Page 34 of Seducing Jenny
“Yeah,” he said sheepishly. “It just slipped out. Is that okay?”
I thought about it then smiled. “I think so. Maybe it will help me stay in character.”
He chuckled. “Maybe.”
After Hard knocked on our bedroom door, we followed him through a maze of greenery that led to a glass-walled garden room like something out of an English manor dream, with white frames around the outer walls of the windows, white furniture, and potted flowers in every direction. There was a table set for breakfast.
Hard pulled out Tiger’s chair for him, murmuring into his ear, “Anything you ever need. Or want. Or dream of.”
Then, he left the garden room.
Tiger looked like he wanted to set the guy on fire, which only made me giggle.
Across the table, my biological father watched us both with a look I couldn’t quite read. I’d been so nervous meeting him yesterday, but I think I’d handled things well.
Growing up, I’d believed our father had abandoned us—none of us sisters had known that our mother had been hooking up with an alien during his visits to Earth, or that we were all half-Ladrian. Mom had refused to talk about him and said it was too painful of a topic. But when I got to Halla and saw her again in her ghost form, she told us the truth. Volatile had kept us a secret to protect us from his enemies, including his family.
Having dealt with Justice, now I understood his reasons why.
I put all of that out of my mind as I prepared to have breakfast with my father for the first time. I was too excited to hold his past choices against him.
But his strange look twisted into a scowl as I reached for my tea.
“Hard’s flirtations amuse you, Jade?” he asked, his voice low and sharp.
I kept my smile light. “I can’t help it. Tiger’s cute when he’s flustered.”
Volatile stared at us both and set his napkin onto the table. “And here, I thought I had seen everything.”
My stomach dipped. “Is something wrong?”
He ignored me and shifted his gaze to Tiger. “Am I to understand you have been piloting her ship?”
Tiger gave a nod, looking a little wary. “Yes, sir.”
“Very well.” Volatile dialed something on his gauntlet driver and Tiger’s beeped seconds later. “There, you have it.”
Tiger glanced at his driver, frowning. “What’s this?”
Volatile’s gaze didn’t waver. “The Coordinates to my father’s island.”
I blinked rapidly. “I don’t understand.” I was at the same time elated, and confused.
“No classed girl, no matter where she was raised, would think the harassment of her paramour was cute, no matter his reaction. She would be jealous or offended or demand Hard’s tail be lopped off in recompense for such an infraction.” His eyes narrowed on me. “You, Jade, whoever you are, arenota Malongwah. This charade is over.”
My stomach knotted and everything in me tensed. My mouth went dry. His reactions made no sense. “Then why did you give us the coordinates to your father’s island?”
He exhaled a long breath, slow and heavy, then leaned forward to press his forehead into the heels of his hands, elbows braced on the table. “Because I cannot do this anymore. I am done fighting.”
Tiger and I shared a glance before he spoke. “I don’t want to speak out of turn, sir, but what are you talking about?”
Volatile lowered his hands, his expression oddly resigned. “I can’t keep living like this. And I won’t let my father continue to live like this, either.” His voice wavered. “If you can kill him swiftly…please do so.”
My heart halted in my chest. “I beg your pardon?”
“All I ask is that you don’t let him suffer,” he said gently. “He’s suffered enough already. I’ll accept whatever punishmentyour employers meant for him, but let his end be painless. Please.”
I shook my head. “It’s not…we’re not…” I didn’t know what to say.
