38. Kade
Chapter 38
Kade
The last time I felt any form of weakness like this was just after my parents died. It was when I got the confirmation that that no one had survived the explosion. That’s what Grandfather said to me.
I remember the dreadful feeling so well. I was so strong that I didn’t think I could feel such a thing. According to my mother there was no weakness in me. Poseidon had blessed me just like the gods did for Achilles. But even Achilles had a weakness.
Mine was my heart. The one place the gods couldn’t touch.
It shattered the day my parents were taken from me.
To know now that a man a trusted and looked up to as a father figure was responsible for that shakes me to my core.
I’m staring at the document in my hands. Confirmation that Parker was working with Nikoli the man I’ve started a war with.
Parker betrayed my parents. My father . His best friend. He’s my fucking godfather. But now he is my enemy and he needs to pay in blood.
My head burns and my thoughts rattle around in my mind like a jar of unused coins.
I think back to Isabelle and the incident at the gallery. Something doesn’t quite make sense. If the hacker who tricked Isabelle was working with the Nikoli why would he need her when he had Parker?
Why didn’t Parker track my father himself? Also since this is about paintings my father would have trusted him with the information on their whereabouts.
Regardless, Parker is guilty. Nothing else matters and now I want his head.
“Kade,” Alek says my name in a careful tone, as if he’s trying it out for the first time.
I look at him, my eyes heavy with rage.
“What are you going to do?”
“Kill him.” I growl and march toward the door.
Alek rushes up to me and grabs my arm. “Kade?—”
“Fucking let me go, Alek.”
“You can’t just walk up to the lord chancellor and kill him. Also even you have to agree that there are parts of this that have gaping holes. You’re biggest one being Nikoli. They’re still working together. If you want the two of them you can’t kill Parker yet. Nikoli will know and you will never see him again.”
That stops me. I want Nikoli dead. That is still my number one priority, so I can’t risk letting him get away or spending the rest of my life trying to find him.
“We’re in a good spot,” Alek reminds me. “I think any day now you’ll draw Nikoli out and have him exactly where you want him. Then you can take them both. As long as Parker doesn’t suspect anything things stay the same and you have them where you want them.”
Alek is right. But I’m just so enraged I want their blood now.
I also want my godfather’s fucking head because he murdered Isabelle’s mother.
Isabelle…
I’m so sorry. She and I have been dragged into one big fucking mess of the same secrets and lies I knew would eventually screw with me. My time has come and it’s not over yet.
I nod at Alek. “Okay. Don’t mention any of this to anyone.”
“What about the guys?”
“I’ll talk to them.”
“Kade, you’re need back up when this blows up. It’s the shit you don’t know that will kill you.”
“Let’s cross that bridge when we get there.”
“Alright.”
The hardness in his expression loosens and I think back to how I was going to exclude him. I was wrong. “Thanks for your help. You didn’t have to help me.”
“Yes I did. We’ll be the next line of leadership for the Knights one day. I take that seriously. We need to have each other’s backs from now.”
“I agree.”
“I’ll keep my eyes on things and let you know if I see anything strange.”
“Thanks man. See you later.”
He dips his head and with that I leave.
The weight of the news pulls me under with every step I take. There is nothing worse than betrayal because you never know who to trust.
I’m going to wait until it’s time to strike and keep things under wraps, but I think I still need to do that check in with my godfather.
I want to see him face to face, look him in the eye and acknowledge him as my villain.
It’s ten when I make my way to Parker’s office.
I did my training with Thorne and I was better than yesterday. After that I had an early accounts class.
I don’t know how I kept my cool, but I did.
I needed time to process everything. And cool off. Though my blood is still hot with the ich to kill.
I knock on the door when I reach and Parker calls out for me to come in.
I go inside and find him leafing through a file.
He looks so much like the man I’m used to. I can’t see past the mask he’s wearing of my godfather.
“Hey kid.” He smirks grinning back at me in that good natured manner I once took comfort in.
“Hi.” My voice is hoarse and my tone drier than an empty well.
“Come in. It’s good to see you.”
“I won’t stay long.” I can’t. If I do I’ll lose my shit and kill him. “I’m just checking in to see how you are.”
He smiles and I want to rip his face off. I can actually see myself doing it. I would skin him the way you would with a rabbit and leave the flesh exposed. Then I’d smash his head in and make sure I kept him alive just long enough to feel the torturous pain.
“It’s me who should be checking on you,” he says, yanking me from my dark thoughts. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Everything is fine with me.”
“How is your girl doing?”
“My girl?” I never told him Isabelle was mine.
He cocks his head and gives me a knowing look. “Kade I’ve never seen you so angry. You made sure Michael was dealt with after the incident. I realized then that Isabelle Kolyav must be your girl.”
I give him a thin smile. “Yes. She’s mine. And we’re good.” It’s a lie but to me it’s not. After this I’m getting my girl back. She’s had time to think and I’ve had time. being without each other makes no sense when she was just as much a victim in this as anyone else.
“That’s good to hear. You seem quite fond of her.”
“I am. She’s a good person.”
He smirks. “Did you have a change of heart after she torched your bike?”
“Something like that.”
“These things happen sometimes. Although I have to say I saw you with someone more of the cheerleader type.”
“I’ve changed.”
“Alright. Each to their own desire.” He sighs and glances around his documents. “I’ve been keeping busy as you can see. Chancellor Potalov had one hell of a lot of work to do.”
And you will never fill his shoes. “He was one busy guy.”
“Sure was. Anyhow, I was thinking we could go fishing sometime. Spring break is just a breath away. Unless you have plans with your girl, we could hang out. Maybe take a trip to Norway again. We haven’t done that in a while.”
“That sounds great.” I decide to play the game. “She’s with her old man for the break, so we can definitely hang out.”
“Great. We’ll set something up then.”
“Sure. It will be great to hang out and catch up outside of college.” I hope his ass will be dead by then. Spring break is next weekend.
“Absolutely.”
“Well I won’t take up too much more of your time.”
“I’ll give you a call.”
“Cool.”
Before I back away I stare him down and try to erase every good memory I have of this man.
The time he taught me how to ride a bike.
The times he took me fishing.
The times he took me to Norway.
The time he offered to take me in after my parents died.
The time he offered to be a father to me and give me a home.
It was all fake. He was a lie. Just like everything else about him.
I shake those memories from my mind, then I leave.
I hide under the blanket of night, surrounded by the trees in the woods.
I’m at Rockport, a seaside town an hour away from campus. Before me a log cabin. Every room inside the house is dark except the bedroom Parker is staying in with one of the cheerleaders—Suzie Biermann, the same type of girl as Lana.
Easy and accessible. Likes men with money no matter how old he is or off limits.
They drove up here an hour ago and I followed them in my car. I was watching Parker before Suzie met him. He was at a café in the city but it seems he arranged to meet Suzie there. A clever move. It draws less attention unless you’re me and you’re watching them.
When they left I decided to go too, so I could add more things to the list of disgusting shit on my so called godfather.
I was able to park in a good spot where they couldn’t see me, then I used my binoculars to do the rest of the work.
There was no doubt they were here to fuck around. Suzie got out of the car wearing nothing but a thong and Parker was kissing her.
The two went inside the cabin and have been in there ever since.
I don’t know why I’m still here. It’s obvious they’re not coming out until they’re done. And I’m here because…
I felt like I needed to do something. Anything. Like Isabelle.
Playing looky-loo is a last resort for those who have nothing else up their sleeves. For me it’s a way of controlling my temper.
But it’s getting late and I should get back. Even if it’s to reconvene with the guys. I spoke to Dmitri and Logan about everything.
I only told them because I don’t want secrets between us. At least not on my part. I know they each have their demons to battle, but I need to have people in my life who I can be real with.
My aunt and uncle are like that but to me their different because they’re my guardians.
My friends are my confidants.
My phone buzzes with a message. Thinking it’s one of the guys I grab it, but I see it’s from an unknown number.
Straightaway my nerves spike and I wonder who the message could have come from. I don’t usually have unknown messages or calls to this number.
Today is the day when the most money will leave Nikoli’s account, then within the next two days there will be nothing left.
Does he know it’s me?
The message has a picture attachment inside it.
Taking a deep breath I open the message and the first thing I see is a picture of Isabelle.
Isabelle in the coffeeshop.
My blood drains out of my body when I read the words beneath the picture are in block capitols which say:
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID, MOTHERFUCKER. SEND THE MONEY BACK RIGHT THE FUCK NOW OR YOUR GIRL IS DEAD! I WONDER IF YOU CAN REACH HER BEFORE I DO.
Fucking fuck. My God. Nikoli knows it’s me but he’s not coming for me. He’s going for her.
Shit. Where is she?
My heart lodges in my throat as I look over the picture and try to figure out where she is.
The coffeehouse isn’t on campus. Nikoli wouldn’t be able to get on campus. I also don’t recognize it as being one of the campus coffeehouses. At least not from the angle the picture is taken from.
I scan the picture and see a napkin on the table with an insignia of a fox.
Foxie’s. That’s where she is. It’s a coffeehouse by the river. Isabelle has been there with Mackenzie a few times.
I gun my engine and drive. It crosses my mind that if Nikoli has sent me a picture of Isabelle I’m already too late, but maybe the picture is from the surveillance.
I hope I’m right. And I hope against hope that I get to her in time.
I can’t let anything happen to her.