Page 29 of War and his Queen

Because his father was.

Priest… it was undecided how he would go.

“You care about my granddaughter?” I watch as he rolls a fat cigar between his fingers as dried tobacco falls to the ground. “Don’t fuck around with your answer.”

“It doesn’t matter what I feel.”

“That’s not an answer.”

I think over his words, praying to God that he doesn’t make me answer even though I damn well know no God lives here. “Yes.”

He pauses a moment, until his hand rests on my shoulder. “Good. She’ll need that. Especially when it comes to Perdita, orwhatever games you lot decide.” He turns to me. “Some things, she should not know. For her protection.”

The tires touch down on the tarmac. Three hours doesn’t feel like long, but it’s a fucking lifetime when you can feel daggers being shot at your back for the whole trip. I can’t even get my thoughts together.

I shove off my belt and move down the aisle, desperate to get the fuck out of the small confinement of this jet.

Away from her.

Am I’m being unreasonable? Maybe. Fuck knows. All I know is that I tried to keep her away as long as I could. No one can stop it now. Can protect her now. And as much as I know that she can handle herself, I know that the shit she’s about to find out will push even her boundaries. The princess that never fucking had any is about to feel what it’s like to suddenly have a fucking lot.

The stairs unravel and I take them two at a time, noticing the black cars lined up waiting for us. All black SUVs.

I make my way to the Lambo Urus and throw my bag into the passenger side. I haven’t even let the dash light up when Priest knocks on my window, gesturing for me to wind it down. “We don’t want any fucking mishaps with her here.”

I finally flip the on button and feel the car purr to life beneath me. Not my usual taste. Too flashy for me—for most of us.

I shrug. “It’ll be fine. She wanted it, she got it.”

Priest holds my stare. “You and I both know that regardless of whether she wanted it or not, that she would have to take it.”

I don’t answer him when I hit the button on my window. “See you at the crib.”

I tap the gear into drive and direct the car down the long road behind the airstrip. Apparently when our parents were our age, it was all bush, so overgrown that they had to plow throughgravel and old trees to get to the township. Perdita has changed a lot over the years since they’d been here. They make sure to announce that every time. Not that any of them come here anymore.

None except Hector.

I turn on the radio and lean to the side against the window. Pop Smoke was the greatest steal of our time. The greats always leave first.

I carry on down the road, my eyes shifting to the rearview mirror to see who is behind me, when a sleek black Maserati slides in front of Priest, slipping between the two of us. I can’t help the chuckle that leaves me, because despite me not being a fan of her being around, her presence is always effortless.

Halen

I dropdown into third gear and swallow the laugh that wants to spill out of my mouth. Trees zip past as the gravel beneath my tires whips up and hits the window. I knew that they’d be pissed I was coming, but at least they’re all hiding it.

Except War.

Priest’s name flashes over the LCD screen of my dash.

I tap answer. “Yes, brother?”

“How do you know these roads?”

My eyes fly up to the rearview mirror as I drop it down into fourth. “I don’t know what you’re taking about, our cold-blooded King.” I hit the red phone button before he can continue.

Priest has been void of emotions since the day he was born, walking around a mere shell of a boy. Mom thought it was some sort of personality disorder. She went through doctors, physiatrists, therapists—fucking hypnosis. Nothing came back wrong or abnormal. Priest wasn’t clinically or officially anything other than who he is. Himself. Which isn’t exactly ideal for me since he may be cold, but he’s not stupid.

I spin the wheel to the right, slamming on the brakes until the ass swings out and gravel kicks up to the boys behind me. I’mstill laughing when I tap the gas, but before I can reach speed, War zips past me with a roar of his engine, and a middle finger pressed against the window.

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