Page 58 of King of Ashes

"An understanding?" Flint raises an eyebrow. "What does that mean?”

Blaise shakes his head. “He’s probably got her in some sexy French maid outfit doing the floors in the war room.”

“What the fuck, Blaise?” Now I’m pissed.

“War room?” Ash asks.

“It’s the room the guards and crew use to monitor the property and plan,” Blaise explains. “And don’t act all offended. You’re the one who dressed her like a slut and?—”

“Shut the fuck up!” I growl and slam my fist on the desk. My brothers aren’t intimidated, but they stay quiet. I take a breath to calm down. "Things between Keira and me are complicated."

"Because you're making them complicated," Blaise mutters.

"Look," I say, meeting each of their gazes in turn. "I know you think I've been too harsh with her. Maybe I have been. But there’s something going on."

Ash leans forward. "What do you mean?"

I hesitate, unwilling to reveal the full extent of my suspicions or my growing doubts. "She's hiding something. Something important enough that she tried sneaking out of her room in the middle of the night."

"And you're sure it wasn't to get away from you?" Flint asks bluntly.

"I'm sure." I stand up, pacing behind my desk. "Look, we're on better terms now. I'm… I'm treating her with respect."

Blaise's posture relaxes slightly. "Good. That's all we wanted to hear."

"But?" Ash prompts, reading my expression.

"But I can't shake the feeling that whatever she's hiding could change everything." I stop pacing. "I need to know what it is."

My brothers exchange glances, a silent conversation passing between them.

"Look," Ash says, his voice hardening, "if Keira's not giving you answers, maybe it's time to focus on her parents instead. They’re the ones who torched our lives."

I blow out a breath and settle back in my chair, glad to be moving on from Keira. “They’re safe and sound?—”

"Enjoying home cooked meals and boredom while you torture their daughter.”

“I’m not tort?—”

“They're the ones who orchestrated everything against our family. If anyone knows all the secrets, it's them."

Blaise nods slowly. "He's right. And they might be more willing to talk now that they've had time to stew."

"Hampton's always been a selfish bastard," Flint adds. "Threaten the right things, and he'll sell out his own daughter to save himself."

He already has when he gave her to me in marriage. Will he expose her if I push the right levers?

I nod. "Maybe it's time to remind them exactly what position they're in."

Ash smiles grimly. "Exactly. Let them feel the weight of what they did to us. And while you're at it, find out what Keira's hiding."

"Hampton might even tell you just to hurt her," Blaise points out. "There's no love lost between them from what I've seen."

My attention goes to Blaise. “What do you mean?”

He shrugs. “When I was working with Ronan, I’d see her around on occasion. Mostly, she stayed away from the family. When she was around, you'd see she didn’t think much of them.”

I remember Keira's indifference toward her parents, how she hasn't once asked to see them. The pieces start shifting in my mind, forming a new pattern.