Page 3 of Euphoria
Chapter 1
Phoenix
“The new gallery,the one with Sasha Phillips. I need you to observe. Make sure everything is good,” Orion, my brother, says to me.
I nod, there’s no need for me to ask why. “Anything else, asshole? You need me to come over and wipe your ass too?” I tease.
Orion scoffs. “Come, kill the demon.” I know he’s talking about his new wife, Guinevere. He hates her and I don’t blame him.
“Neck or gut?” I ask.
“Gut, it’ll hurt much more,” he answers.
“Should I use her intestines to wrap around her neck and choke her with it?” I smile even though he can’t see me.
He chuckles. “Sick fuck,” is his answer, then he sighs. “I’d love to take you up on that offer but Ainslee would kill me.”
I laugh. “You mean Papà, right? Cause Ainslee would let you get away with it. She loves you too much for that.”
“You know she loves you just as much,” he reassures me like I don’t know that.
“You don’t have to remind me, I know. I love that midget right back.”
“Speaking of midgets, what happened between you and the LeClaire girl? The little spitfire?” Orion asks.
“Didn’t work out. Don’t blame her though, I can see it in her eyes she wants more of me, but I can’t give her that and she deserves someone who can, she deserves the damned world. I can’t give anybody that. It’s not me anymore,” I confess. My older brother by two weeks always gets shit out of me.
“Smart plus fucking with any Founder’s family is not good for you. Ain’t shit good gonna come out of it.”
“They’re not all bad, Ry,” I reassure him
“And they’re not all good, Nix,” he retorts. “Sure, the ones we’ve encountered aren’t as horrible lately but let’s not forget that there are more of them and they think they run this world. They think their money makes them higher than the rest of us fucks,” he passionately says. If anyone didn’t know him, they would never know Orion talks…a lot.
“I get you, Ry, I do, but have you ever considered that the ones you know are proving you wrong?”
He grunts, which means I’m right and he knows it. “Fine, but I won’t be their fucking jester performing for them when they’re bored and looking to play games.”
I snicker. “Don’t you worry, I’ll play the jester and end up becoming the fucking King if it means finding the fuckers who killed your mother. I know he was part of the Founders family, but he’s not a representation of the rest of them. Look at Andres, our shitty, abusive pig of a father traded us for his protection. Andres raised us as his own and gave us the means to be in the same tax bracket as him. We didn’t deserve it but he didn’t act like we couldn’t have it either,” I remind my brother.
“I know, motherfucker. I know. I’ll always be grateful and loyal to Andres and Ainslee. They’re my world including you but I will annihilate every man that has a hand in killing my mother. You know that and so does Andre,.” he says with conviction. He’s getting pissed.
“Ry…” I call his name out. “Ry! Mikonos!” I yell out.
He grunts again, this time his breathing becoming harsher. “What!” He yells.
Ah fuck. “I’m coming!” I hang up.
I’ve never been so happy to live in the same penthouse as my brother before. I rush out my bedroom, running to the elevator. He’s going to lose his shit and there’s only one way out of that place with Orion. Fighting.
* * *
Once I getto Orion’s penthouse the elevator opens up and I run in. I see him seething at the kitchen Island. I look around and spot Guinevere in the corner. She’s not exactly terrified but she is smart enough to not do something as stupid as approach him.
“Go in the room,” I tell her calmly. I’m not a complete asshat, so I know I won’t spook her.
“You need something?” Orion says to me. He doesn’t turn to face me either. Guinevere makes herself scarce.
“Do you, motherfucker? Let’s do this, I’ve got somewhere I need to be. Avoid my face, will you?” I taunt him. “You want to stop being a bitch and in your feelings or will you keep moping like the child you are? Leave the childish shit for my niece and nephew.”
