Page 136 of Power

“Did you think I’d judge you?”

“God, no.” Dakota waved it off. “I didn’t keep it from you because I was worried about how you’d react, Scarlett. I kept it from you for the same reason I keep it from everybody. It’s just …” She took a breath. “The only way I can get through my days sometimes is by shoving that information into the darkest corner of my mind. Because if I let myself think about what my brother did to another human being, I become frozen. Okay?”

Well, when she put it that way, how could I not understand? It wasn’t dissimilar to all the years I’d refused to talk about my father.

“Okay.” I nodded, feeling bad for a moment that I had made this about me.

In fact, I admired Dakota even more than I had before. This was a woman who’d created an empire of her own (she’d finally given her notice to focus on her mega-successful empire) and managed to get through all the days without talking about something incredibly dark. Something dark that could have held her back, but she didn’t let it.

“Jace, you knew Knox too?” I asked, the pieces finally clicking together. This must be why Dakota had recognized his name, why she’d called him an “old family friend” she’d only met a couple times. “That’s how you two know each other?”

Jace nodded. “Met Dakota a few times during Knox’s trial.”

Right. A murder trial that Dakota had clearly tried to block out of her memory.

“I guess I can understand why you don’t want to talk about your brother,” I said to Dakota, turning back to the matter at hand, “but why do you hate Axel?”

“We have a history.” Dakota’s jaw clenched. “And not a delightful one.”

“She’s my sworn enemy,” Axel added, as if clarifying an important detail on his résumé.

“Did you two date?” I asked, unable to keep the curiosity from my voice.

“No,” they both said in unison, their faces contorting like they’d both simultaneously bitten into lemons.

“I avoid him at all costs,” Dakota said, her tone suggesting Axel was less a person and more a communicable disease.

“Well, tough luck, Sunshine,” Axel said. Gone was his panicked demeanor, and in its place was an antagonistic smirk that seemed designed specifically to make Dakota’s blood boil. “Looks like we’re going to be stuck spending some time together.”

Her chest swelled like she was preparing to breathe fire.

“You can go,” I said to her. “Thank you for bringing the car.”

“Did you scratch it?” Jace asked, panic momentarily overriding his chip mission.

“No,” Dakota answered him before turning her fiery glare back to Axel. “And, no, I don’t run from vermin. I said I’ll help, and I’ll help. If he wants to run off like the coward he is, he can do that.”

Axel huffed. “Run? Fromyou?” He rolled his eyes with such dramatic flair, it was a wonder they didn’t get stuck in the back of his head. “Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not even a blip in my universe.”

“That’s not what your face said when I walked in,” Dakota countered. “You looked like you’d seen a ghost. Or your credit score.”

“I was surprised to see you—that’s all. Like finding a hair in your food. Unpleasant, but not life-altering.”

And with that, Axel sat back down in his chair, his posture rigid enough to make a drill sergeant proud. Dakota remained standing, arms still crossed, as they entered a glaring competition intense enough to melt steel.

“If anyone needs me, I’ll be … anywhere but here,” Ryker said, inching toward the door.

“Stay,” Jace commanded, pointing a chip at him. “We might need the help. If these two finally snap and try to kill each other, Blake can only save one of them at a time.”

70

SCARLETT

“Jace, what did you do?”

But I didn’t wait for an answer. I took off running through the sprawling meadow, the crisp air whipping my hair behind me like a banner. My heart pounded against my ribs, not from exertion, but from something wilder, something that felt dangerously like hope.

The moment Buttercup spotted me, she lifted her head and nickered, turning to trot in my direction. She paused only momentarily, waiting for a dappled gray mare to join her, as if to say,Look who I found! Look what I have now!