Page 106 of Crown of Lies

I stand up, the Princes following suit. Ambrose rises slowly from his chair, his eyes still avoiding mine. As we head for the door, I can’t help but feel like we’re walking away from something important.

“Take care,” he mumbles as we step outside.

The door closes behind us, and I let out a long breath. The men exchange glances, clearly sensing my frustration.

“Well, that was a bust,” I mutter, kicking at a loose pebble on the walkway.

We’re halfway down the path when I hear the door open again. Turning, I see Ambrose standing there, looking conflicted.

“Ah, shit,” he curses under his breath, scrubbing a hand over his face. Then, louder, “Wait a second, kid.”

I stop, hope flaring in my chest. “Yeah?”

He steps out onto the porch, his shoulders slumped. “Look, I… I owe your uncle. Big time.” He takes a deep breath, his eyes meeting mine for the first time since the conversation took a deeper turn. “There was this group in prison, real nasty bunch. They had it out for me, thought I’d snitched on one of their guys.”

He pauses, his gaze fixed on something in the distance. “They cornered me one day in the yard. Would’ve been lights out for sure if Casey hadn’t stepped in. He saved my life that day.”

I take a step closer, my heart racing. “What are you saying?”

Ambrose sighs heavily. “I’m saying I owe it to Casey’s memory to help you. Even if it means…” He trails off, glancing around nervously. “Look, can we talk inside? This isn’t the kind of conversation you want to have out in the open.”

31

QUINN

I’m trying notto get my hopes up too high, but my heart leaps anyway. Not just with hope, but with excitement too. He does know something, I knew it. I share a quick look with Nico, Atlas and Killian, seeing my own anticipation mirrored in their eyes. Without a word, we turn and follow Ambrose back into the house.

Once inside, we settle back into our seats. The atmosphere feels different now, charged with an electric tension. Ambrose paces for a moment before sinking heavily into his chair, his eyes darting between us.

I lean forward, unable to contain my eagerness. “Mr. Pearce, you were saying about my uncle? He did tell you something about me or my father that stood out?”

Ambrose nods, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. His lips purse for a moment, as if he’s contemplating his next words. The silence stretches, and I find myself leaning even farther forward, my hands gripping the edge of the couch cushion to keep from fidgeting.

“The second you showed up and I realized who you were,” Ambrose finally says, his voice low and measured, “I wondered if you’d come about that.”

My heart races. “That?” I repeat. “What’s ‘that’?”

I’m desperate to know the answer now that I’m so close to it. The anticipation is almost unbearable, like an itch I can’t scratch. I force myself to take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts.

Ambrose takes his time speaking, each word seemingly weighed carefully before it leaves his lips. I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting the urge to rush him. The men are just as still, just as focused on Ambrose’s every movement.

“Your uncle,” he begins, then pauses again. I resist the urge to groan in frustration. “We were just shooting the shit one day and he suddenly turned serious. More serious than normal. Said he had something important to discuss.”

I nod eagerly, silently willing him to continue. My fingers are practically digging into the fabric of the couch now, my knuckles turning white with the effort of staying quiet.

“He was… different that day. Nervous. Kept looking over his shoulder like he expected someone to be following him.” Ambrose’s brow furrows at the memory. “I’d never seen him like that before.”

“What did he say?” I blurt out, unable to contain myself any longer. “Please, Mr. Pearce. I need to know.”

It’s his turn to lean forward, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that makes me shiver. “Quinn, have you ever heard of the Dark Lotus Syndicate?”

I furrow my brows, wracking my brain for any recollection of that name. Nothing comes to mind. “No,” I say, shaking my head slowly. “I’ve never heard of them. Should I have?”

He gives a half-shrug. “It’s not surprising. They’re a little outside the league of the circles any of you run in.”

I glance at Nico, Atlas, and Killian, but none of us seem to have any idea what the older man is talking about.

“What does this Dark Lotus Syndicate have to do with me or my uncle?”

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