Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 69909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69909 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 350(@200wpm)___ 280(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
“Yes, sir,” she answers her husband like the butler, Reeves, did. I’m glad to see her hold her head high as she walks back into the house.
“Women need constant correction, don’t they? But, well, I love her enough to teach her the error of her ways.” He turns to face us. “Come. Meet an old friend before you go.”
He turns and, using his cane with flair, heads toward the French doors and Jericho and I share a glance before following. Inside the foyer, we find Ines standing with a man in a dark suit. The two are looking at each other but standing apart and when Augustus clears his throat, Ines drops her gaze to the floor.
The man turns to face us, and I know I’m looking at Antoine Girard. He’s no longer that smiling youth in the photos Robbie had found. He and Augustus are the same age, but he looks older, and no less brutal. There’s a hardness in the line of his mouth that turns downright ugly as he takes in his one-time friend, the man he betrayed with the woman standing between them now, the man who ordered his hand be cut off, destroying a promising career. Changing the trajectory of his entire life. Did he and Ines have feelings for each other, I wonder? Or was it just sex? I glance at her and notice how her gaze has moved to the place his hand should be.
“Gentlemen, this is Antoine Girard. Shake han— oh, I forget myself. My apologies, Antoine.”
There is an infinitesimal tightening at the corner of Girard’s lip, but apart from that, he betrays nothing. He takes us in, then turns his gaze to Augustus. “No harm intended, I’m sure, Lucius. Which of you is Ezekiel?” he asks, stepping toward us.
“I am.”
He openly looks me over. Nods. He then turns to his host. “I was just telling your wife how lovely she looks. Stunning, our Ines, all these years later.” He smiles at the woman who won’t lift her gaze from the floor.
Augustus bristles. I get the feeling it’s Antoine’s choice of the word ‘our.’
“Anyway,” Antoine continues. “I’m starving. You two staying for dinner?”
“Still no manners, I see,” Augustus says, clearly not happy with the fact that Girard is not intimidated by him. “They were just leaving. Ines, lead the way into the dining room. I’ll be right in.”
She nods and walks ahead of Antoine. I see the moment he sees what Augustus has done to her. Not just the brand, that he knew, but the rest. I wonder what else there is. What that dress hides. Not to mention the damage within.
Antoine’s eyes narrow. His jaw tightens as he wordlessly follows her.
When I turn back, I find Augustus watching him. The satisfied smile on his face sickens me.
He turns to us. “Gentlemen. Return what is mine and we’ll be finished with this.” He opens the door and raises his eyebrows.
“Enjoy your dinner,” I say and walk out. Jericho follows.
17
EZEKIEL
“What in the actual fuck was that?” I ask.
“That was Councilor Augustus showing us his hand. The power he wields. And his ruthlessness. I’m sure every minute was choreographed just for us.”
“It was a rhetorical question, Brother.”
“I felt like it begged to be answered regardless. You can be reckless, Zeke.”
The gates open at our approach and the car that had driven off the property earlier waits on the other side of them to enter. Inside are four men who make eye contact as our vehicles pass.
“They seem friendly,” I say.
Jericho glances in the rearview mirror. “Did you notice the one in the passenger seat had the coda tattooed onto his neck?”
“Soldiers?” I ask.
“Likely. I can’t imagine Girard would have walked into that house without protection,” Jericho says.
“Why would he walk in there at all?”
“Ines?”
“Maybe. Did you see how he tensed when he saw her fresh welts?”
“I did. Like I said, Augustus orchestrated that well.”
“I don’t think that’s it, though. Not entirely. Girard lost his hand. Augustus destroyed his future. He was a promising pianist. His entire life’s trajectory changed. Augustus, his best friend, was the mastermind behind that.”
“He did sleep with the man’s wife.”
“Girlfriend. I don’t even remember an engagement ring on Ines’s finger in the photo we saw.”
He shrugs a shoulder. “That’s past and quite frankly, has nothing to do with us. Augustus was clear.” He looks at me. “He wants the flash drive. Give it to him and this is over.”
“Do you believe that?”
“Not really.”
“Me either. By the way, Blue’s father left a calling card at Blue’s apartment.”
Jericho glances at me. “What are you talking about?”
“A postcard. She doesn’t know. I’m not sure I’m going to tell her.”
“Would he know where the sister is?”
“I don’t think so, but I’ve upped the guard.”
“Good.”
My phone rings and Jericho pauses. It’s Robbie. I hold up a finger. “Robbie, what’s up?”