Page 62 of Sin and Deception

“I don’t understand,” I said, shaking my head. “Why Fiona?”

“To pay the debt they think your father owes them for his inability to control his men,” Mama said.

“That’s absurd.” There was no logic to any of this.

Mama nodded. “I didn’t say it made any sense.”

My heart broke at the thought of Fiona with our enemies.

“We have to find her before they put her through the same nightmares I endured with Andraius.” White-hot anger surged through my blood, replacing my fear.

I vowed revenge on the Aetos family for this bullshit. I would destroy them.

They touched my family. I sacrificed so much, and now these fuckers used some convoluted beliefs to justify their actions. I planned to gut them just like Andraius.

“I want their blood,” I stated, knowing how unhinged I sounded.

“So do I. I’m sick and tired of these bastards hurting my babies. I’m a respectable grandmother now. Otherwise, I’d tell you to bring me one to test if my skills have gotten rusty.”

I blinked, seeing my mother in a completely different light.

“What?” Mama tilted her head to the side. “Do you think you’re the only one who went into the Caves during interrogations or knows how to use a blade?”

Papa taught me everything I could about interrogation and discipline in the room of his facilities, which he called the Caves. There were rooms for everything, from training areas to interrogation and extraction spaces. Xander was the king of the Caves. No one wanted a visit from him while locked in a cell, but Theo was the truly unhinged one. When he visited a prisoner, it was always a mess.

“You helped Papa in the Caves?” I couldn’t hide my confusion. “Why didn’t I know about this?”

“It wasn’t any of your business. A husband and wife can have secrets. You inherited your blade skills from me. Peter was better with his fists, and of course, he loved his firearms. Theo wasn’t the only calm one people feared back in the day.”

I glanced up at Theo, who pressed his lips together, trying not to smile. This was information overload, and I wasn’t sure I could handle it at the moment. I placed a hand on my chest, my mind spinning. “Mama, we need to set this topic aside because I’m not sure I know you right now.”

“Bring me back, my baby girl, Nerine.” The intensity of Mama’s gaze made me nod.

As if Theo and Xander could read my mind, we said in unison, “We will.”

For months, I’d felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, carrying it all by myself. I’d spent two years protecting everyone I loved, expecting the worst to happen.

Now, we were in that situation, but everything was different. I wasn’t alone.

Theo and Xander were with me. We would fight this battle together.

Fiona was the priority.

And if it all worked out, I would bring Mama a gift to test her old skills.

Eighteen

XANDER

After learning aboutTheiaDelia’s surprising skills with blades, Nerine, Theo, and I flooded Agent Davenport with questions about Fiona’s kidnapping.

“What about my other sisters?” Nerine asked. “Christina and Ariana?”

“They’re safe, as far as we know. We have a team keeping a close watch on them."

“How did they manage to take Fiona?” Theo asked.

“We have people looking into how her location was compromised."

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