Page 9 of Trial of Deceit (The Family’s Oath #1)

Her bodyguard cut the conversation with Dimitri short, so he could open the door. He placed his hand on Raven’s back. Her eyes widened, and she stiffened. She quickly shrugged him off and entered the vehicle.

Jediah looked down at Acacia, who stood beside him. Acacia’s brows crinkled as she watched the door close behind Raven.

“Does your bodyguard touch you like that?” Jediah asked.

Acacia frantically shook her head while craning her neck to look at him. “No,” she stated firmly.

“Good.” Jediah began walking away.

“Wait,” Acacia rushed out, and Jediah paused. “Yu hungry? There’s food left over from—”

“No,” Jediah said, about to continue walking when quick, heavy footsteps came from behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Acacia stomping toward the kitchen while dragging the back of her hand across her face.

Dimitri shook his head as he entered the house and closed the door. “Yu realize she just a try mek yu like her, right?”

“Don’ piss mi off, Dimitri,” Jediah hissed with a sneer, causing Dimitri to chuckle.

The sound irked him. “Yu talk to her from day?” Jediah asked, and Dimitri went grim.

Jediah faced his confidante, giving the older man a hard stare.

“Go do it right now. Mi know yu swear fi protect mi, but yu caan’ do it if yu don’ protect yuself. ”

“Mi will do it tomorrow,” Dimitri promised and took quick strides away before Jediah could say anything else.

Jediah watched Dimitri disappear before he followed after Acacia. She was in the kitchen, putting the leftovers into storage containers. Acacia didn’t glance at him. Jediah hated to admit that it gutted him.

He cleared his throat while resting the cigar in the ashtray on the counter. “I bought you a mini pig…”

Acacia’s head snapped up. Her eyes, wide with surprise, brightened. “Really?!”

“Yes. It’s outside in the car.”

Acacia squealed. She ran toward Jediah, a smile on her face as she threw her arms around him. He stiffened as she gave him a quick, tight hug. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” Jediah muttered as his heart slammed hard against his chest.

Acacia sucked in a breath. She released him and cupped her mouth while her eyes widened. Embarrassment replaced her excitement as she rushed out, “I’m sor—”

“Go get the pig so Cameron can go home,” he ordered, and she nodded. “If I ever see pig shit in my house, I will kill the pig and make you eat it.”

“That won’t happen. I promise!” Acacia announced before running away. “Barrel, I’m coming for you!”

Not surprised that she’d already chosen a name for the animal, Jediah shook his head before going to the wing he loathed visiting.

Jazz music drifting from a record player welcomed him as he pushed open the ajar door.

He stepped inside the room and narrowed his eyes on the person sitting before the window that overlooked the back of the estate.

“Bryony told me your feelings about your engagement to Acacia,” came a masculine, mechanical voice. A low whir stemmed from the chair as it swiveled to face Jediah.

Jediah placed his arms behind him as he looked at Kayon. “The Valcourts are trying to move in.”

Kayon stared at Jediah before moving his good hand along the joystick. Seconds later, a voice came from the speaker attached to the high-tech wheelchair. “We are talking about my arrangement with the Majors.”

“Me a go walk outta the room if yu bring up that family again.”

Kayon grunted. “You can’t walk out when I’m speaking to you.”

Jediah took one step backward, his brow raising. “Wa you a go do? Run mi down?”

Kayon’s body twitched. The muscles on his face contracted so his eyes narrowed slightly on Jediah but relaxed almost immediately.

Kayon huffed a big breath, making Jediah smirk while watching him move his good hand to the joystick.

It navigated the keyboard attached to the small screen on the chair. “Tell me about the Valcourts.”

“The arrangement you made was that they could have the ports in Kingston, but I want them now. It was stupid of you to give the Valcourts the East Coast. I know we control most of Jamaica, but we are losing. Consider how much we could import through the Kingston port.”

“I made the arrangement to lower the risk of a war.”

“They stopped honoring it since the truth got out about the severity of your situation. They had a mole planted here, but I killed him. The Pinnock family told me that they’re losing land and are having trouble distributing.

How did you possibly expect Isley to maintain control of such a small portion of Kingston if we can’t even show our faces there? ”

“Trouble?”

“Yes. Trouble always comes with a filthy politician,” Jediah spat, and Kayon’s arm began moving again. Jediah continued before Kayon could get a word in, “It won’t be long before the other families say the same. The Valcourts are getting brave. This arrangement you want me to uphold will cost us.”

“It won’t if you marry Sahil’s daughter. As the second most powerful family, they will stand by us if you make them feel secure.”

“Not marrying anybody younger than Reine.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

Jediah’s brows furrowed. “Where it sound like me a ask?”

Kayon moved his hand.

Jediah crossed the room in quick steps. He laid a hand atop Kayon’s, digging his nails into the man’s frail skin. His eyes shone while Kayon writhed. “Wa you say? Louder. Mi couldn’ hear yu, boss man.”

Kayon opened his mouth. Incoherent babbling poured out while he choked.

An alarm went off in the house, its blare deafening.

Two women ran inside the room and pushed Jediah away.

Jediah stumbled backward. As he straightened himself, he watched as Cedella, the doctor, prepped a needle and gave Kayon an injection.

Kayon sucked in a big breath before slumping into his chair.

Dedrian, the nurse, wiped sweat from Kayon’s forehead while Cedella checked the monitors. Kayon’s heart rate was decreasing.

As Cedella gave Jediah a disapproving glare, he turned his back. Jediah walked toward the door while removing the cigar case from the pocket of his jacket. “Call me when he’s dead.”