Page 159 of Ruthless God

Claudius leads the way, his pace unhurried, deliberate.

My pulse pounds in my ears. Something is very, very wrong.

When we step into the living room, my breath catches. Blanc is there. But not as I expected. He’s tied to a chair. Wrists bound. A strip of duct tape slapped across his mouth. His suit is disheveled. His usually perfectly combed hair is mussed. A bruise blooms on his cheekbone.

My stomach drops.

“What the hell?” I jerk my gaze to Claudius, heart slamming against my ribs. “What did you do?”

Claudius just tilts his head, his smirk deepening.

“What did I do?” He lets out a low, amused chuckle. “Oh, mama, I think you mean what did he do.”

Blanc is thrashing against his restraints, his furious muffled shouts barely breaking through the tape. His eyes burn into Claudius, full of rage and something else. Fear. Claudius moves closer, crouching to Blanc’s level. His smirk sharpens. I watch as he grips the armrest, leaning in.

“You don’t look so powerful now, do you, old man?”

Blanc lets out a furious sound, his fingers curling into fists. But Claudius just grins, feeding off the anger. Feeding off the fear. Then, slowly, he reaches out… and rips the tape from Blanc’s mouth.

Blanc sucks in a sharp breath, chest rising and falling heavily. His glare cuts to me.

His voice is hoarse, but razor-sharp. “Don’t believe a word he says, Cecely.”

My stomach twists. Because I don’t know what to believe anymore. Everything I thought I knew about this entire situation has been shattered. Twisted and turned into something I don’t know how to feel about.

I take a step closer, forcing my voice to stay steady. “Then tell me the truth.”

Blanc's jaw tightens. “I have.”

Claudius lets out a low, mocking laugh.

“Oh, come on now, Blanc. You’ve never told the truth a day in your life.” He paces around the chair, slow and casual, like a predator circling its prey. “Should I start for you? Or would you rather confess?”

Blanc’s fists clench against the bindings. “Go to hell.”

Claudius just smirks.

“Oh, I will. But you’re going first.” He turns to me, his eyes gleaming with dark amusement. “Shall we start with the most recent betrayal? Or should we go back… to the beginning?”

My throat is tight, my pulse hammering.

“Start with Gabriel.”

Blanc stiffens. Claudius chuckles, pleased with my answer.

“Ah, yes. The golden son. The one who was supposed to be standing where I am now.” His gaze flicks to Blanc. “Tell her, old man. Tell her why you really killed him.”

I say, “He said it was because Gabriel wanted me dead. That he was going to use me against you.”

Blanc doesn’t deny it. He just watches me, his face carved from stone. I shake my head, my voice rising.

“But that’s not the entire story, is it?”

It can’t be. This man may be my sperm donor, but he doesn’t know me. He wouldn’t kill a member of his own organization for someone he’d never even met.

Claudius grins. “No, it’s not.” He leans down, voice dropping to a silken whisper. “Tell her, Blanc. Tell her why you really killed him.”

Blanc shakes his head, not saying a word.

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