Page 77 of Banshee
“I am.”
He looked at his daughter. “Your name is Irene.”
“Irene died. Her husband beat her to death. The husband you forced her to marry. The husband you chose for her.”
“Sugar, I—”
“Don’t try to make excuses. Own what you did. Take responsibility for the choice you made. The choice to sacrifice one daughter for another.”
“That’s not what I was doing,” he argued. Kronos looked at his men. “Get the fuck out, all of you.”
The Gods of Mayhem filed out of church; all except Zeus and Asclepius. Asclepius glared at his older brother. “Is she telling the truth? Did you force her to marry that son of a bitch?” he asked.
“I didn’t force anything.” He turned to look at King. “Could we have some privacy? This isn’t club shit.”
“This is club shit,” King said. “Your daughter’s husband’s club— a club you aligned yourself with—declared war on us. Aspen has been under my protection since she moved in here.”
King was careful not to tell Kronos why she had moved in here. Allowing Aspen to decide what she shared with her parents. Diana moved to Aspen’s side and put her arm around her.
“Daddy, you need to sit down and listen.”
“I will not have this conversation in front of others,” he commanded.
King looked at Aspen. “What do you want to do, Aspen?”
“Her fucking name is IRENE!” Kronos snarled.
Aspen took a deep breath. “It is probably best to have this conversation with just family first.” She looked at King. “There is more I need to tell you.”
King nodded. “Officers, out. Mimic, Cash, Bane, and Banshee, stay.”
“Why?” Kronos asked.
“Mimic is Aspen’s nephew. Cash is Kytten’s old man, and Bane is Aspen’s brother-in-law.”
“What?” Kronos, who’d left his seat to stand by his wife’s side, spun around and glared at Bane.
“Daddy, there is a lot to tell you,” Diana said.
Kronos focused his glare on me. His eyes locked onto the hand I had on Aspen’s waist.
“Why the fuck are you here?” he growled.
I moved Aspen to the side, closer to Bane, and stepped in front of her. I knew what I was about to say would incite Kronos’ wrath, but it was fucking worth it.
“Because I’m her fucking daddy now.”
Kronos roared as he lunged. His fist struck my chin with such force I was afraid he’d given me whiplash. By the grace of God, I managed to stay on my feet—or maybe that was the help from the wall I’d crashed into. Either way, before I could swing back, Mimic was in front of his grandfather, shoving him back with a gun in his face.
“Who the fuck do you think you are?”
Mimic was almost as tall as Kronos. And twice as stubborn and reckless. Family meant everything to Kronos, but I wasn’t sure being his grandson would save Mimic from the beatdown he was about to get if the rage pouring off Kronos was any indication.
“Boy, you better step the fuck back!”
“Or what?” Mimic snarled, cocking his gun.
“Mimic!” Bane moved quickly and grabbed Mimic by the arm, pushing it up toward the ceiling, then pulling him away from Kronos. He stepped up to Kronos and smiled. “You want to fucking hit someone?” he asked as he pulled his shirt up, letting Kronos see his chest. “Hit me. I fucking dare you.”
