Page 14 of Trial of Deceit (The Family’s Oath #1)

Chapter six

J ediah sat on his chair and grabbed a cigar. He lit it and spun around, facing the portrait on the wall so he didn’t have to see the three faces behind him.

“I was hired by Kayon to guide you. You can’t keep being this reckless,” Elias said.

“It’s already done,” Jediah stated. “She will stay with me.”

“An F.B.I. agent in your house is a good idea? What will happen when they start searching for her?” Elias hissed, and Jediah exhaled a puff of smoke as he stared at the laminated portrait of himself with an older woman.

“She caan’ leave without mi permission, and she has no future in the force. Relax.”

“Relax,” Elias mocked, laughing. “You’re going to run this family into the ground.”

“Are you a Richardson, Mr. Swaby?” Jediah asked as his eyes lingered on the woman’s arm wrapped over his shoulder.

She’d never been the type to drown herself in perfume, but she had done so before joining Jediah and the photographer. Jediah knew the sweet fragrance wasn’t to hide the faint scent of tobacco smoke, but to mask the blood below her neckline.

“No.”

“Exactly. If anyone should run this family down, it should be me,” Jediah whispered the last part as his eyes drifted to the woman’s.

Malia Richardson. Gone too soon.

Jediah carried the weight of her death every day. All these years. Maybe that was why he’d developed a habit of leaving women instead of keeping them around.

But he couldn’t leave Ashari.

She’d ruined his streak by leaving him first.

Jediah spun the chair around. He set the cigar in the ashtray and said to Cameron, who was playing on his phone, “Reine’s leaving class soon. Ensure she goes to her extracurriculars before going out with her friends.”

“Ah.” Cameron nodded and left the room.

Jediah looked at Elias. “She won’t have a chance to betray me. I made sure of that. She’s… interesting. The most fun I’ve had in a while. When I’m done having fun with her, I’ll kill her. Stop worrying your greying head, Eli.”

Elias took a moment to reply, “I hope this works as you say it will.”

“It will. No one knows who she is except the four of us in this room, plus the rookie. So, if anyone finds out I’m keeping an agent and starts questioning my leadership… I know who to kill first.” Jediah’s focus lingered on Elias.

Elias nodded, then looked at his watch. “I have to get Howie from the daycare. Later we’ll discuss the new imports.”

“About that… I’m planning to use some of the construction sites.

It’s mostly been slim bodies for the past few months.

I thought it would’ve been a regular day, but Cameron said the reassemble procedure isn’t worth the hassle unless we raise the cost, but with the new eye… ” Jediah trailed off, shaking his head.

“I have a daughter. I can’t do that.”

“When did it sound like I was asking?”

Elias stood. “I will find a better option that works.”

Jediah nodded before waving Elias away. Elias opened the door, revealing Acacia. Barrel was in her hands, dressed in a little dress. Jediah’s eyes narrowed while the mini-pig squealed.

“S-sorry!” Acacia exclaimed, running away.

“Should I get her?” Dimitri’s voice came, and Jediah shook his head.

As the door closed behind Elias, Jediah looked at Dimitri. He was sitting at the small table pushed against the length of the wall. Only two chairs were there, along with a chess board atop the table.

Jediah joined him, and they began a game. Jediah clasped his hands beneath his nose, studying the board. Dimitri always came out hard, going directly for Jediah’s queen. Jediah was strategic. Still, it was too soon to tell where the game would go.

“Yu always seh mi don’ ready,” Dimitri broke the silence.

“If yu leff now, yu can ketch a ride with Eli to Howie’s daycare. Mi sure nuff youth don’ get pick up yet.”

Dimitri tensed, and Jediah shook his head before moving a pawn forward. He watched as Dimitri snatched it up, and he smirked before making a move that stole two of Dimitri’s pieces.

“Yu don’ play fair, dawg,” Dimitri hissed.

Jediah chuckled. “You must mek things pass yu sometimes,” he said, and Dimitri scoffed before considering his next move.

“A no seh mi don’ believe therapy don’ work fi yu.

It is. But yu wan’ put yuself back out there too fast, and I spoke to your therapist…

she’s afraid you might relapse. You’re not consistently taking your pills, and it’s making us worried. ”

Dimitri looked from the board to Jediah.

He exhaled a heavy breath while leaning back in the chair.

His biceps bulged as he crossed one arm atop the next, enclosing his arm with his fingers.

“Mi feel like mi naa go ever get better. Mi eye dem wide open every night ’cause mi don’ wan’ see—” Dimitri paused, his eyes becoming far-off.

Jediah rushed out, “Oye, mek sure you a sleep a night time. Next thing yu start sleep walk when we deh road.”

Dimitri chuckled. “You a joker.”

Jediah grinned. “Pon a real, though… Mi sorry fi mek you kill Charlie. Mi shoulda mek somebody else kill her, but—”

“My loyalty is to you, Jediah,” Dimitri said before beckoning Jediah to make a move.

They played for the next twenty minutes until they stopped, promising to resume at another time because it was getting late. Jediah followed Dimitri to his wing.

“Yu irritating, Jediah,” Dimitri complained as they continued down the hallway to his room.

Jediah shrugged. “I can’t take care of my best friend?”

Dimitri hissed his teeth, causing Jediah to chuckle as they entered the bedroom. He moved to his nightstand and grabbed a bottle of pills off it. He opened the bottle and took out a pill.

“Your therapist says two before bed,” Jediah stated.

“And your therapist can’t say anything because your cock’s always in her mouth,” Dimitri bit back as he took out another pill.

Jediah approached Dimitri. “Essy’s not a therapist.”

Dimitri grabbed a bottle of water off the nightstand and used it to wash down the pills. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. “Right. She’s a—”

“Liff yu tongue and shut up,” Jediah hissed as he stopped before Dimitri.

He looked inside Dimitri’s mouth as the man lifted his tongue up and down, proving that he took the pills.

Satisfied, Jediah took a step back. “Don’t let me talk to you about this again.

I’ll put you back on leave if you start slacking after all the progress you’ve made. ”

“Okay, Mass’ Errol,” Dimitri said mockingly.

Jediah rolled his eyes and turned his back.

He walked toward the door. “See you tomorrow, Dimitri,” he said, and Dimitri grunted a response.

Jediah closed the door behind him, then walked about the house.

He paused before the entrance to the abandoned wing, staring up the hallway that led to Ashari’s room.

This wing of the house was unused, but he had two guards stationed at the entrance in case anyone suddenly felt like exploring.

“Has she been out?” Jediah asked, and a guard shook her head. Ignoring how his stomach flipped, Jediah pursed his lips.

He continued the journey to his wing of the estate. He knocked on Acacia’s door, and she slightly opened the door. Her eyes widened upon seeing him.

“J-Jed, I wasn’t lis—” she stuttered, and he reached out to press a finger against her lips. Her rosy lips parted to release a barely audible gasp.

“You talk too much, Acacia. If I move my hand, will you be quiet?” he asked, and she nodded quickly. He moved his hand. “Good. Now, may I come in?” he asked, and she didn’t answer. “You can speak.”

“W-why?” she asked.

His eyes slightly narrowed on her. “You’re supposed to be my fiancée, and I haven’t treated you well. I want to do better.”

Acacia’s eyes brightened. “Really?” she asked, and he nodded. She stepped aside while opening the door.

Jediah loosened his tie around his neck as he stepped inside her room. It was his first time being there, and he was shocked by the decor. He’d told Bryony to give Acacia whatever she desired, and she’d opted for soft pink colors.

Everywhere.

On everything.

From the curtains, to the mat, to the art pieces on the wall, it looked like a preteen threw up in there.

A grunt came from a corner of the room. Barrel’s cage looked more like a miniature castle — it had a stack of soft blankets, water and food bowls, potty mats, and even a mini air conditioning unit. Barrel, now naked, grunted and rubbed her snout against the pillows.

Jediah scowled at the sleeping animal, causing Acacia to giggle. He looked at her, realizing she was still by the door. “What’s funny?”

“Your face,” she replied with a smile.

Jediah hummed, allowing silence to fill the air for a brief moment. “Miss B told me that you’re the one who made dinner today.”

“Y-yes,” Acacia whispered. “I know steak and creamed spinach is your favorite. Did you like it?”

Jediah paused before nodding. “I did. Thank you.”

Smiling, Acacia opened her mouth to respond when Bryony appeared with a tray of medicine in her hands. Bryony’s eyes widened. “Wa you a do here?”

“I don’t have permission to go everywhere in my house?” Jediah asked, and Bryony’s eyes narrowed. Knowing a scolding was coming, he added, “I’m trying to bond with my… Acacia. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

Bryony’s eyes brightened. “Oh! Yes. Alright, mek mi go give Kayon him medicine and give unu space.” Bryony freed a hand from the tray, winking at Acacia while shoving her further into the room. Bryony closed the door, and Jediah was sure he heard a squeal before Bryony’s feet scurried away.

Acacia looked at the floor. “I… Well, it just remind me of the room me and Raven used to share back home. And ’cause yu never did really a talk to me, I just wanted to feel more welcome.”

“Hm…” Jediah hummed, glancing around the room before he sat on the edge of Acacia’s bed. “I meant what I said earlier.”

“About what?” she whispered.

Jediah began to undo the buttons on the wrist of his shirt. “About being a better man toward you. But first, I want to see something…”

Acacia’s eyes widened as he began unbuttoning his shirt, slowly revealing his chest. She gripped the frilly hem of her thin nightdress. If Jediah allowed himself to look below her neckline, he’d see her breasts pressing against the material, and the outline of her panty.

“See w-what?”

“Come here.”