I ordered to slit his throat.”
“Which would be?” I forced myself to ask when my father paused expectantly.
“Nathaniel Fox. To maintain my innocence, I was forced to let him take all the credit for such a power move. Even if in the eyes of Thirteen, he failed by getting caught.”
I stiffened at the name. Fox had been the cause of so much pain, and he was still out there—a threat to my friends and my father, and now I knew why.
“Of course, if I’d known what a thorn he’d be in my side, I would have killed him when I had the chance. Nathaniel was only a foot soldier at the time, but he showed promise—enough that he believed me when I offered him a seat at my table once I ascended. All he had to do was kill my predecessor and let an innocent man take the fall—the man who would be sitting in this seat right now instead of me. He has reasons to kill me more than anyone. Even you.”
“Why should I care?”
“Because up until a few months ago, I thought that man was dead.”
My heart thundered in my chest, and it was all I could do not to let it show. Franklin Rees was a bloodhound for weakness. “Who is the man you’re talking about?”
My father’s answering smile was razor-sharp. “Son, I think you know.”
He didn’t give me a chance to deny it before he stood and walked over to his safe. I watched as he punched in the code and opened the door before reaching inside. A moment later, he held my old phone in his grip as he returned to the desk. He didn’t know about the one in my pocket—the phone I’d procured without his knowledge. I’d been careful not to use the same number or any of my old email and social media accounts, knowing he was monitoring every single call or message that came in or out. I said nothing, keeping my expression impassive even though my chest ached from my heart pounding as he powered it on.
Had Tyra tried to contact me? What would he do if she had?
I almost swore as I gripped the arms of the chair. My father didn’t need much reason to be a monster. I held my breath as he slid it over the wooden surface, and together, we watched as notification after notification filled the screen until the last one, a text message sent from Ever, made my heart stop.
Ever: Get to the hospital! Wren’s been shot!
The fact that Ever had texted my old number instead of my new one told me the state he was in right now. Slowly, my gaze rose to meet my father’s. I knew well before the bastard winked that he was responsible. He didn’t stop me when I shot to my feet, snatching my phone from the desk before I rushed for the door. My father was smart enough to know he’d have to kill me if he wanted to keep me from getting to that hospital.
I just hoped I wasn’t too late.
IT HAD BEEN TWO HOURS since I left Vaughn slumped on the couch, and I still couldn’t get the image of him collapsing out of my head. Stupidly, I was actually concerned about any permanent damage I might have caused. Replaying his words to me, his many threats, and the look in his eyes as he uttered them, I realized he was already damaged beyond repair. He’d been marred so severely beneath the surface that I hardly recognized him. It didn’t matter that his brown hair was just as lush as I remembered or that his vitreous gaze still reminded me of jade. Even his body, though not as muscled as before, was still worthy of a statue in his honor. I hadn’t fallen for any of that. I’d tumbled head over heels for him—the boy he allowed himself to be for no one else but me.
Despite being eager to get back to my son, worry and guilt had driven me back to that diner only to find Oliver already gone. The wary waitress informed me that he’d been picked up and taken home. I tried calling him to apologize profusely and forever if need be, but he hadn’t answered. River still being my top priority, I rushed back to the hospital, where I found him wide awake. I knew it was just a reflex and maybe my guilty conscious talking, but the smile River wore