Page 34 of Reign

I studied my brother with a small smile on my face. “She is different from your ugly arse. But it isn’t my story to tell. Ask her.”

“What? Sophie? No way, man. She’s more vicious than you when she’s all riled up.”

“Ha, I never figured you for a coward.”

“Nah, I’ll keep my distance. Life’s complicated enough. You still mad Rex got away?”

I’d hit the gym and let my temper free once Shannon and Sophie had come to sit with Ember, but I’d calmed a bit now. And I wasn’t mad at anyone else. Yeah, Rex had escaped, but it hadn’t been anyone’s fault but my own. Mostly I was pissed off for formulating a plan that had gotten Ember hurt.Fuck! She could have been killed!I took a long slow breath. Even without her memory, I’d known my Firecracker wouldn’t sit and wait for permission to do what she wanted to do. I’d left her alone, knowing if I refused to let her see Rex, she’d find a way by herself. I’d hoped she’d see for herself what he really was without me forcing it on her. Not for one moment had I suspected that fucker had another daughter willing to fight for him. I rubbed my face. Not only had I killed a sister, but now both Sophie and I wondered how many other siblings we had out there. If there were any more, would they want to kill Rex or help him?

And, Mother Wolf help us; Rex had the Halo, too. Jed had told me about the safe, but even he’d no idea of the combination to get in.

Ember moaned, and I stiffened. Concentrating and keeping my power gentle, I caressed her with it, stroking her hair and face until she settled again.

“You healed her?” Drake’s voice was deliberately hushed.

“Yeah.” I had, without any of the pleasurable side effects I could use if I wanted. It had perhaps been wrong of me to reintroduce myself with an orgasm of epic proportions yesterday, but I’d lost control when I’d touched her. I’d wanted to pull her flat on that couch and spear her with my cock until she couldn’t think of anyone or anything else but me, especially Jed. That motherfucker had stolen the last two months from us.

“Good. You know, if that was Rex’s daughter you killed yesterday, I could already be free of any contracts he made.”

“True. But I think there is another one.”

Drake raised his brows. “Really? Well, shit. How many offspring did he produce?”

“Fuck knows, but all of this from his office holds some answers. So far, I know of one other daughter who survived.” I gestured at the pile of paperwork at my feet.

“Shit.” He was quiet for a moment. “If thereareother siblings, they might know some of his passwords, or other information, that could help us get into his systems before the SBI gets wind that his operation is up for grabs. Or, it will be when he’s dead.” He sent a piercing stare my way. “I presume his death is your endgame, considering what he did to you as a kid, and what he’s done to Ember now.”

I nodded, my face grim.

“In that case, we need to ensure you get control of his legitimate businesses and assets on his death and use them to our advantage. You’re his son, and I presume, his eldest child. If he has no will, you stand to inherit.”

“True.” I tapped my finger against my lips. “What if we find his daughter?”

He shrugged. “If she pops up, and is named in the contract with me, you know I’d still be willing to go through with it. If I married her, it would give me access to my company a lot quicker than going through the courts. And I presume you wouldn’t want to kill any more of your siblings to take his assets if she is named beneficiary of his will?”

My top lip curled back. “If they’re like that bitch Valentina, I would. But so far, it doesn’t look like there are any others like her.”

His eyes glinted. “If you took control of your father’s estate, you wouldn’t be so reliant on the High King. Walker’s helped us, but I don’t trust him. If he pulls out, I’ll have enough money to keep us going, so long as I get my company back through that marriage.”

I swallowed hard. He was right. But it was Sophie’s choice whether to marry him. We’d found a copy of that contract in the safe. Or rather, Sophie had. She’d discovered the open safe and the bank of security cameras it held. Valentina had hidden from Ember, taken the Halo, and followed her down into the underground prison.

I’d told Sophie to go through the contents and bring anything she thought was important right to me while I sat with Ember. She had; many things that were shocking even to me. There were detailed accounts of the women he’d kept, their supernatural abilities, those he’d sold, those he’d killed, and the offspring he’d fathered. It seemed any other children he’d sired had not been strong enough to survive his violent training regimes or the demands he placed on their young bodies. Twelve children in total. It disgusted me. Only three of us had survived. And now there was only Sophie and me alive. I’d talk to her about the future soon, but both of us agreed that it was better to leave that kind of discussion until Rex had been properly dealt with, and we had closed the ever-growing rift in the centre of London. Whatever she decided to do about Drake would be her choice. The contract had come as a shock to her, but even if it solved our financial dependence on Walker, I wouldn’t make her marry anyone. It would be up to her. I’d find another way to fund our operation.

“Let’s deal with hunting down Rex, and the situation in London, then we can decide what direction to go in with funding.”

Silence fell. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but after a while, Drake got up.

“Hey, Drake? Brother?”

“Yeah?” His green gaze fixed on me, his head cocked.

“Thanks. For being willing to sacrifice your life like that...for the pack...for me.”

He chuckled. “It’s not completely selfless. I get my company and my money back as soon as that marriage is in place. Besides, there was no stipulation about consummating it or not getting divorced. If she’s a real bitch, I’ll wait until we clear her out of all her dirty money and then leave her.”

I frowned, unused to Drake sounding so callous and cold, especially when I knew it was Sophie he would need to marry.

“Maybe. Or maybe you’ll get lucky and fall in love.”

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