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Blue eyes land on me, and he looks me over for a moment, assessing me, before he nods.

“I was a stupid teenager. I hated my home life, and she offered me something I never had — affection. I fell for it. I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help it. Call it mommy issues or some shit, but I craved the attention that she gave me.”

“But she’s my mother, Etienne,” he implores me, confusion creasing his brows as he looks up at me again.

“I know. I know. Trust me, this isn’t one of my prouder moments.” Shaking my head, I tug my fingers through my hair before I look at him again. “I should’ve told you sooner, but I was ashamed that I did what I did. I didn’t want you to know how weak I was when I should’ve been stronger. I’m a Crown, and I fucked up. I’m not proud of what I did. And I wish I could take it back. But, I can’t, and I hope that somewhere in there,” I wave my finger around toward his head before I continue, “I hope to fuck you can forgive me.”

Tarian looks at me for a long while, and I fully expect him to disagree and tell me to go fuck myself. We’ve always been honest with each other, and I don’t expect anything less right now.

“You’re an asshole, Etienne,” he tells me earnestly. “And I want to punch you. I really want to knock you the fuck out for doing what you did, but I also know that it wasn’t only you. She’s responsible for her own actions. And right now, we have too much other shit to worry about, man. There are too many lives at stake. Rukaiya could be my cousin, you’ve slept with my mother, and my uncle, he’s about to die, by my hand.”

“No. You can’t focus on that,” I lean toward him, gripping his shoulders, as I pull myself up, and he holds me steady. “Look at me,” I order when he doesn’t meet my questioning gaze. Tarian obeys, his blue eyes land on my dark ones. “Killing him won’t justify what he did. He needs to pay in other ways.”

He stares at me for a long while before he grins and nods. “Then he will, but it will be me who doles out the punishment.”

16

Rukaiya

I’m bored.

Thane allowed me out of the bedroom, but I’m still locked in the house with men watching my every move. I’ve been leafing through photo albums all morning, and when I finally rise from the sofa, I notice it’s almost one in the afternoon. I don’t know what to believe anymore. He told me my father, Fergus, is nothing more than a soldier doing his duty. But that doesn’t make sense. Thane didn’t explain why or how, but what Thane did promise me is as soon as he returns tonight, I’ll learn the truth.

“So, you’re the pretty little girl who’s got Thanatos in a twist.” A woman saunters into the living room, and the moment my gaze lands on her, my breath is knocked from my lungs.

I’ve only known Tarian for a short while, but the woman before me is the spitting image of the young man who I came to know when I first started at Tynewood University. He’s one of the Crowns, one of Etienne’s best friends.

“Who are you?” Even though I ask the question, I know it’s futile because it’s clear who she is. She must be Tarian’s mother, which makes little sense, because I thought he was orphaned when he was younger.

Before she can answer, the doorbell chimes through the lower part of the house, echoing in every corner. It doesn’t take long for one of the men dressed all in black to leave us and return moments later with Mrs. Durand in toe.

“Yasmine,” she greets the woman I’m certain is Tarian’s mother with a familiarity that confirms my suspicions. They look like they’ve known each other all their lives, and Mrs. Durand doesn’t look like she’s shocked to see her friend is alive and well.

“What’s going on here?” I ask, crossing my arms in front of me, trying to hide from the two sets of eyes that land on me.

“Is this her?” Etienne’s mother smirks as she strolls closer to me in her black Jimmy Choos. She reaches for my hair, tugging one of the braids toward her, her fingers feeling the strands before she releases me. “Pretty enough. Looks just like a Calvert.”

“I look nothing like anyone,” I bite out in frustration. They both regard me, Yasmine’s blue eyes dance with amusement at my rudeness, but right now, I don’t feel very respectful to either of the women in my company.

“I take it Thane hasn’t explained anything to you?” Yasmine settles herself on the sofa I’ve just vacated, her long, sleek black dress hugs every curve of her frame. She’s exquisite, her beauty matches my mothers with her tanned skin and dark hair. The only difference is my mother had dark eyes, and Yasmine’s are a deep blue, just like her son’s.