Page 197 of Conquered (Highgate Preparatory Academ:y Compendium)

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

LILLY

TWO MONTHS LATER

“ M otherfucker!” Ash roars as he storms into the living room, the morning sunlight casting his inked-up body in a soft glow. I wince, glaring at him as Violet starts wailing at the noise.

I rock her in my arms, shushing her and trying to settle her as he looks devastated at upsetting her.

“I’m sorry, darling one,” he tells her gently, coming up next to us and stroking her head in the way that always calms her down.

Once she’s fallen back asleep, I pass her over to a waiting Jax, who continues to rock her in his huge arms because she has him wrapped around her tiny finger and he adores her sleeping on him.

“What happened?” I ask Ash quietly, Loki and Kai having come into the room, Kai handing me a hot chocolate with a kiss on my cheek.

“Somehow, my father has managed to change his sentence to some bullshit and is getting out on parole later today,” Ash seethes, his whole body vibrating with anger. “Apparently, he has proven that he was coerced or some shit.”

“What the fuck?” Loki exclaims, his voice lowered as he glances over at a sleeping Violet. “How the ever-loving fuck did he manage that?”

“He’s Julian fucking Vanderbilt,” Kai responds in a tired voice. “We should have known that something like this would happen.”

“We did,” Ash argues, running his hands through his hair and leaving it messy. “That’s why we spent a small fortune bribing every goddamn official we knew.”

“Do you know what time he’s being released?” I ask, and they all look at me then, even Jax, blinking.

“Uh, midday I think,” Ash answers. “Why, Princess?”

“We best be there to greet him, don’t you think?” I answer, not saying anything more as I stride from the room and up the stairs to get changed.

“Why do I feel like there’s something she’s not telling us?” I hear Loki ask the others, and a smirk curves my lips as I make my way upstairs.

A lady never divulges all her secrets now, does she?

LOKI

I can see the others watching our girl as we make our way to the prison that Ash’s cunt of a father is due to be released from, even Jax is casting suspicious glances her way in the rearview mirror.

She won’t spill her secrets, no matter how much we press her, just telling us that we’ll see with a sexy fucking smirk on those kissable lips.

Violet is making cooing noises as we pull up outside the prison gates, and just as Jax turns the engine off, the devil himself comes striding out of the gates, shaking the hand of the officer in charge, a big, stupid-ass smile on his lips.

My blood boils at the sight of him, at his smug fucking grin as he spots us getting out of the car.

“Boys!” he beams, strolling over to us looking pristine in a tailored suit, and it just pisses me the fuck off. Ash’s fists clench at the sight, his back ramrod straight.

“How did you convince them to let you go?” Ash grits out, asking the question that has been plaguing us since we discovered the news. Julian’s smile widens, and I’m reminded of the Cheshire Cat, teeth gleaming and ready to pounce.

“It always pays to have friends in high places, you know that, son,” he tells Ash, holding his gaze, and I can see the sick enjoyment he gets from ruffling Ash’s feathers.

The noise of the van door opening sounds in the quiet standoff, and Julian’s gaze flickers over Ash, his eyes widening as he takes in what’s behind us. I turn to see Lilly holding Violet, standing to the side of us.

“I–it c–can’t be—” Julian mutters, his face pale as he looks at her smiling face. “–you’re dead.”

“Am I?” she asks, taking a step closer, that serene smile still on her lips. “I don’t feel dead.” She laughs then, like this is all a big joke, and the beautiful sound is so at odds with the conversation that tingles race up my spine.

Jax comes around the other side of her, his forehead creased, standing close enough to jump in if Julian tries anything. But as I look back at the man in front of us, he just stands there, slack-jawed, and his eyes dart all over her, clearly trying to work out what the fuck is going on.

“H–how?” he questions, narrowing his eyes in a way that makes me take a step closer to her, standing on her other side.

“How does anything happen, Julian?” she volleys back, and I watch her with wide eyes as she takes on our biggest adversary with an ease that fucking astounds me and makes my dick hard. “Ah, just in time.”

I look beyond Julian to see more cars have pulled up, official-looking ones, and my mouth drops as federal officers step out of the vehicles, all heading our way. They have ‘FBI’ emblazoned in yellow letters on their vests and jackets.

“Julian Vanderbilt?” an older officer asks as Julian finally turns around to see what is happening. Lilly takes a few steps to the side too, and Jax and I follow her so that we all have a perfect view of Julian’s face.

“Yes, who are you?” the man in question demands, still an arrogant prick.

“I’m Special Agent Sawers, and you are under arrest for the murder of Lilly Vanderbilt. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”

Another officer grabs Julian’s wrists and cuffs them behind his back before Julian can even formulate a sentence.

Fuck. I did not see that coming.

I glance over at Lilly who looks smug as fuck, kissing the top of Violet’s soft hair as she looks over the scene before us.

“She’s right there!” Julian screams, struggling against his cuffs as he’s led away. They don’t even pause, dragging him to one of the cars and roughly shoving him inside.

“Care to share what the fuck that was all about, Princess?” Ash asks, arms crossed and a scowl on his face as we watch the cars drive away. Though, even I can see a small tilt of his lips, and respect shining in his eyes.

“Fingerprints on the murder weapon will really screw a guy over, don’t you think?” she sasses Ash, stepping towards him after handing Violet to Jax, and placing a soft kiss on Ash’s cheek.

“You had this planned all along, didn’t you, Pretty Girl?” I question, stepping behind her so that she’s sandwiched between Ash and I. I grin as her body shivers.

“Ryan suggested it,” she tells us, her voice breathy and hitching when I push her hair aside and begin to nuzzle her neck. “When we faked my, well, you know. Better to be prepared and all that.”

“What happens when he tries to pay them off again?” Kai asks from the side, and I glance over at him, his forehead creased as he tries to think all of the options through. Sometimes he’s cute as fuck .

“He’s not the only one with friends in high places,” Lilly murmurs, and I look down to see Ash kneading her waist.

“Harold,” Ash guesses, saying Lilly’s grandfather’s name as a statement more than a question.

“Yes, Harold,” she answers, tipping her neck to the side so that I can access it more. I oblige by sucking a mark into her peachy skin, and she moans, the sound going straight to my dick.

“We best get back, Violet will be hungry soon,” Jax interrupts, and just like that we all sigh. I love our baby, fiercely, but damn if my dick doesn’t miss the opportunity to just bury itself inside our girl anytime we want.

“I’ll feed her before we set off again,” Lilly says, stepping from between Ash and I and taking Violet off Jax to go and give her a feed in the bus.

I look at my brothers and see matching looks of sheer fucking awe on their faces that I know is reflected in mine.

She’s a Queen alright, and we best not forget it.