Page 36 of Forever Filthy

“There isn’t anything to break down. Edmund and Virgil had planned to marry me off to Ezekiel so that their bloodline could remain in power. Do you know I own a sex club?” The four of us all jerk back. “I wish I could say I came up with the idea all on my own but I can’t. When you are named lord or lordess you have access to all the records of the former leaders and guess what?”She doesn’t wait for us to answer. “It was Edmund’s idea and Virgil wanted to hold my wedding to Ezekiel at that hotel. Our father wasn’t a good man, Vox, he was just like Thomas!” she screams.

I can’t handle hearing more of this, I push forward and wrap my arms around her, anchoring her to my front. She tries to fight to get free but I don’t budge even when she reaches under my hoodie and claws her nails down my back.

“Listen to me!” I snap, she freezes in my arms but doesn’t pull her nails from my back. “I had no idea about what they had planned, but it doesn’t have to change anything, Vivian. I married you because I wantyou, not some fucking title or power, I just want you!” She slowly begins to relax and when her nails release my poor back I sigh. She tilts her head back and stares up at me with tears rolling down her cheeks. I curse my father and hers for putting this doubt in her mind about me. “I love you, Vivi.”

She exhales loudly and tears continue to fall down her cheeks. I start to worry she is going to push me away until she finally speaks. “Do you mean that?”

“Yes,” I say with conviction that leaves no room for her to doubt my words. To my utter shock, she reaches up and locks her arms around my neck, bringing my lips to hers. I don’t second guess it. I kiss her with a hunger that I don’t mask, I need her to feel everything I feel. She needs to know she is the center of not only my world but Hayze and Archer’s as well.

Chapter Eighteen

Vivian

I break the kiss with Ezekiel and muster a smile for his benefit but I can tell he isn’t satisfied. He doesn’t call me on it as he steps aside and allows me to face my brother who looks like I just blew his world apart.

“I didn’t just change because my heart got broken,” I admit. I hate that Archer drops his chin to his chest and won’t look at me but I’m not saying this to hurt him. “I changed because I was tired of fighting a losing battle. Even before I found out the truth about our father, I knew the Saints were too strong to take down. The only way to end them is to outsmart them, Vox.”

“And how are you doing that?” The bite to his tone isn’t lost on me but I choose to ignore it.

“By asking you four to trust me enough and believe me when I tell you I know what I am doing,” I plead.

“Was Kelly getting murdered a part of your plan?” he snaps. I fight not to flinch at the accusation in his tone.

“No, it wasn’t,” I admit. “I don’t know who is behind this but I am actively working on figuring that out but you guys being here isn’t helping anything, I need you to go?—”

“No!” Archer snarls, pulling my attention to him. “We aren’t leaving you. I don’t give a fuck about your plans or what you think is the right move. We aren’t leaving your side.” His promise has warmth spreading through me.

“Nova needs answers, Vivian. I can’t go back to her with nothing.” The anguish I hear in his tone isn’t for himself, it's for the love of his life that he left behind to come here and try to avenge the murder of her mother. I mull over his words for a minute trying to think of the best course of action.

“I can’t lift the banishment, there is no way the Saints would agree to that anyway,” I announce.

“Why the fuck not?” Hayze growls. I pin the big boofhead with a deadpan look.

“Aside from the fact of you four being troublemakers? Maybe the fact that you four have a bigger claim to the lord status then the rest. The Night Of Saints is four weeks away and I have a lot of shit to do before then, including finding out who the fuck is stalking me and sending me heads.”

“Wait,heads? As in plural?” Archer rasps out.

I shoot him a sheepish look. “Clive Bruce the District Attorney was the first.” At my admission the four of them begin shouting. With no other option, I do the only thing I can to get all their attention, I scream. All four of them stumble backward. I shoot each of the dicks a glare of warning. “You don’t call the fucking shots, I do. Am I clear?” None of them agree so I pushon. “You don’t like it, there’s the fucking door, don’t let it hit ya where the good lord split ya!” Vox scoffs.

“You may rule over those cockless bastards in the Saints, but not me.” Utterly spent and over this dick measuring contest, I step right into my brother and harden my features.

“Then leave because around here I am the fucking king, not you. You shouldn’t even be here and it's because of my mercy you aren’t being hunted daily by The Brotherhood. Don’t mistake that mercy for weakness, Brother.”

“We agree to your terms,” Archer says, trying to break the tension between me and Vox but we both ignore him as we continue to stare at each other. Months ago I would have conceded and allowed him to assume control, but not this time. This is my town, my house and this is my call. I won’t allow him to fuck everything up when I am so close to winning!

“Back the fuck down or I will drive you back to Washington myself and let Nova kick your ass,” Hayze vows. Vox’s left eye twitches and I can tell he is close to losing his shit and the last thing I want is for him and the guys to destroy more of my house and each other so I try again.

“I know you don’t like this and you don’t have to, but all I am asking is for you to trust me. I know what I am doing and I promise you, I will find who did this to Kelly.” He searches my eyes, trying to pull all my secrets from me. He’s always tried to prove that the twin telepathy myth is true but it's not. He can read me as well as I can read him but we can’t read each other's minds, much to my brother's dismay. I see the second he relents. His hands unclench from his sides and his shoulders lose some of the tension.

“I’m giving you three weeks, that’s it. After that I’m going hunting and I don’t give a fuck about the banishment. I want the cunts' head on a spike for what he took from Nova and for what he is doing to my little sister.” I smile up at him, even though heis angry and hurt over all of this he can’t help but still be my big brother and my heart swells with that knowledge.

“Deal,” I quip, then wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head against his chest. The light chuckle that escapes him brings a small smile to my lips. His arms band around me as he places a kiss on the top of my head.

“Our conversation about these dickheads isn’t over, but for tonight it is.” I laugh when I hear the three grumbling about how much of an ass my brother is.

“I know but tonight I have somewhere to be.” Instantly the mood turns sour and Vox’s arm drops from around me. I sigh and take a step back, then look at each of them. “I have a meeting with the Saints. I can’t get out of it so don’t ask.” When Archer opens his mouth I raise my hand silencing him. “No, you can’t come with me so please don’t ask.” Arch and Ezekiel both glower but don’t comment. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, you can make yourself at home and clean up the mess you all made.”

“I didn’t do shit!” Hayze says with his hands raised.

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