Page 90 of Trial of Deceit

Finally — a conversation that didn’t make him tense.He shrugged.“Anybody will do anything once the price is right.”

“Why didn’t you ask him where I was?”

“Don’ play wid mi intelligence, Ashari.Given the circumstances, and how hard Reka had to search, the doctor was the closest I could get to you.I know you guys gave him exactly what you gave to me.He doesn’t know the location.”

“You love to use people’s weakness over their head, huh?”

“Chess, not checkers,” he answered, stiffening as she laid her head on his chest and her arm across his abdomen.“When him tell mi seh yu pregnant, mi did in a disbelief and angry…” He sighed.“I’m sorry, Ash.”

“And I’m sorry you thought I’d ever betray you.”

He scoffed.“Yu hitch up wid dem how much months now, and have something fi hold over mi head.Mi don’ fully trust you.”

She craned her neck to look up at him.“You should.”

“Why?”

“Before I left, I told Lyssa that I’m pregnant ’cause I didn’t know who else to tell.She got upset and said she would tell Senior to not close the case until loose ends got tied up.I’m telling you so you won’t get caught off guard.”

His brows furrowed.“Why’d she get upset?”

“She’s the one I was sleeping with.Not Jaia,” she answered, and his eyes widened.She smirked as she returned to her original position.“Ashari, one.”

Later that night while Ashari slept, Bryony dragged Jediah and Reine to Kayon.Kayon sat before the window with his children standing behind his chair.They had two paces of space between them while they glowered at each other.

Kayon moved his hand along the joystick.A moment later, the chair emitted sound.“You are not children anymore.Bryony should not have to bring you to me.”

“Daddy, Jediah don’ fair!Yu wouldn’ believe wa him do!”Reine exclaimed.

Jediah’s glare intensified.He sneered as Reine returned an equally fierce one.“Yu deh wid a man weh twelve years older than yu.Yu don’ have no shame?”he hissed as Kayon spun the chair around.

Kayon’s surprise being evident despite his condition had Jediah stunned.It took a moment longer than usual for his machine to say, “What?”

Reine looked at the floor.“We’ve never had sex before… He’s lying.”

“Mi don’ born last night,” Jediah hissed.“How yu did in a mi skin ’bout Dimitri and yu reaction when yu find out wa mi do to him, it seh otherwise.”

Reine’s head snapped up.Her hands tightened at her side as her nostrils flared.“Him wouldn’ do it if yu neva tell him to!”

“So, him shouldn’ a tek off yu draws ’cause mi don’ wan’ nuh man round yu!”

Reine hissed her teeth and looked at their father.Kayon released a labored breath.He must have grown tired from not being able to get a word in.

Reine crossed her arms.“Daddy, yu son a get outta hand, and mi tired!Jediah treat mi like a pickney.Mi don’ have no freedom ’cause a him!”

Kayon looked between the two before his focus settled on Reine.“All the freedom you have is because of Jediah.If it were up to me, you would’ve been married long ago,” Kayon said, making Jediah’s heart skip a beat.

Her hands loosened.“What are you talking about?”

“Kayon…” Jediah warned, but Kayon ignored Jediah as his hand began to move.Jediah stepped forward to grab onto the man’s hand, but Reine was faster.As she halted Jediah by gripping his arm, he set his angry glare on her.

“No.Mek him talk.Yu do enough already,” she hissed.

Jediah shrugged her hand off him.He walked around his father’s chair to stop before the window.His eyes skimmed over the lit lanterns spread across the backyard while his hand slipped beneath his suit jacket.He worried that Kayon would tell Reine the truth.If Kayon did, then every sacrifice Jediah made to keep Reine away fromhim, would’ve all been for nothing.Jediah found the travel case of cigars and lit one, doing a big puff and savoring the taste on his tongue before a mechanical voice filled the room.

“After the accident, I could barely walk, talk, or breathe on my own.Cedella gave me a very slim chance to live.Elias wanted to take over, but I declined and insisted he guide Jediah.He disagreed because Jediah was only twelve, but Elias knew better than to disobey my wishes.Jediah has always been mature for his age, and when he realized how our world operates, he came to me to make a deal,” Kayon said.

“What deal?”Reine asked.