Page 45 of Trial of Deceit (The Family’s Oath #1)

Chapter twenty-six

A s Dimitri slowed before Elias’ house, Howie ran outside. “Daddy!”

Elias smiled as he exited the car. He pulled his daughter into a big hug. “Say good evening.” He pulled away and straightened his suit, fixing his multi-colored tie designed with different sized swirls. He stood beside Howie, her hand gripped in his.

Howie looked into the car at Jediah. “Good evening, Mr. Jed!”

“Hey, Howie,” Jediah said with a smile. “Has your tooth grown back as yet?”

“Not really,” Howie declared. She opened her mouth wide, trailing her finger along the small point sprouting from her top gums. “But the tooth fairy forgot to visit me.”

Jediah grinned, in a somewhat better mood since seeing Reka less than two hours ago. “I guess he did. Come here.”

Grinning, Howie walked forward. Stopping by the window, she tipped, about to push her hand through the window, when she froze. Her brows furrowed at Dimitri.

“Hey, Howie,” Dimitri greeted.

Everyone’s eyes widened.

Howie smiled, her face brightening.

Jediah cleared his throat and dipped a hand into his pocket. He grabbed his wallet and took out a five thousand dollar bill. He placed it in Howie’s open palm.

“Thank you!” Howie said with a large grin.

Grumbling that Jediah was going to spoil her, Elias pulled his daughter to his side. “Let’s go look for Mommy in the office. I told you about running off when on a site—”

Jediah brought the window up. He looked at Dimitri with a brow raised. “Are you good?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Dimitri asked as he drove in the direction of the club.

“You spoke to Howie.”

Dimitri shrugged, a small smile appearing on his lips. “Yeah. I guess I did.”

Jediah knocked on the bedroom door. “Reine?”

Shuffling came from inside the room, then feet padded across the floor.

Seconds later, the door opened. Reine stared up at him through bloodshot eyes.

Jediah sighed, then widened his arms. Reine’s lips trembled as she stepped into Jediah’s hold.

She sobbed against his chest while loosely wrapping her arms around his body.

“I know,” he said, kissing the top of Reine’s head before smoothing his hand down it. Jediah could bet that Bryony was the one who combed Reine’s hair. This was how the woman usually combed it whenever Reine was a little girl — a low puff ball, with two cornrows at the front that connected to it.

“I c-can’t believe s-she’s—” Reine stuttered.

“Me, neither,” Jediah said, then pulled away. He cupped Reine’s cheeks, his heart shattering into a million pieces as he stared into her teary eyes. Jediah used his thumbs to wipe the tears from beneath her eyes. “Did you eat today?”

“Twice.” Reine said, and Jediah smiled.

Jediah smiled. “That’s good, Reine,” he praised, and she returned the smile. “Me and… Dimitri… are going to the club. Do you want to get out of the house?”

Reine’s eyes widened. “But—”

Jediah sighed. “Don’ mek mi repeat wa mi say. It already a kill mi fi suggest it, but it a kill mi more fi see yu like this.”

Reine threw herself at him, engulfing him in a big, tight hug. “You’re the best big brother, Jed. I love you.”

Jediah smiled and kissed her head. “I love you, too. We’ll leave after dinner.”

“Okay,” Reine said before pulling away. As Jediah turned to walk away, Reine rushed out, “Wait.”

He faced Reine and raised his brow.

“Why… yu…” Reine trailed off, then cleared her throat. “Why… yu… so unaffected by it? Yu don’ feel hurt?”

Jediah stared at his sister as she waited with bated breath. He didn’t know how to say he mourned their mother already, and the woman at the funeral was only a stranger.

This was the solace that would help him sleep at night after he killed her… or so he wanted to believe, anyway.

Clubbing with Reine and Dimitri was a terrible idea.

Jediah was thankful Reine finally dragged herself out of her room, but he couldn’t stand watching her throw him subtle glares because Dimitri was on edge, so he left the private section and headed to the restroom.

Standing before the urinal, Jediah pulled down his zipper and freed his dick. As the stream of hot piss hit the bowl, Jediah released a sigh. Thankful the restroom was empty, Jediah closed his eyes while turning his head to the ceiling.

He needed to be inside Ashari when he got home.

Her pussy was a drug; it’d been on his mind since he woke up that morning.

They hadn’t had sex since the night she returned, and he was having withdrawals.

He’d tried making advances, but she’d declined them all.

He thought she would’ve at least given him sympathy pussy after his father’s death, but there was nothing.

Maybe he should do something nice for her — like buying her land higher in the hills; hopefully, it’d be the perfect temperature for her strawberries to grow.

The door opened and footsteps fell beside him. Jediah’s eyes snapped open as he wondered why a person would choose to use the urinal directly beside him. Jediah scowled and faced the person. His grip on his dick loosened, causing some pee to spray onto the sides of his pants.

“I don’t want to fight, Uncle,” the boy rushed out, raising his hands in surrender.

“ Uncle ?” Jediah hissed, fumbling for his gun while fixing his aim.

“I just want to talk.”

Jediah gripped his gun at the same time a civilian entered the restroom.

Jediah concealed his gun as the man passed them and power-walked toward a stall, then slammed the door shut.

A loud fart exploded throughout the room followed by a splash , causing Jediah’s nose to crinkle as the foul odor made him nauseous.

“Me a give yu two seconds fi leave,” Jediah hissed in an emotionless whisper.

The boy gulped before nodding and taking brisk steps toward the exit.

Jediah’s eyes and gun trailed the boy until the door closed behind him.

An angry huff left Jediah as he looked down at his dick.

Groaning before holding his breath, he watched the stream continue.

How much did he drink? It couldn’t have been that many drinks.

He couldn’t have been at the club that long.

Finally finished, Jediah practically ran out of the bathroom after washing his hands.

He sucked in a big breath, not knowing he could love the smell of stale sweat, alcohol, and cheap cigarettes.

Jediah pushed his way through the crowd back to the private section while discreetly holding onto his gun.

Dimitri spotted Jediah. He put some distance between himself and Reine, who’d been under his arms. “Raven called—”

“We need to leave,” Jediah commanded.

Dimitri jumped to his feet. He grabbed one of Reine’s hands, shoving her between himself and Jediah as they hurried out of the club. They sat in the car and Dimitri floored the gas pedal.

Reine pushed her head through the space between the two front seats. “Wa happen?” she asked, her frantic eyes darting between Jediah and Dimitri.

“Sit back and put on your seat belt,” Dimitri hissed, and Reine grumbled before sitting back.

Jediah’s jaw tightened as he glared at the passing scenery. “Why did Raven call?” Jediah asked as the pieces in his mind moved around.

“She heard about what Sahil did to Kayon and wan’ wi know seh she don’ have nothing fi do with it,” Dimtri said.

Jediah and Reine scoffed.

“Like she did tell Kirani a no she a rob him? Like she deh wid her bodyguard?” Reine angrily asked while securing her seatbelt.

“My workers are professional,” Dimitri defended.

“Like dem boss?” Jediah asked, causing Reine to gasp.

Dimitri swallowed hard. “Raven loves her little sister. She woulda neva mek a move ’gainst yu when she know you a the only one who can give her answers ’bout wa happen a the restaurant. She wan’ meet tomorrow fi prove good intention.”

“Now she’s making demands?” Jediah asked with an amused chuckle. Shaking his head, he shifted his focus. “We a go drop Reine a the estate, then go wake Reka fi do some digging.”

“Wa happen a the club?” Reine asked.

“I saw Quadre Thorne,” Jediah answered. “Our nephew.”

Reine’s brows furrowed. “N-nephew? Malia have a next pickney?”

Jediah shook his head. “Not Malia. Navene.”

Reine sat more upright. “Who name Navene?”

“Kayon’s first baby mother,” Jediah replied.

Jediah watched as Raven entered the warehouse with her bodyguard beside her. She was dressed in a white pencil skirt suit and pink heels. The sun’s radiant light behind her paired with her poised stature reminded Jediah of a woman he looked up to many years ago.

As she stopped a few feet before Jediah, Raven said, “Let’s talk business.”

“No pleasantries?” Jediah asked, raising his brow.

“Good day, Mr. Richardson.”

“I’m doing you a favor by meeting you. You don’t just show up and make demands, Mrs. Saint.”

“I just go by Raven now.”

His eyes darted to the bodyguard, who rolled his shoulders. “My point stands.”

“Better than me showing up to waste your time, no?” Raven asked.

Jediah didn’t reply. He reached within his jacket and pulled out his travel pack of cigars.

He lit one, then waved a hand for her to speak.

Before she could begin, he turned his back.

His eyes scanned the main room of the warehouse, settling on the guards stationed in different corners.

He noticed how Dimitri avoided looking in his direction.

Knowing Dimitri noticed his worker’s sudden tension, Jediah smirked.

He still didn’t approve of the relationship between Dimitri and his sister, but he enjoyed Dimitri’s discomfiture.

Discomfort meant Dimitri was recovering from the torture in the dungeon.

Jediah was glad for that.