Page 153 of Deacon

“Because he was a cunt,” I say. “Because she cried when she told me about it, and, more likely than not, that’s the mother of my baby.”

“Congratulations,” says Jack, not missing a beat.

“He was already dead,” I say harshly. “Aiden killed him years ago, after that man fucked her. And then, she collects all these fucking bugs and pins them in cases. It’s something that means a lot to her—she had years of these things in a box. When Aiden found out she was fucking me, he smashed that shit to dust.”

Jack’s forest green eyes are black. He leans down and pulls the sheet back, revealing the pillow with a few smears of crimson.

“Are you saying he fucks her?” he clips, no emotion.

I shake my head. “I’m saying he’s got some kind of weird attachment, and he can’t stand the thought of anybody else being with her. She’s talked about how she looks just like her mother. She talks about how he shames her, calls her a whore.”

“I don’t think he wants her like that,” Jack says.

I stare at him, jaw working. “We’ve been friends a while, Jack. Don’t bullshit me.”

“What do you want from me?” He lifts his hand. “How am I supposed to know if Aiden wants to fuck his stepdaughter?”

“Because you know shit.”

“Not shit like this. Do you know?”

I push the semi-automatic back over my shoulder and run my hand over my face. Sweat drips from my temples, stinging down my neck. Every conversation I’ve ever had with Freya, in our most intimate moments, spins through my mind.

“I don’t,” I say.

“Deacon—”

“I don’t know.” My voice raises. “I don’t know what he’s thinking, but I know she doesn’t know. I don’t want her to know.”

“Why can’t she know?” Jack circles the bed.

“Because she doesn’t deserve to have to carry that around.”

Jack takes off his hat and stands with it hanging by his thigh, like he’s thinking hard. “I get it,” he says. “But I don’t think she’s in danger like that from him right now.”

He sounds confident. Or maybe he’s just trying to keep me calm. That’s more likely.

“Why do you think that?” I press.

“Why now?” Jack says. “If he was going to, he’d have done it already. He wants what he said he wants. Land, money, power. If he and the McClaines get the highway and development through, he’s set up to be one of the wealthiest landowners in the state.”

I turn, heading back down the hall. Jack comes after me.

“Deacon,” he snaps.

“Don’t patronize me,” I retort, heading downstairs. I grab my jacket and pull it on before stepping onto the icy porch. Jack follows me just as my phone starts ringing.

I pick up. It’s Jensen, walking fast. I can hear it in his breath.

“What’s the situation?” he says.

“The same,” I say. “Jack is here.”

“Sovereign and Westin are coming. They can be there by nightfall, but we need a plan. We need to figure out where they’re keeping her first.”

“Good,” I say. “Get them here. I’ll do everything else.”

He hangs up. I stand, heart refusing to slow down. I’ve been in situations where I was sure I was going to die, but I’ve never felt anything like this anger.

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