Page 14 of Havoc

“You heard?” I asked him, knowing he had kept his nose clean for years.

“Yes. Of course, I did.”

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to make sense of it all. My feelings were still very raw but I knew what I needed, and that was Presley. That was all I cared about, and all that I had cared about for years. “It’s more complicated than that.”

“It always is, kid,” he sighed. “If you need me, call me.”

I shook his hand and headed off, waving at him from the car. Presley was on the path of no return, and hell, if I didn’t want to lead her away from it, I knew now she wouldn’t be ready for that.

If this was the way we were heading, then I was going to jump on board. She needed someone who wouldn’t betray her, and that was me. Now I just had to convince her of that.

Presley

I poured myself a whiskey and took a seat opposite York in front of the fireplace in the entertainment area. This was a room Gideon had had built to entertain his business guests, and it was strictly off limits to women.

That was until now.

“Hadrian got into the safe not long after we got back,” York said, breaking the silence. I’d been enjoying the crackling of the logs in the fireplace. “He said you’d be interested in what’s inside.”

“Tomorrow,” I said. “I’m tired, and like you said, there’s no need to rush.”

“They’ll be deciding soon enough. Jett is getting antsy and wants to return to the States.”

“Will you be staying?”

“I will be returning with them. You have trained for this, you know how to rule them, but you need them to fear you first. Tannis was a great first step, but you need more of an edge.”

“Like?”

“Someone loyal to you, someone who won’t betray you.”

“You said I didn’t need to trust anyone.”

“You always need to trust someone, Presley. I can’t be here forever.”

“Well you all destroyed any kind of trust I had left so this is really on you.”

York rolled his eyes, and I knew I was being childish, but I was damn tired. I hadn’t truly slept since I’d been back, and I was starting to feel it.

“Tomorrow morning,” York said. “I’ll be back in the morning. I need to run some errands for Ebony tonight.”

Great. I’ll be alone in the house for the first time…well ever. Now that I think about it, it’s exactly what I need.

He left me there, drinking alone, watching the fire crackle and thinking back to a simpler time. My drink was empty…again. I got up to pour myself a drink when I heard his voice.

“Presley.”

Was I dreaming? It had been ten years since I last heard that voice, and it sounded much deeper now. I put my glass down on the cabinet and slowly turned around.

He stood there, his dark blond hair cropped short, scars on his jaw, from what I could only imagine happening to him in Frostgate. He looked older, and yet he was still the same boy I loved all those years ago. His eyes still pierced right through me as if he could read every thought I had in my head.

“I wondered when you’d show your face again,” I said, picking up my drink again and tossing it down my throat. The familiar burn coating my throat.

“I didn’t think I’d see you again.”

“Well, here I am.”

“You’re different.”

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