Page 117 of Relentless Sinner

I've never seen him like this before.

“Jaxon.” The relief embedded in his tone is not one I've ever heard associated with my name.

“Hi, Father.” I pull up a chair and sit next to him.

He pants, nervously glancing back at the door, checking I closed it. I did when I came in.

“The guards are all here,” I assure him. “They arrived before I did.”

That's how the Creed guards work. Everything is done as quickly as humanly possible. They're like your personal SWAT team. Our Bratva has a similar setup, but the Creed guards are like a Black Ops version.

“I smelt it,” Father whispers.

“What did you smell?”

“The poison. It was arsenic. It’s mostly undetectable to our senses, but when heated, it smells like garlic.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t just garlic?” I raise my brows and try to look like I’m reasoning with him.

“I know what I smelt. To me it’s always had a very distinct smell that tells you it’s not garlic. It’s like a hint of tangerines are laced in with it.”

Although he sounds a little crazed, I give him the benefit of the doubt and humor him, remembering his expertise in poisons.

I’ll also admit I’d probably sound just like him if I thought someone had tried to poison me and I was helpless.

“Okay, Father. Tell me exactly what happened.”

“Éowyn took me down to the dining room. I had some fruit. Then the dinner was served. It was mashed potatoes and stewed chicken. I was about to start eating, when I smelled it. I remember smelling the same kind of thing weeks ago. But that was before we learned that Damien wanted us dead.”

“What happened weeks ago when you smelled it? Was it in the food, too?”

“Yes, and I ate it.AndI was very sick. Back then, I didn’t know I had to fear for my life. I got better within a few days, so I imagine there couldn’t have been too much in the food. I also didn’t eat everything.”

“Father. This could be anxiety.”

He snarls at me. “Jaxon, don't fucking do that to me. I'm telling you someone tried to poison me. So, fucking listen.”

He looks even more crazed and… frightened.

“Okay, I'm listening and I’m going to look into it.”

“You may not find anything in the food. It will require rigorous tests. Besides, a man who’s brave enough to come into my home and fuck with me will know exactly what he’s doing to work in silence.”

He’s right. And now the question is, who tried to do this to him? “Who was here today?”

“Everyone. Four of the brigadiers, Levka, Magnus, Damien, and Yuri. They were all here. They could have convinced my staff to kill me.”

Anything is possible at the moment. In my world, I’ve learned that everyone has a price.

“I’ll look into it,” I promise. “How about you get some sleep now?”

He winces, gazes out the window, and hugs the picture of my mother tighter. So tight, his hands become paler.

“Father, why don't you give me that and head to bed?”

“No, I need to be close to her. I can't sleep in that room by myself.”

“I'm here now. I'm going to stay the night.”

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