Page 52 of Into The Darkness

Walsh continued, but I could tell it was hard for him to tell me this story. “Dad never aspired to be part of this life. Mom’s death, at the hands of someone we believed was family, shattered everything.”

“So, Dad was betrayed?” I asked, my voice laced with disbelief.

“Technically, it was Grandpa. Dad did his utmost to shield us from the family and its operations. However, Mom’s death compelled him to seek vengeance, catapulting him to the upper echelons of the family. Grandpa always “put the business first” from how I understand it.”

“Why was I kept in the dark?” I hiccuped through my sobs, desperate to understand.

“Because he wanted to protect you.” Walsh stepped away, returning with a tissue to offer me some solace. “We both want to protect you.”

“I met Ash Ortiz,” I murmured, compelled to share my full truth with Walsh. “He’s in one of my classes.”

Walsh’s silent nods prompted me to continue. With a deep breath, I asked, “Why do our families despise him? He doesn’t strike me as malevolent.”

Walsh pursed his lips, rising from his seat. “Ember, you can’t be friends with him. This enmity spans generations. For decades, our families have been sworn foes.”

“Because?” I questioned, needing more from him.

“Because Dad hurt someone who Ash’s dad loved, then Ash’s dad hurt someone Dad loved, and then Dad hurt someone Rain’s mom loved.”

Holy shit. If I was putting the pieces down, that meant . . . no . . .

Pausing, he took a bite before locking eyes with me. “When Dad and I warned you against befriending him, we weren’t joking. Stay away.”

Frustration surged within me. “Why do you treat me like a child?” I exclaimed, slamming my hands onto the table. “I’m not a child anymore. You don’t get to dictate who I associate with or the decisions I make on my own.”

I was fed up with being relegated to a fragile doll, tired of Ash’s outbursts, furious at my dad’s years of secrecy, and irate with my brother for treating me as if I were porcelain. Rising abruptly and pushing my chair back, I glared at Walsh.

“I need to use the bathroom,” I announced before storming down the hallway. I refused to tolerate being treated poorly any longer.

No one would keep me in the dark. Not anymore.

Chapter twenty-two

Shit. I knew Ember would find out about the business, but I didn’t realize she would get buddy-buddy with fucking Ash Ortiz. Especially since last year, I was so close to capturing him and getting the revenge Dad needed, but he escaped into Isles, our neutral territory, and I was fucked.

This wasn’t a game I wanted Ember to play. She was my little sister, and everything I had ever done in my life was to make sure she was safe and comfortable. I never wanted to drag her into this, but now I feared that Ash may have somehow concocted a larger plan that involved my sister.

And how the fuck did he get into one of her classes? I did everything in my power to double-check the roster of each class, making sure the Den stayed as far away as possible.

I retrieved my phone and dialed my dad. He answered on the third ring, a note of apprehension in his voice, as I only called for emergencies.

“Walsh?”

“She knows, Dad,” I whispered, ensuring my voice was hushed to prevent her from overhearing.

“Damn it.” Something slammed down the line.

“The Ortiz kid is in her class too, and they seem pretty chummy. She was even defending him.” I quickly briefed him, mindful of the limited time I had before Ember returned.

“Fuck,” my dad muttered.

“This might not necessarily be a bad thing, Walsh.”

I was taken aback. “What? How?”

“Perhaps she can use her connection to lure him away from the bonfire. If they’re friends, we can ensure Ember’s safety while targeting him on the way to the event. We’ll send a text, making it seem like it’s coming from her when the time is right.”

“She’s going to despise us,” I mumbled, hesitant about the plan. Yet, I recognized its potential. If we could divert Ember’s attention, we could draw Ash into a trap during his journey to the bonfire. Despite the rule dictating a midnight showdown, if he was off Isles’s territory, the playing field changed.

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