Page 23 of House of Soot

“I’ll be there for dinner on my next night off. Right now, I need to get back to work.”

“Is there concern about more attacks?”

If she only knew. Over the last several months, my brothers have launched mini-attacks on the property. Each calculated strike chips away at Hampton Kean's defenses, keeping him off balance. The idea came after the distraction we caused to help Flint rescue Lucy from the house last year.

“It’s just a precaution.”

"But who would want to hurt the Keans? They've done so much good.”

I’m glad to hear her concern for the Keans as it reminds me that she’s on their side. The side I’m against.

“Will you be okay?” She puts her hand on my arm, her worry about me dislodging the resolve to hurt her that I had a moment before.

"I'll be fine. Go."

She hesitates, then stretches up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. "Be careful."

I watch her disappear into the house, making sure she's safely inside before radioing the other guards. Time to play my part in this charade, pretending to defend the very people I'm here to destroy.

"Someone's got it bad," Jones, another guard, elbows me as I return to my post. "Dinner to meet the mama."

“You know what that means,” Donnelly, who works with me and Jones, taunts.

I do know. Meeting the parents is a sign of just how deeply Jenna feels for me. I should feel triumphant. But because I’m such a fucking twisted mess, I feel like shit.

“Eavesdropping?” I ask lightheartedly to keep up the ruse that I’m their buddy.

“It’s our job.” Jones grins.

“Can’t blame you. Garden girl is hot.”

I try to smile, but it might look like a grimace as I want to punch Donnelly’s face in for ogling my girl.

“Yeah, well, she never looked at you like she does him,” Jones says.

I narrow my eyes. “Like what?”

"Like you hung the fucking moon or something."

I remember that look. The pure adoration in her eyes when I told her I loved her. With that memory, the self-loathing returns. I’m the biggest piece of shit for my plan to destroy her heart.

I force a laugh. “Don’t you know? I did hang the moon.”

They laugh. “She used to look at Mr. Kean, the son, like that. Looks like you cured her of that,” Jones says.

Again, I try to keep things light, but I feel my jaw tighten. “What can I say? I’m a catch.”

The guys move on to other topics, thankfully. I’m totally fucking this thing up with Jenna. Why is it so easy for her to mess up my emotions? I need to remember why I'm here. Remember the flames that took everything from me. Remember that in minutes, the world around me is going to explode, literally.

A flash of orange light blazes over the wall, landing with a deep boom at the front corner of the house. The alarm system screams to life.

The first “package”, as Ash called them, has been delivered. Two more blasts follow in quick succession. Right on schedule. The attack is more about smoke and sound than doing real damage, and it’s working. Guards sprint past me, shouting into their radios. I join the chaos, barking orders. If I do this right, the Keans will be impressed by my quick action and leadership and give me a position closer to them.

"Secure the perimeter!" I command, watching Hampton's men scatter like ants. "Teams of two, standard protocol!"

The front doors burst open. Hampton emerges, rage twisting his features as he surveys the damage to his stolen kingdom. Behind him, Ronan appears.

"Find them!" Hampton roars. "I want whoever did this dead!"

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