Page 162 of Unspoken Lies

“Oh yes. I have many digital copies,” Jared says with a wide, congenial smile. “Where are we going from here, dear Council members?”

This kid is bold, and I have to swallow any noises that may want to come out. He’s baiting them.

Lucius sighs as he gets up from the table and walks to a heavy bookcase. Removing a large, heavy book, he returns to sit with us.

“As her father is here, I will not say anything crass about gilded cunts,” he says, grimacing as he realizes that’s exactly what he just did.

“I would certainly advise against it,” I rumble, my voice dark and full of rage. I have no doubts that Rachelle is listening to all of this. There’s no way that Theo would be able to hide this meeting, nor would he want to.

The com device only works one way for the purpose of this meeting so that any of their security devices wouldn’t be able to detect the frequency. Rachelle could be screaming from the living room in Santa Barbara, and no one would be any wiser.

My adopted daughter is made of stronger stuff than that. I doubt she’s losing her shit over this, but things have to be tense since we left without saying goodbye.

Lucius opens the book and searches for Rachelle’s name.

“All in favor of canceling the girl’s debt of death to us, say aye,” he says, pen in his hand at the ready.

“Aye,” the men grumble glumly, staring down at the dossiers of information in front of them.

Lucius scratches out her name before turning it around to show that where the time and date that Theo, Ignacio, Elijah, and Jared entered the bet is now a blackened out name.

“It is done,” Lucius intones. “We will not strike back for this betrayal, and you will not release the information discussed here today to anyone else. Theo Holmes, Jared Denton, Ignacio Reyes, and Elijah Fletcher are no longer in the Kings Society, and our records will show that they never have been. Did I forget anything else?”

“When Rachelle comes back from the dead, there will not be any kind of violence, legal action, nor harm that will happen to her,” Jared says. “Not one hair, freckle, or anything else.”

Lucius looks amused as he rolls his eyes and nods. “That’s a bit dramatic, but yes. We all agree that she will live free from harm for as long as her natural life is.”

I frown at him, but he smiles back.

“If anything happens to her, these files will be released,” I warn.

“Yes, we all understand this,” he sighs. “Go make arrangements to bring Rachelle Reyes back from the dead.”

Jared holds his tongue about what he thinks her last name should be and we stand together.

“Thank you, gentlemen. One last thing. Elijah’s inheritance is being handled by a Society member until he turns twenty-one next year. How will that be handled?” he asks.

“We’ll override that and open it to him effective immediately,” Lucius says.

Turning, we walk out of the meeting room, not stopping until we’re in my rental. We flew back to Portland so we wouldn’t have to deal with the long drive, and now we finally breathe a sigh of relief.

“Call them,” I grunt as Jared pulls out his com unit and turns it off. He does that as I drive to the airport. I don’t want to dawdle here. Portland and I are done as far as I’m concerned.

I’ll be back for business occasionally, but that’s all.

Goodbye Oregon. California is calling.

CHAPTER 36

RACHELLE

My stepfather is plotting, but I’m happy to help this time. It’s been several weeks since the Kings Society Council chose to give me back my life, and today is Elijah’s birthday. We have plenty to celebrate. We’re more than due for good things to happen.

Gazing at the mirror as I fix my hair, I grin. It sits beyond my shoulders now, curling more naturally too. I feel more myself, especially now that I have my name back. Well, with one very big difference.

Jared got his way, and my name is now Rachelle Denton. May as well give my husband a few wins, shouldn’t I?

“You’re procrastinating, aren’t you?” Ignacio asks, walking into the room to wrap his arms around my waist. “Mmm you look and smell amazing.”