Burning Your Lies (King and Queen Duet #2)

41

Savannah

I have never been inside Basileus while it’s been vacant. The black walls seem darker despite it being daylight outside. My footsteps echo in the empty room. I follow the path Huxley and Xavier took when they were swept away to a private game. The theme of dark and broody follows through to the back corridor that leads off into various rooms.

The door at the end opens and Rowan appears with a charming smile.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?”

He holds the door open for me.

His office is a large room that only houses a desk and a chair on either side. I search for anything notable about the mysterious man, but find nothing. No frames or ornaments display his wealth. Rowan Ashford is a man who keeps everything hidden, and that is about to help me.

I take a deep breath and search for the courage to take this step. I question if there’s another option, but realise there isn’t. I must become the person Xavier can’t be anymore.

“Nice to see you, Rowan.”

His legs are crossed as he watches me with amusement.

“Where’s your bodyguard?”

My gaze falls into my wedding rings before I match his confidence.

“This is more of a private conversation.”

He hums.

“Conversation or business transaction?”

I pull the folder out of my bag and slide it over to him.

“Why don’t you decide?”

A soft laugh hangs between us as he grabs the papers and flicks through them. He looks up at me.

“Dare I ask what this man has done to you?”

My finger runs along the edge of the desk and I study the dust that now covers it. Blowing it away, I sigh.

“You know, in poker, you have the burn card? It’s not relevant to the game, but you need to discard it in order to prevent cheating? This is that.”

“And who is the cheater in this game? You or Xavier?”

“Well, did he not hire you to do the same to me?”

I dare him to deny it.

He laughs.

“But I didn’t.”

“And you never explained why.”

Rowan winks at me.

“Some mystery keeps the romance alive.”

He’s back to looking at the picture again.

“Who is he?”

A human life.

“Collateral.”

Rowan leans his elbows on the desk and watches me. His fingers thrum against the wood as he thinks.

“What game are you playing?”

I lean forward too.

“One that I plan to win. So, is this a conversation or a business transaction? I have half the money now, and the rest once you’ve met my demand.”

His smile is intoxicating. Perhaps it’s because his eyes lock on yours and pull you under their spell. Whatever it is, makes it impossible to look away.

“I’ll do it for you. But not for money. You have something I want.”

“And that would be…”

“Your husband.”

On instinct, I shake my head.

“I am not trading lives.”

Something amuses him.

“I am not asking for his life. Just some information he is holding hostage.”

My gut is telling me I am missing something and I should talk to Huxley first. But the end is imminent, and I desperately need this. And it’s just information.

“What is it?”

Satisfied with my agreement, he waves me off.

“I’ll be in touch.”

“I’ll need my job done in a few days. I can’t wait until you’ve got what you needed.”

He shakes my hand.

“Don’t worry about it, darling. I’ll get your job done.”

“Even without me offering my end of the deal?”

I ask, confused.

“Yes. Because if you try to back out, I’ll do this,”

he points at the folder, “to your sweet child.”

For the first time, I regret walking into this building. The look on his face makes it clear it’s not an empty threat. I shake his hand.

“You have a deal.”

“Do you have a preferred method?”

“He likes to strangle.”

And at that, it clicks for Rowan, and he laughs.

“How do you know it’s going to work?”

“Because I already planted the seed.”

The door opens and the devil himself walks in. Xavier looks between us and rage fills him at the sight of the two of us grinning at him.

“What’s going on here?”

Rowan shrugs.

“I was just offering Savannah a job. Is there a reason you barged into my club as if you own it?”

His eyes don’t move from my face.

“I came to replace the wires you destroyed.”

I turn to Rowan.

“Send the contract over and I will look over it.”

I stand up and collect my bag. Unable to stop myself, I stop alongside Xavier.

“You look rather stressed.”

“The world is going to forget about all this.”

“For as long as I am alive, I’m going to remind them of what a psychopath you really are. You cannot run. You cannot hide. You’ve spent more than a decade hiding in the shadows. But the flames are burning bright right behind you. And when you catch fire, the world will truly see you.”

“Red or white?”

I call out from the kitchen.

Brynn hums as she contemplates. “Red!”

With the chilled bottle and two glasses in my hand, I join her in the living room. Elise is settled in the middle of the room with all of her toys spilled around her. I pour the wine, hand one to Brynn, and settle into my seat.

“Does he know you’re here?”

She takes a gulp of her drink.

“He still thinks I’m spying for him.”

I can’t help but worry that she might be double-crossing me.

“You’re not actually going to help him, are you?”

She rolls her eyes.

“Fuck no. I’ll feed him useless bits of information so he doesn’t clue on. And I changed her clothes in the car and left her buggy and bag in the car. You know … just in case.”

Brynn is the best partner in crime. She thinks of things before my brain can comprehend what is happening in front of me.

“Where did Huxley find you?”

“If I tell you, I’d have to kill you.”

I can’t quite tell if she’s joking or not, so I drop the subject.

“I’ve got Rowan where I need him. Scottie has given the police all the evidence I shared with her.”

“What about Huxley? Are you guys…”

She doesn’t finish her question.

I shrug my shoulders, hoping if I pretend I don’t care, I will eventually convince myself.

“We’re okay. It’s kind of like I’m renting a room from him. It’s fine.”

Brynn rolls her eyes again.

“I hope you have a better poker face with Xavier, because I can see right through your bullshit right now. If he wants to join the game again, why don’t you let him? We could do with some more manpower. And he is our eyes inside of XR Securities now that you’ve quit.”

I tip the rest of my drink down my throat in one go.

“We don’t need XR Securities anymore. But we will need Francesca.”

Disgust is clear on her face.

“She’s so fucking boring.”

I can’t help but feel defensive over my friend. Francesca is not boring. She’s one of the few lucky enough to live a normal life. She has family and friends. Unlike us, her days aren’t spent planning cold-hearted revenge. She lives a normal life, and that is all I wish for myself.

“I like Francesca. She’s nice.”

I study Brynn.

At first glance, you are swept away by her gentle beauty. Her ocean eyes and red hair clash but work for her features. When you look closely, though, you see how lifeless her eyes are. I can’t help but wonder why she would risk her life to help us.

“Do you miss your friends?”

“Not really.”

“What about your family?”

“All dead.”

Ouch.

“That must have been really hard. How old were you when they died?”

Her unimpressed stare is directed at me.

“I don’t really do the heart-to-heart shit. They died, and I felt nothing. I pretended to be sad because that is what society expects. But it was like any other day to me. People are born and then they die. It’s the cycle of life. I don’t know why we spend so much fucking time crying over what we know is coming.”

She speaks as though the topic is the weather. As she inspects her nails, I wonder how she’s so good at faking emotions when she clearly has none.

“Sorry for asking.”

She lets out a groan.

“I’m probably going to have sex with him tonight.”

The complete switch in subject and the revulsion on her face make me laugh.

“He wasn’t that bad in bed.”

Her eyes narrow.

“You try having sex with a man that is clearly imagining someone else. The only thing he hasn’t done is call out your fucking name.”

I have to cover my mouth to stop my laughter.

“He is a power-assertive man, for sure. Always wanting to remind you who is in control.”

“Well, you must have enjoyed it if you banged him for that long. Don’t get me wrong, he knows what he’s doing and I’m not saying it’s not a good time, but fucking hell. A little eye contact wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

Brynn gives in and laughs with me.

“He was obsessed with me looking at him. It’s like he couldn’t get off unless I was staring into his soulless eyes.”

She tops our glasses up.

“So you preferred Huxley then?”

She stares at me when I don’t answer.

“I say that without judgement. Women are shamed in double when they commit an affair compared to men. The last man I involved myself with was screwing someone else, and when I called him out on it, he felt no shame and the world let his sin slide. If it were the other way around, I would have been stoned to death.”

Was that why she left her home? Because of heartbreak?

I chortle at her over exaggeration.

“I won’t be shamed for having sex. I think my shame comes from the hurt I caused Emery and Huxley. They both deserved better from me. But I was just desperate to feel loved and wanted. Xavier was excellent at doing that. It doesn’t excuse it, but it’s the truth.”

She clinks her glass against mine.

“Agreed. He knows how to say and do the right thing.”

“What happened to the man who cheated on you?”

“I killed him.”

She arches her brow at me.

“Don’t look so surprised. I would do it again. It was truly the only time I understood what happiness felt like. And then I gave myself a little more happiness when I killed her, too.”