truth of his situation. “I need you to tell her. To pass on our legacy. Let her know who I was, who the Clives were. And give her this.”

He shrugs off his satchel, pressing it into my hands.

“I will. But why? If you left that all behind, why tell her now?” I hug the bag close, not bothering to look inside.

“Because of you. I see all that hope I had in Damon, right here. And she needs that hope to go on after I’m gone. She needs you. See, she’s never had siblings, best friends. Always a ton of people around, people she liked, but so few who really knew her. Not like you.”

My tears spill over, freely now, onto his chest.

“Take care of your sister, Hell.” He chuckles, fighting back a cough. “Never seen her eyes light up like they do when you’re around. Not since her momma died.”

My throat tightens, leaving me only able to nod in agreement.

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