Page 93 of Peaceful Chaos

"Why should I do that?"

"Because while we've been trying to figure out what Damien was planning we should have been trying to figure out who he was planning it with. I promised you when we met that I would help you take down Damien, and I keep my promises. I need you to try and reserve judgment until Javier comes and I tell you both what we know. Make sure he gets Raven somewhere secure, and that Lucien and Brett are there with her."

He gets up to leave the room but stops in the doorway. "Remember that war you were wanting?" he asks over his shoulder.

"I don't know that I ever wanted war, I just said that nothing short of death would stop Damien."

"Well, I finally agree with you."

When he leaves, he doesn't lock the door. It's enough to hope I wasn't wrong about trusting him all those months ago.

* * *

"Where is my brother?"Lucien's voice booms from another room a couple hours after I sent Javier the message Holbrook dictated.

"I told him to have you remain with Raven," Holbrook responds. He sounds tired, but not surprised Lucien ignored his demand.

"Fuck that and fuck you. My sister is safe. I'm here to make sure her husband is too."

I start to rise, but Holbrook's voice has me sitting back down. "See for yourself then since you're already here."

Even though the door to the room I'm in has remained unlocked, I haven't moved from my seat. I'd like to say it was the conversation I'd had with Holbrook earlier, but I'm afraid there's still a part of me willing to accept my own confinement.

Lucien throws open the door and scowls when he sees me sitting passively at the table. "Let's go," he says to me while he holds the door open for me.

"Just go have a seat and listen to the reason I called you down here," Holbrook snaps.

Lucien's face and his demeanor changes to one of cold calculation I recognize from when he goes up against a target. It doesn't bode well for his uncle.

"Fine, let's have a chat." Lucien pulls out his laptop from a satchel I didn't see him carrying.

He boots up the machine and opens a file. Javier and Holbrook silently take seats within view of the screen.

"Let me show you what I'm going to unleash if you try and railroad Sin," Lucien warns.

He clicks on a file and a video comes up.

Damien enters the frame, and I can tell from the rigid set of his shoulders he's pissed off. "I've got a trip for you and Sin."

Lucien's voice comes from somewhere off the camera. "Does it meet our requirements?"

Damien's jaw clenches, and his blue eyes turn glacial. "I'm sick of your bullshit demands. When I say I have a job for you, you will do it. When you take over for me, you'll have to protect your empire. The fact this man crossed me is enough reason for you to go."

"Except that it isn't. It's bad enough you force us to kill for you. I won't make my best friend take an innocent life."

Damien slams his hands on his desk and leans forward. "There's no such thing as innocent. And Sin isn't your best friend. He's a tool for me to use as I see fit. If you want him to keep breathing, you'll remember that. I need you Lucien, but Sin is disposable to me."

"Does. It. Meet. My. Requirements?" Lucien persists.

"Everything you need to know is in the folder. Get it done, or your best friend will eat a bullet. Is that clear enough for you?"

Lucien steps into the frame and grabs the folder. He flips through it and sighs. "You could have just said the man's a rapist. It would have prevented this whole argument."

Damien lunges toward Lucien and grabs him by the throat. Lucien doesn't react, although it's clear his airway is being restricted. "Just because I said I won't kill you doesn't mean you can't be hurt. You need to learn to follow my orders without questioning me. I'm getting sick of your bullshit." He shoves Lucien away.

Lucien stops the video. "There's more just like this one. So, uncle, you can try and pin everything on Sin to save your career, but you won't win."

Holbrook smiles, and the reaction seems to throw Lucien off.

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