Page 57 of Saint

“I’m sorry, but I was actually on my way to lunch,” Nix began, only to have the older man wave him off.

“Forget the gross cafeteria food. I know a place. Why don’t we go grab a bite, my treat, and we can talk over a hot meal.” Hendrix glanced up at the darkening sky. “Looks like it’s about to rain.”

“It does that often.” Nix couldn’t recall the last time it was this difficult for him to grasp patience. He should be freakedout and worried about upsetting Hendrix. The smart thing to do would be to roll with the punches and accept his offer for lunch.

But Nix didn’t want to.

He didn’t want to stomach being around the man that had potentially tried to kill West and frame Yejun for it. Not to mention he’d have to be a total idiot to take a risk like that just to keep the peace. What peace? If the guy was already targeting them, what did it matter if Nix told him to fuck off?

Actually…Now that he was thinking about it…

“I’m going to have to decline, Mr. Bardin, but thank you for the invitation.” Nix went to move away, stiffening when one of the goons with Hendrix blocked his path.

“Please, call me uncle, that’s what all the Demons call me.” Hendrix was all fake smiles despite the obvious threat his man had just posed. “And, really, I must insist. If this is because you’re afraid of my nephew—”

“Cousin,” Nix corrected, holding his ground when that caused Hendrix to falter. “My understanding is that you and Lake are first cousins. If you’ll excuse me, I really must be going.”

“You’re on the wrong side of things here, kid. If you’re sticking to Lake for power, you’re going to be disappointed. That boy will never sit on the throne. I won’t allow it.”

“It’s a good thing it’s not up to you then, isn’t it.”

“Excuse me?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to do since your unpleasant arrival.” Nix wasn’t sure where the confidence came from, knew somewhere in his subconscious he was most definitely going to regret it, but the words poured out of him seemingly of their own accord. “I have nothing more to talk to you about, and certainly not on my own. Cornering me like this isn’t winning you any favors.”

“You won’t be saying that once you realize you’re being treated like property,” Hendrix sneered. “It runs in that family. His father controlled his mother that very same way. This is merely history repeating itself. What I’m offering you is a way out from underneath that psychotic boy's thumb.”

“Psychotic?”

“Surely, you’ve noticed. You’ve been with him long enough to have picked up on the signs. Something's not right with Lake. That’s why I keep insisting he be removed from the line of succession. No one wants a psychopath on the throne. I heard you were smart, Mr. Monroe. Surely you understand where I’m coming from.”

He thoughtLakewas the psychopath here?

Better question, did he truly believe Nix was so gullible he’d fall for this empty spiel?

“Don’t you think it’s kind of pathetic?” his voice dropped low as all that pent-up anger he’d been bottling up for weeks trickled to the surface.

Nix was pissed that Hendrix thought he could come here and talk to him.

He was pissed that he thought Nix would buy into his crap.

And he was furious that the bastard kept trying to weaponize Lake’s dead parents.

“What?” Hendrix’s face began to turn a bright shade of red. “How dare you—”

“You’re a grown man picking on a bunch of college students,” Nix continued, completely ignoring all of the warning signs because, apparently, he’d lost his gods' damn mind. “You barely have a claim to the throne, yet you’re clinging so desperately you’re willing to harm a bunch ofkidsto do it.”

“How disrespectful—”

“You want respect?” Nix snorted. “Try doing something respectable first.”

In hindsight, he really should have seen the slap coming.

Hendrix didn’t hold back, his hand whipping out so quickly Nix didn’t have time to even consider evading. In the next instant, he found himself on the ground, his hand cupping his burning cheek protectively.

He didn’t have the chance to react either—not that he had any idea what he would have done after being hit by Hendrix, an Order member.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” Yejun’s voice cut across the path and the Demon came racing over. Even if he hadn’t yelled, his fury was palpable, to the point even the protective detail with Hendrix hesitated and glanced at one another before moving to do their jobs.

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