Page 122 of Imperial: The Corvidae Family
The front doors weren’t locked. He was either arrogant or stupid. Maybe both. I pushed inside with a confident stride, checking out the space. Even if I knew the plan, I refused to get caught slipping. The house was as extravagant as expected, open concept, high ceilings, priceless artwork hanging on the walls. A place designed for someone with an ego.
I found Trent in the living room, standing near the floor-to-ceiling windows with a drink in hand and his back to me as he looked out over the estate grounds. He was dressed like he belonged in another man’s house. Black slacks, button-down rolled at the sleeves, an expensive watch on his wrist, and…
Unarmed.
“It’s disrespectful to drink another man’s liquor without an invitation. Malcom might not appreciate that.”
“You’re here to kill him. I don’t think he’ll mind considering he gets to live another day.”
Trent turned, smirking as he lifted the glass to his lips.
“No gun. You really that damn cocky?”
“Didn’t see a need to be armed. Figured you’d bring enough for the both of us.”
I didn’t return the smile. “I’m here but my time is valuable. Go ahead and get that shit off your chest.”
His eyes were distant as fuck. Like he was detached or fucking delusional. Trent nodded toward the room.
“You like this house?”
“It’s just a fucking house.”
“It’s more than just a house. It was my house. I designed it, was supposed to live here, but when you started fucking with my name I couldn’t afford to pay the builders. Malcom came behind me, made an offer. Changed every fucking thing about it. Thought you’d appreciate the irony considering you’re going to kill me here.”
“You that confident that I’ll do it?”
Trent chuckled, moving toward the leather sofa, settling in like we were just two men discussing business. “You always were predictable when it came to your jobs.” He swirled the amber liquid in his glass, keeping his eyes on me. “I knew fucking Baylyn would bring you to me.”
He hadn’t been with her but hearing him say it out loud took everything in me to not vent this muthafucker’s head. I managed to keep my cool and stared at his unstable ass.
He leaned back, spreading his arms along the back of the sofa, being too fucking smug and too damn confident.
“It would’ve been simple,” he continued. “You walk in, put a bullet in my head, and just like that, you break The Code. You, of all people, violating the one rule that’s constitutionally forbidden? They would have no choice but to end your existence. Everything you built, everything you are, gone. Your entire fucking legacy.”
He smirked, shaking his head like he was almost impressed with himself.
“Yeah, I know, but that shit isn’t happening.”
His smug ass grin dropped.
I took a few steps closer, letting him feel the shift in energy.
“You were never good at this shit, Trent. You created this elaborate plan to get me to put a bullet in your head, thinking it would ruin me. You want that shit so badly you’re willing to die for it. You knew fucking with my girl would make me come after you. And for a minute, I couldn’t figure out why you waited all this time. You could’ve come for me years ago.”
I watched as unease shifted into his expression.
“But then it made sense. She’s the only person outside of my family who I cared enough about to risk it all for. You had to wait until I had a reason important enough not to give a damn about breaking code.”
Trent’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t speak.
“It probably would’ve worked. If you had been better at your job.”
His hand tightened around his glass. “I was good enough to get you here. You can thank Baylyn’s pussy for that. It was enjoyable too.”
I dropped my chin, leveling my eyes with his. “My girl wouldn’t fuck you with my dick. But I’m sure you know that because if you believed you could have made it happen, you would have tried. Instead you paid someone to copy and paste her face on Sea’an’s body to make me think you were with her.”
I watched Trent’s expression shift. The arrogance he was hanging onto faded and turned into rage. His jaw was tight and his eyes narrowed.
