Page 88 of Reign By Wrath

“My car is the other way,” Wolfgang said. “I’ll take him and meet you there.”

“No!”

“Fine,” Everleigh replied over me. “Give me the code in case I get there first.”

Wolf snorted. “Nice try.”

He forced Victor to his feet, practically dragging him across the bank and away from me.

“No, let me go with him!”

“Like hell.” Everleigh shoved my back. “Get moving.”

I didn’t know what else to do but put one foot in front of the other, trudging away from the river Everleigh used to fish with her dad. Long after their father-daughter duo was torn apart, they were still spreading misery everywhere they went.

The sooner we get to wherever we’re going, the sooner I’ll be with Victor. And the sooner I figure a way out for all of us.

Alistair took off on his boat. He could be anywhere in the world by now, which gave me hours to make it right, get free and stop Everleigh, then do what I should have done that night she walked around clueless in the kitchen—having no idea I was right there watching her.

Everleigh was right about one thing.Tonight, this ends.

“Why are you doing this?” I spoke up, stumbling over tree roots. “I mean, what is the damn point? I get you loved your dad, but look at how far you’ve gone, Everleigh. Look at what you’ve become. You’ve lied, and deceived, and killed all to avenge a man who deserved what he got.”

“Shut up!”

“No! I won’t shut up. My father didn’t want to kill him. He gave Everton every chance, and he didn’t take it. He kept coming after him, his family, his business. He kept putting innocent people in danger until Alistair had no choice but to take him out.” I tripped and dropped to my knees. Everleigh kicked me on the back, pitching me forward face-first on the ground.

But I didn’t stop.

“If you... should be mad at anyone, it’s Everton. He could’ve lived in peace, in secret, with you. He had the money and contacts to live it up in high style—exiled or not. He could’ve taken you away and would’ve been happy. But no,” I snarled. “He chose revenge. He chose power. And he didn’t choose you.”

Everleigh stepped on my head, grinding my face in the mud. “If you say another word—”

“You’ll what!” I wrenched away, getting free of her. I leaned against a tree to get on my feet. “What will you do that you’re not going to do already, psycho? If I’m dying tonight, you’re going to hear what I have to say. I’ll make sure the words ring in your head long after your hollow victory until you discover none of this shit was worth it... because none of it brings him back.”

She barked a laugh. “That’s rich coming from you. Revenge is pointless because it won’t bring him back? If that’s true, why did you go through all of that to avenge your sister?”

The question stuck me through—pinning me to the tree.

“Huh?” she asked. “Nothing to say? That’s what I thought. Nothing stopped you from making it right, seeing the people who hurt her pay. And nothing’s going to stop me.”

“The difference is Winter didn’t deserve what you did to her! Ashton raped her, you evil freak!”

“I didn’t tell him to do that! I said she wasn’t learning her lesson, so he had to top Wesley, Levi, Giovanni, and Owen. He’s the sick freak for jumping to rape,” she shot back. “I told you, I didn’t want Winter dead. I just wanted her to hang the flag.

“You’re mad at me when you should be mad at that coward who spawned you. If he hadn’t hidden away, floating off from all the pain and destruction he caused, none of this would’ve happened.” She clicked her tongue, shaking her head. “My father is the monster for choosing revenge and power over me? So what does that make yours, Sinclair?”

I pressed my mouth together, lips trembling. Her digs were a physical ache in my chest. On my worst day—deep down inside—I resented Alistair for leaving us.

Why couldn’t he give Everton the Rogues if the jerk wanted them so much? Weren’t we—Mom, me, and Winter—the true gift worth fighting for?

“You know I’m right.” Everleigh dug the knife in deeper. “Alistair didn’t have to be such a hypocrite, punishing my father for what happened to that kid when other Rogues have done worse. Hello! Leon Dumont is a fucking assassin. He murders people for money, but it’s my dad who crossed the line? Broke the rules? Oh, please.” Her hatred and derision were a living thing crawling up the back of my neck. “You’ve got half a brain, so use it. What’s the real reason Alistair drove him out?”

Everleigh forced me up and pushed me to keep going.

“He wanted rid of anyone who threatened his throne. Alistair ruined his best friend so he could never take what was his. He started this war out of greed and paranoia. Don’t blame me for finishing it.”

I said nothing as we tromped through the forest. The inferno that used to be a multimillion-dollar cabin blazed—lighting our path.

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