Page 96 of Precious Legacy
Footsteps slow behind me and the creak of the door has me turning around, my heart rate skyrocketing as my eyes land on pristine green ones.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I grumble, stepping forward and caging Lani’s face between my palms so she can’t see what I’ve done. She’s going to find out soon enough, but I don’t want her to see it here, not now. She can’t be a part of this; that’s the one promise I made to myself.
Lani’s eyes fight me, drifting over my torso before she swallows thickly. “We need to talk.” Her voice shakes with the weight of whatever she’s harboring, but now is not the time or place.
“Not now.”
The sound of Prescott waking up is signified by a wheezing cough that rattles through his chest. Before I can stop Alanis, she’s sidestepping me. Defiant as ever, she ignores my directive and gazes at Prescott’s bound body. There’s fear in her eyes, a kind I’ve never seen before, and I don’t like it. Alanis isn’t one to scare easily, but her horror is unmistakable.
“What did you do?” she whispers through apparent shock.
“You don’t need to see this,” I urge her, trying to steer her away from the center of the room.
She spins around, anger flaring her nostrils. “You said you would stay out of it!”
Her accusation of betrayal stings, like our twenty years of friendship and more were less than skin deep. “Lani,” I bite out. “As much as I wish this was about you, it’s not.”
Another cough and splutter from Prescott disturbs the conversation, making Alanis flinch. “Then what is it about?”
“Prescott is working for the Russians,” Varo interjects, something I’m grateful for because we all know how turbulent things between Lani and I can get.
A choked groan fills the room. I spin around, my eyes landing on Prescott who croaks out a laugh. “I’m not the only one,” he sneers, glancing at Varo. “You need to be more careful who you’re sticking your dick in.”
The room falls into an eerie, cryptic silence that has us all gaping at one another.
“The fuck did you just say?” Varo barks, stepping towards him. He already has his fists clenched and the snarl curling his lips is feral. He towers over our captive, the shadow of Varo’s rage overpowering any torture I thought I could inflict. But then again, he’s always had that air about him.
Prescott recoils ever so slightly, an attempt to mask his fear that he swiftly fails at.
Varo has his forehead pressing against his. “Tell me what you know, and I’ll make your death quick.”
“No,” Alanis croaks, stepping forward. “You won’t. You’ll let him go, Varo.”
“This fucker has information.”
I tangle my hand with Alanis’, tugging her back to me. I know how hard this’ll be on her. She’s determined to prove that this life isn’t a part of her, and while it will always be in her blood, I’ll support her choice. But this overlap has become problematic, and even though this puts her in a tough situation, I have to put our rivalry first.
“You need to turn around and walk back out of that door,” I tell her. “You weren’t?—”
“Get off me!” She shrugs out of my grip, snatching the knife from my hands and moving behind Prescott, working at the binds holding him in place while I resist the urge to stop her.Varo must have the same thought, because he doesn’t fight his sister’s motions to free our captive.
Stepping aside, Varo lets her march past once she’s freed Prescott, dropping the knife into her brother’s hand. She glares at me with such ferocity that I feel my insides boil. “You’ve fucked up royally,” she grinds out, pointing a finger at me.
“Lani—”
She barges past me, making a beeline for the door. I feel every ripple of furious energy as she stalks away from us, parting us with one final glare that speaks a thousand words. It’s a glare that could rival the sun’s intensity. Alanis is as fiery as they come, and even I recognize the tumultuous situation this has put us both in.
THIRTY-SEVEN
Idon’t think I’ve ever felt so angry in my entire life. Sure, there have been moments here and there, but where Roman is concerned, this puts all our past arguments to shame. Not only did he lie to me, but he kidnapped someone who I told him I wanted to handle myself. Someone who could potentially end my career—or what’s left of it.
Don’t get me wrong, I understand why Roman did it, but that doesn’t make it right. I said I would handle Prescott, and he deliberately went against my wishes. Even if the man does have information or is working for the Russians, Roman didn’t need to take his goddamn eye out. And now I have to deal with the aftermath—whatever that may be. If I thought I had to watch my back before, Roman just made it ten times worse.
The door slams behind me, and it doesn’t take long before Roman is marching after me into the kitchen. I can practically taste the fury that permeates his words before he’s even spoken. I didn’t give him a chance to speak as I stormed out of The Ravenite. I’m not sure I have the capacity right now to listen, because all I can think about is what’s next on his agenda. It’s almost like he’stryingto get me kicked out of the academy. Atevery opportunity, he’s given me another reason to believe the NYPD and I don’t blend; proving that I’m right where I belong, showing me I’m exactly like my brother and father.
“Alanis!” he snaps, his footsteps heavy as he reaches the kitchen island. His fingers drum on the countertop, but I refuse to look at him as I start the coffee machine.
“I told you, I don’t want to talk,” I murmur over the grinding coffee beans.If this continues, I might need something stronger than coffee.
