Page 31 of Whispers of Ruin

Lucian steps closer. “Mira’s nothing more than collateral damage, Xan. She’s a means to an end. She always has been.”

I feel the tornado building inside me, but I keep it in check. There is no point in lashing out again, not right now. I need to process this. I need to understand exactly what the hell I am supposed to do with this information. Lucian gives me a look, an egotistic contentment spreading across his face as he leans in closer.

“You see, Xan,” he says softly, “Edmund was not just any man. He was my best friend, my closest ally. But he also used to be the Ruler of the Order. The power he held… It was never going to be mine unless he was out of the picture. I just had no choice.”

My stomach twists. The pieces fall into place.

“I promised him, Xan. I promised Edmund that I would keep Mira safe, protect her. I also knew that the only way to take his place—truly seize the power of the Order—was to kill him. To destroy every single thing he stood for. To eliminate what could stand in my way. You’re getting it now, aren’t you?” he sneers. “Edmund had to go—simple as that. He was in my way, and I do not let obstacles linger. As for Mira? Keeping her alive was a debt I agreed to honor. Nothing more. Nothing less. And I’m a man of my word; a promise is a promise.”

I can’t help but burst into a laugh, on the verge of hysteria, overwhelmed by the rush of revelations flooding my brain.

“You really think that not killing Mira makes you some kind of saint?” I snarl, my voice thick with fury. “You robbed her of any chance to grow up with a father!”

Lucian turns toward me, his supercilious smile unwavering, almost amused.

“You should thank me, Xan! What better way to make her yours? This is a golden opportunity for you to be called ‘daddy’ when you finally get to fuck her.”

Before I can stop myself, my fist flies, crashing into his jaw with a sickening crack. Lucian’s head snaps back, but no reaction whatsoever. Does not even raise an eyebrow. He just laughs, the sound sharp and condescending.

“That is all you’ve got, boy? You really think this changes anything? It doesn’t. We have passed the point of no return.”

I am shaking. I can feel the pulse in my temples, the heat of fury boiling inside. My grip on the knife tightens. I want to bury it in his throat, to watch him bleed for every word he has said. I am so close to explode, the insanity at the brink of my mind.

“Do you want to kill me, Xan?” he asks playfully, clearly amused by my struggle. “You think you can?”

I grind my teeth so hard I’m afraid I will crack them, my breathing ragged, my whole body aching with the need to destroy him.

“Come on, pull yourself together, boy.” Lucian’s voice drips with condescension, his fun barely masked beneath the razor-sharp edge of his authority. He leans back, utterly relaxed, as if this is just another day at the office for him.

“Thanks to my cameras in the hangar, I gathered she recognizes the alley. That she’s making the connection to Edmund. Am I correct?” He pauses, watching me for any reaction. “Is there anything else you might be keeping from me?”

I remain quiet. I can tell his lips are curing into a knowing sneer just by the look in his eyes.

“Let’s make a deal, shall we? You keep feeding me the information I want, and in return, we pretend you don’t know a damn thing about her father. Not that I imagine you would be rushing to tell her you stood by and watched it happen without lifting a finger, would you?”

His words are poison, each one sinking beneath my skin, corroding whatever restraint I have left.

“And in exchange for your loyalty,” he continues smoothly, “I won’t send Kayde to fuck Mira before he slices her throat.”

That sick cunt.Kayde—the bastard who has been waiting for an opportunity to crawl up the ranks. If Lucian gives the order, he will not hesitate. He will break my girl in ways I cannot even fucking imagine. And no matter what I do, no matter how much I try to keep her safe, she will be beyond my reach.

“You don’t need Kayde for this,” I grit out. “And you damn know it.”

Lucian chuckles. “Good. Then we are in agreement. We will continue this mission in harmony—you keep giving me what I want, and I won’t say a word while I watch you rail her through my monitors.”

He takes a slight pause.

“Oh, and don’t get mad if I decide to broadcast it across the Order’s screens, hmm? Your colleagues had a great time jerking off to her huge tits while she was showering last night.”

My vision whites out for a second. My fists clench, nails digging into my palms so hard I might break the skin. He’s testing me. Mocking me. Dangling her in front of me like bait, just to see how much I can take before I break.

And I’mthisclose.

Xan opens the door to the hotel room, and the moment I step inside, the grandeur hits me like a tidal wave. He told me the warehouse was not safe anymore. Of course, he won’t tell me why. All I know is that he has taken it upon himself to get us out of there and into this place.

A massive suite, more like an entire floor than just a room. I still don’t understand what is going on, but my exhaustion from the previous night presses down on me, and I’m too drained to ask questions. I just follow him silently, my body moving on its own, numb to everything else.

When I look around, it is not just a room—it’s a statement. The walls are lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, giving a panoramic view of the New York skyline. The city’s lights twinkle below, the streets buzzing with life, yet from up here, it all feels so distant, so far away from everything that has happened.

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