Page 117 of From Hell

My entire life has been dedicated to the Divine, but the organization has stagnated. Sanctuaries are no longer run according to the ancient texts. They’re run by men who no longer believe, who take instead of sacrificing, using the Divine to fuel their addictions. It must be wiped clean.

But not by me. I don’t fucking care anymore about any of it.

Miles Lamberton, Max’s brother, wanted to kill me when he found out about his brother’s suicide. Shina convinced him to go higher when he learned it was an order and brought him to me to make a deal. I assumed he’d crash and burn at the first hurdle, but the Lamberton family is determined, and Shina’s connected more than I realized.

When I told my father there would be a coup, he laughed like he didn’t believe me. Even when I cut off his air supply until his eyes bulged, kickstarting the cleansing with a Divine fire.

It was Shina who shot her own husband that night. She doesn’t know that it’s Jack she’s been in communication with, not me, per se.

You’ve been busy,I aim inwardly, but there’s no response. Lately, there never is. It could be the therapy sessions or it could be that Jack is biding his time. My alter has never been predictable.

Wolf’s eyes roll in his head, bringing me back to the external. “You’re fucking crazy. Do you trust Shina? Shina Shepherd?”

“She’s a founder.”

“By marriage.”

“Women aren’t forbidden in the texts.” Some Sanctuaries allow women to become members, though not all.

“It’s not because she’s a woman. It’s because I’m fucking her.”

I stare at him, and he groans. “I didn’t know she was a bloodthirsty psychopath.”

A ghost of a dark smile touches my lips. “Pot. Kettle. Black.”

“Touché.”

Wolf drives us home to chaos. Matty was in a fit of packing when we left, telling her to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Nothing has changed when we arrive back. The two heavies in the foyer greet us with no more than a tilt of the head while Matty ignores us. She was pissed, mainly at me, earlier. I still have no idea why.

“Do you have any idea how much shit we’ve accumulated over the years?” Matty’s hair is unkempt, wild around her cherub face as she finally deigns to look at me. Her eyes aren’t amused. Still upset. Whatever I’ve done, she’s making me work for it.

“Leave it behind,” I mutter.

“There are starving people living on the streets, and you want me to leave things behind.”

“Then donate it to charity.” I really don’t have time for this.

She clenches her jaw but nods. “That’s a good idea. You two.” She gestures to the heavies standing guard. “Take these boxes down to goodwill.” They hesitate to do as she asks, looking to me for approval. I offer a blank look. “Don’t look at him. I’m in charge here,” she snaps.

I’ve honestly never seen men move so fast.

“I’m heading to the hospital.” It’s my last shift. After everything, I thought it best to resign. Usually, when I feel like this, I throw myself into work. But making sure the London Sanctuary is functioningiswork. I also still have the family company to manage, which is keeping me up all hours. The last thing I need to be doing is operating on someone on minimal sleep.

“Jax.”

I turn back to the sound of my sister’s voice.

“Are you alright?”

Irritation coils in my stomach, but I suppress it. Matty isn’t someone I can take my darkening mood out on.

“All good,” I lie.

“You look like you haven’t slept in a week. And what’s with the beard?”

“Our brother’s preparing for Movember next month, aren’t you?” Wolf taunts from across the room.

Now Matty’s eyes are amused. “Is that true?”