Page 25 of Volatile King (The Kings of Wayward Academy #6)

B lake

The VIP area of Volatile was a veritable Who’s Who of the mafia world.

Smirking, I could only imagine how badly the FBI would want to know about this meeting.

I stood and walked over to the bar to refresh my water.

Yes, I could’ve just ordered it off the pad, but stretching my legs and taking a deep breath away from all the heavy hitters was a must.

Nash had filled the room. Mr. Genovese and a dozen of his guards were here. Nathaniel and his men sat or stood around chatting. We had our crew gathered, including Rory and Cory, whom Nash had pulled into more meetings. I wasn’t sure I liked the dynamic shift.

It wasn’t jealousy. It was just that trusting others was tough for any of us, but especially for me. The Kings and Ren were my safe space, and now we were opening that up, and I was resistant.

Reaching the bar, I smiled at Nora, who leaned on the other side, looking like this was where she was always meant to be.

“Needed a break from all the testosterone?”

My eyebrow lifted. “Something like that.”

I looked over my shoulder, still not believing that something like this was even happening, let alone possible.

My dad and Emmett were here, along with three other council members who had worked out deals with Nash.

But, the biggest shock of all was that a representative of the Flannery and Ward families had flown in from Ireland.

Nash was making big moves, and bringing multiple families from all over the world together.

I really hated to admit it, but I was impressed.

“What can I get you,” Nora asked.

“Just water,” I said.

“Want it to look like an alcoholic drink?”

“Honestly, I don’t really care.”

“I’ll give it to you anyway. I need the feedback before I offer it to any DDs,” Nora said.

She grabbed a glass and tossed it in the air. It landed on the back of her hand, and she rolled it all the way up before bumping it with her shoulder, then spun and snagged it.

“What the hell was that?”

“I’m trying out new techniques. I love the showmanship of it, and…you get huge tips. I mean, according to the videos. I haven’t actually gotten to try it on anyone yet.”

“Does that mean I just popped your performance cherry?”

Nora paused, and we stared at one another before laughing.

“Yuck. No offense, Blake, but never say that to me again. Saying anything with you, me, and a cherry sounds wrong. You’re like my brother.”

“True enough. So, what are you putting in that, anyway?”

Nora poured something that turned the drink amber with a hint of red.

“It’s a surprise,” she said, winking.

“I’m not really supposed to take strange drinks from people,” I teased.

“Spare me. I helped change your diaper. I think you can trust me.”

“Okay, so I won’t mention cherries, and you never mention seeing my ass with shit on it,” I said.

Nora laughed as she set the drink down. “Deal.”

“You make up with your father yet?”

She shook her head and looked over at Emmett across the room.

“He says he’s good with Liam and Theo, and I’m happy for my brother.

But that doesn’t change the fact that he wanted to marry me off like a breeding cow.

Granted the guy was some sort of prince from Dubai or something, but do I look like the princess type?

” I smirked as she snorted in obvious disgust. Taking a shot of vodka, she slammed the little glass down on the bar.

“Anyway, he told me that if I didn’t want to marry to help the family, then I could leave. So, I did. Until he apologizes, I’m not speaking to him.”

I nodded but didn’t ask any more questions as Nash walked toward me. He pointed to a dark, open room off to the side.

“Apparently, I’m being summoned. Talk to you later.” Pushing away from the bar, I followed Nash. “What’s up?”

“You may want to leave for this next set of talks,” he said, crossing his arms.

“What? Why?”

“Blake…you’ve made it clear this is not the life you want. We’ll be discussing a new drug shipment route next. It’s to increase what and how much we can offer to the dealers.”

Anger bubbled up inside of me and twisted my stomach into knots.

“Are you cutting me out? You still don’t trust me, do you? Think I can’t handle it,” I growled low and under my breath.

“It’s not that I don’t think you can handle it,” Nash said.

“Don’t fucking lie to me. You’re pushing me out, and I don’t appreciate it. I’ve done everything you’ve asked.” I stepped into Nash’s personal space. “I screwed up. I own that, but I haven’t put a foot wrong since. What the hell is it going to take for you to stop treating me like an outcast?”

Nash grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the newly repaired front windows. They were heavily tinted now, so from the outside all you saw were black mirrors. I liked them.

“Okay, Blake, you want honesty? Here it is. I do think you can handle anything I ask, but I’m also aware that any conversation or encounter with drugs is a trigger.

Not only that, but you can’t tell me you haven’t been stressed about Ren.

I’ve seen you pacing, your knee shaking, the look in your eyes like you’re barely holding it together.

You’re doing incredible, but I don’t want to add to it either.

I’m trying to be a good friend and leader. Shocking…I know.”

I looked away, hating to be called out on any weakness. But he was right, I couldn’t deny either issue.

“Yeah…Ren’s accident added a layer of stress that I couldn’t anticipate, but life is going to continue to throw shit at me, and I have to be able to navigate it.

And…I…Am. I appreciate the gesture, but I prefer you just let me tell you when something is going to be too much.

You worrying about me, looking at me like I might crack… it only makes it worse.”

“Alright, but you better come to me. This is the last time I will try to make things easier for you, Blake. But…I don’t need to tell you what I’ll do if you keep shit from me.”

I crossed my arms. “Like you keep shit from us?”

His eyes darkened.

“That is not the same. I was ordered to keep Ren’s paternity and our contract a secret.

It benefited the entire group and our futures to leave you all in the dark.

You hid your shit from us to save your skin out of fear.

” He stepped in closer, our noses almost touching.

“And, no matter what…I am the leader. If you have an issue with that and want to challenge me for the position, then come at me, Blake. I won’t hold back. ”

“I don’t want to lead. That’s not what I meant,” I said, and Nash’s demeanor shifted, and he stepped back. “I’m just saying that there are a ton of secrets you’ve been sitting on and not all of them had to be kept quiet.”

He rubbed his bottom lip, and I expected him to tell me to fuck off, but he shocked the hell out of me.

“Fine, I’ll own that. I have a hard time sharing. Trust isn’t easy for me, even with all of you. But I promise to be better about letting you all in on what I’m planning, when I can.”

My jaw dropped.

“What? Don’t look at me like that. It’s called personal growth,” Nash said, and then laughed as he walked away.

“Who are you, and who stole the asshole?”

Nash flashed me his middle finger. I snorted and smiled. Okay, he was still in there. Hell hadn’t frozen over.

Taking a moment for myself, I stood there in the darkness and stared outside.

The last time I was here, I’d almost lost the most important person in my life.

Looking out at the quiet street, I watched a few people wandering by.

It was hard to picture the hysteria that had taken place in the blink of an eye.

My hand began to shake…right on cue. Holding it up, I squeezed it into a fist to stop the tremors that always came when I thought of that night. Ren wasn’t the only one who had been affected by Owen’s insanity.

But the real culprit behind our collective trauma was Lawrence. I glared at the glass and found my reflection. Mr. Collier needed to die. None of us would be safe until he was six feet under, and unlike with Owen…I wouldn’t hesitate.

Not again.

Not ever again.