Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91809 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 459(@200wpm)___ 367(@250wpm)___ 306(@300wpm)
“Why?”
He gave me a knowing look. “Because you’d both make good Rogues.”
“I’m your daughter. Don’t compare me to Satan.”
“That Starling is acting alone doesn’t make her less dangerous,” he warned. “No one with an unlimited bank account is. Especially when she uses it to run this T.O.D. Club.”
“Why didn’t you know about it? Mr. Dumont did.”
“I was informed of a dare club, but not that it went this far. I assumed it was a bunch of college students blowing off steam and getting high off mildly risky behavior. If I had known the members would go as far as running a kid over...” He shook his head. “I’ve been away from Regalia for too long. Secondhand information isn’t good enough to run an empire. The peasants always misbehave when the king’s away from the throne.”
I did not comment on him referring to himself as a king and everyone else as a peasant. He was a Burkhardt. That kind of arrogance was in his DNA.
Your DNA too, a voice reminded. You’re heir to the throne. You’d sit right alongside Saylor.
I shivered, grimacing at the thought. The fact that we were family changed nothing. We hated each other and made no secret of it. Blood didn’t make someone any less a bitch.
“Does that mean you’re coming back when all this is over?” I asked the passing trees. “You’re going to... stay for good?”
“Do you want me to?”
I pressed my lips together, looking anywhere but at him. He holed up in his floating bunker to prevent the next assassination attempt. I couldn’t ask him to move back to where he’d always have a target on his back.
“Is it possible?” My voice was getting smaller and smaller. “When Everleigh’s done, will it be safe for you to come back?”
“I didn’t stay away because I was afraid of anyone here. I stayed away because I was afraid for you. Now, you need me here.” A warm hand settled on the back of my head. “I won’t leave you again, Luna. I promise.”
My cheeks warmed, but I didn’t let on. Like he said, I couldn’t let him get too comfortable. “But you do have to go for now. The T.O.D.ers could be anyone and anywhere. For all we know, she has them on the lookout for you right now.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Might as well make me the leader of the pantywaist club if I run scared of a teenager. Don’t worry,” he said, returning to his phone. “I’m making arrangements for the final move now. Time for Alistair Burkhardt to return to Regalia.”
I held off on arguing with him—for the time being. Seemed there would be a big family talk that night. Mom and I would have a better chance of convincing him as a team.
We were quiet for the rest of the drive. Alistair was busy making his arrangements while I was busy coming up with an explanation for the guys.
Alistair asked Mr. Dumont to not tell them that I wasn’t dead. All that time they’ve spent grieving, and now I was going to burst in with not a scratch on me and tell them my father was the shadowy head of the organization that claimed their parents. Where did I begin? It all sounded crazy to me too.
All too soon, our driver turned off the paved road and onto a tree-lined path leading to the beach. Recognition smacked me in the face. Why didn’t I realize when he said Wilson beach house?
I swallowed hard at the wraparound porch and chair swing. Victor put Rafael, Cato, Lucien, and Wilder up in his brother’s house.
The car stopped before the driveway. I froze with my fingers around the handle, willing them to pull, let me out, face what was coming.
“They won’t be angry.”
My head snapped up, fixing on Alistair’s smile.
“When someone you love comes back to you, anger is the last thing you feel.”
“I was in way over my head. I got them sucked into a situation that never had anything to do with them, and it almost got them killed. Now I’m going to waltz in and ask to kick the war off again? They’re going to tell me to get the fuck out of their faces.”
“They won’t.” His gaze flicked past my shoulder. “Trust me. I haven’t lied to you yet.”
Turning slowly, I watched Wilder, Rafael, and Victor step onto the porch, glaring suspiciously at the random black car sitting in front of the house.
I reached for the handle again.
“But if they do let you down,” Alistair continued, “I’ll kill them. So it’s good for me either way.”
I snorted, barking a laugh. It gave me the strength to open the door.
“Hey, guys.”
The three of them didn’t move—each staring at me with varying degrees of shock.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurted. “I swear I couldn’t contact you before now, but I’ll explain everything and—”