Page 69 of Tarnished Embers

“Of course,” Dr North agrees, holding out her arm to show that we follow her direction towards the lifts.

Taking a deep inhale, trying to calm my racing heart, I follow, my guys surrounding me and lending me the strength that I need to face this without them.

CHAPTERTHIRTY-THREE

“FUCK YOU” BY SILENT CHILD

PRINCE

My fists clench as I watch the private ambulance drive away with my soulmate inside. It feels like my soul is rending in half, the pain of knowing that she needed something I couldn’t give her almost bringing me to my knees. I can’t help feeling that I failed her once again. I know that makes me all kinds of selfish because this is what’s best for her, but I still can’t stop the toxic worries swirling around my mind like mosquitoes, waiting to land and draw blood.

“Come on, Prince. Let’s go back to the house and get some of her things to take once she’s settled,” Cas urges softly, pulling out his phone and calling our driver. Funny how Odette didn’t let him go, although, if she’s had access to Ember’s funds this whole time, I guess she didn’t need to fire everyone. I guess she just didn’t want their eyes on her, seeing what she put us and Ember through.

We wait in silence, the familiar black car pulling up next to the curb, and then we all pile in.

“Is Miss Ember not with you?” the driver—Davis—asks, and I take in a measured breath, trying to force the black claws of panic down. She’ll be okay.

“She’s going to spend some time at Serene Haven,” Cas informs him, and the man lets out a sigh.

“My cousin spent a few weeks there last year,” he tells us gently, catching my gaze in the mirror as he pulls away. “It’s a really nice place. Tranquil. Calm.” He gives me a soft smile, and I have to swallow around the lump in my throat at the kindness of this practical stranger.

“Thank you,” I rasp out as a warm hand interlaces their fingers with mine. I look to the side to see Oct, then I squeeze his hand back, my heart aching for everything that’s happened in the past week.

He rests his head on my shoulder, and I press a kiss to his soft hair, uncaring what Davis thinks as I just need the comfort that Oct is offering. We spend the rest of the journey in silence, and I’m not the only one who takes in a sharp breath as we approach the house.

It held such hope for all of us when we arrived, but that was dashed the night Odette sold us all to monsters. No, it was the moment she orchestrated the death of Robert. My skin flushes, my vision clouding for a moment as I think about all that she’s taken from my brothers and Ember. All that she’s taken from me.

For what? Because my dad left her with a small child? Plenty of people face similar situations and they don’t turn into black fucking widows, wreaking death and sorrow in their wake.

With heavy footsteps, we make our way upstairs, heading straight to Ember’s room to pack her a bag. She’ll want some familiar things around her to help keep her grounded. Maybe we should give her some of our shirts too, she enjoys wearing them and I’m sure it’ll help soothe her.

I’m just about to suggest this as we walk through Ember’s door, but I stop dead in my tracks when I spot Odette sitting on Ember’s bed, legs crossed and with a smug as fuck grin on her lying face.

My lips pull back, a snarl of rage hissing from them.

“Get. Out.” I can barely speak, my fists clenching and unclenching at my sides, my muscles twitching and aching to hurt her.

“Oh, don’t be like that, Prince,” she coos, standing up and taking a step towards me. The sound of her voice is like nails on a chalkboard, and I have to close my eyes for a moment just to try to breathe past the red haze that wants to descend.

“We know about the Will,” Cas says from beside me, his own voice shaking, and I glance at him to see his eyes bright in his flushed skin. “And the murders. You’re done, the police know all about your fucked up parties and they are coming for you.”

There’s the barest of twitches around her eyes as she takes in his words, then she smoothes her hands down the front of her blouse.

“It’s not an issue, not now that your sister is locked away and I’m listed as her next of kin.” Her grin is full of triumph, and I snap, advancing on her. She backs away, her smile faltering for a beat and her throat bobbing as she swallows hard, but I keep going until we’re outside, her back pressed up against the balcony railing. My hand wraps around her throat, and my muscles shake with the need to tighten my grip and cut off her air supply, watching as the light drains from her devilish eyes, but she just fucking smiles wider. White-hot rage fills my very bones at the sight. “All her finances are under my control, so anything you’ve done can be stopped with enough money.”

The distant wailing of sirens sounds, and a feline grin tugs my lips upwards. “Not this time,mother.” I practically spit the word, and her smile falters. “It’s in the hands of the law now, all the evidence of your sins, the murders, the living off immoral earnings.” I lean in closer, watching her eyes widen, the whites showing as my words sink in. “The sexual exploitation of children.”

Her mouth opens, then closes, and my grin grows wider. “You are finished, and you will rot in jail for the rest of your miserable life, knowing exactly what you’ve lost.”

With a final sneer, I release her, turning my back on the bitch for the last time.

“Prince!” she exclaims, her hand grasping at my bicep, but my reflexes have me spinning around, knocking her off me.

Everything slows down, like time is moving at a snail’s pace. Her arms pinwheel, pure terror on her face as she tips over the balcony railing, a scream ripping from her throat. Then time speeds up as her heeled feet disappear from view, and I’m rushing over to the railing.

I rear back when I see what lies before us. She’s impaled through the chest on the pointed arrow of the Cupid statue that stands in the fountain, blood tinging the water red, her eyes open but unseeing.

“I always liked that statue,” Oct says from beside me after several moments of silence, and bastard that I am, a huff of laughter escapes my lips.

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