Page 23 of Prey It Ain't So

I pick my words carefully as I respond. “You think the small group—the one we can’t find the information about—is made up of the prior suggestions, don’t you?”

The dragon’s smoke rings heat the air as they cross the table; I can feel it. “I do. I may not have identifiedallthe parties exactly, but I believe the ones we discussed are part of the founders. Farther back, obviously, and spanning the globe.”

He means the elusive grandfather Lucille has always praised like some hero of the old country.

“Do you think… Bruno?” I ask hesitantly. “Is his family…”

“No way,” Fitz says with a snort. “Wesawhow your mother treated him, even in public. The accident was the most obvious thing in the entire universe andno onehas questioned it. All that coverage we saw defined it as a crash from the second it happened with no investigation.”

“He’s right.” Chess looks at me seriously, his beautiful eyes wide. “You didn’t hear a peep out of your grandmother on that side,and your mother has mostly left you alone since it happened. She arranged it when he was no longer necessary for the agenda she and her ‘papa’ are pursuing. Their marriage was likely a gambit as well.”

I never thought Lucille and Bruno loved one another; they could barely stand to be near one another sober. Truthfully, I couldn’t picture them drunk enough to have conceived me without killing one another. The ‘blue magic, maybe not his kid’ discovery was rattling at first, but this? It makes perfect sense. If Lucille was pushed to marry Bruno to solidify their control of the more powerful American council…

Yeah, that fits like a glove and explains why neither of them have ever liked me, even as a baby.

“Do you think…” I lick my lips, keeping my mouth covered as I dart my eyes between my men before I continue. “Do you think maybe Lucille went outside of their arranged thing because Bruno couldn’t… make an heir happen? Maybe she purposefully sought something different on purpose?”

They all look shocked for a second and not one of my chatty mates seems capable of replying. Aubrey and Rennie turn to look at one another, doing their eyebrow thing. Fitz and Felix gape like cartoon characters, and Chess just stares blankly. I may have broken them with my leap of intuition, but I read alotof romance and, well… Lucille is definitely a scheming villain who would try to goose her power and status by breaking the laws everyone else would be executed for violating. She’d do it even harder if she thought the result of her criminal behavior would give her the advantage.

I don’t know how to be the keystone to some evil plan that started before I was conceived; the pressure is too much.

Dark Night, Bright Future

Chess

Noneof us expected her to saythat.

I’m not saying it didn’t occur to me or any of the other guys, but Dolly admitting that her mother is just evil enough to do something only talked about in rock ballads? It wasn’t on my bingo card—not that I doubt Lucille Drew is ambitious and desperate to control the entire world—because my angel doesn’t look at the world the way the leopard does. But here we are, staring at her in shock, and it’s definitely not the time to be gentle with her feelings. It’s a turning point for Dolly, just as Felix, Fitz, and I had those moments on Bloodstone.

She’s having a ‘train wreck’ style realization that will change her view of her family forever.

“Did… did you all know that was a possibility already?” she whispers.

I can’t help it; I take the bullet. “I considered it, Angel. But it wasn’t my place to suggest and?—”

Dolly whips her head around, looking at the others. “And you guys? Did you suspect that, too?”

Felix sighs, his arm going around her as he tugs her close to his side. She lets him, but the silence hangs as our mate waits for answers. “Once she killed the croc, I had suspicions. Lucille has been gunning for you since you were sent to Apex, and if he was your father, she’d need him to try again. But… she didn’t try for a spare when you were a child, nor did she when you turned out to be a rabbit. It felt very likely.”

Her head falls to his shoulder and her eyes close, as if she’s trying to process his words. Aubrey and Renard look at one another, then at me. No one says anything while Dolly hums to herself softly, but her reaction worries me. She’s had to deal with so much in her life—things no kid should have to. And I absolutely know how that is, but I had Felix and Fitz and Grandma Khan to help protect me. Dolly had a nervous, small pred employee with no power to clean her up after the bullshit went down. Now she has two groups trying to kill or possess her; it’s just not fair.

“Baby Girl, these dickheads are too scared to say shit, but I will.” Fitz thumps his hand on the table, his expression fierce. “You will probably need time to get over this, but for now? Your abusive ‘paper’ dad is gone, and he’s not coming back. You don’t have to be sad or conflicted about it anymore. And your bitchtastic mother? She’s exactly who you feared she was and just because she gave you DNA doesn’t mean you owe her shit.”

“Fitz…” Aubrey rumbles as he slaps his hand over his eyes.

Dolly lifts her head, her eyes opening to look at the tiger. “No, he’s right. Bruno was nothing but an abusive bully who delighted in every bad thing that happened. He was only hanging onto Lucille for wealth and power; he didn’t give a fuck about anyone but himself. That hurt as a kid because I think I knew neither of them gave a damn, other than using me as an accessory.”

Renard smiles at her softly. “Oui, ma petite. Letting go of your guilt will make healing easier and the possibility that he is not your biological father has to be a relief. While none of us has that comfort, I am glad you might. As for your mother? She will be dealt with, eventually.”

Felix snarls as he squeezes Dolly close. “Oh, she definitely will be.”

“Hey! Our chaotic queen called first dibs, bro.” Fitz grins crazily, his eyes full of dark promise. “I definitely cannotwaitto watch my mate tear that cunt limb from limb. If I‘m lucky, she’ll let me have a piece of the leftovers.”

Dolly’s face splits into a happy, yet slightly terrifying, grin as she nods at the tiger. “Of course I will, baby. I promise you’ll get your licks in, too. And anyone else who wants to kick her ass can have a piece when I’m done.”

“If there’s anything left…” Aubrey smirks as he looks at her. “I am quite certain your decades of pent-up rage may push your bunny to heights that are unexpected. You may not be able to keep that promise, and if not? That’s okay, too, snack size.”

I nod when she looks at me, and so does Felix. We’re definitely with the dragon on that statement. “Angel, I can’t say we’re going to be any less vicious with the Raj when the time comes. He’s evil to the core, just like your mother, and he will get what he deserves as well.”

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