Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
“I’m supposed to believe your singular focus is my well-being?”
“Kenna, you already understand our position about the next generation,” Petyr said. “If we lose our offspring, then our hold on the world is lost as well.”
She stared at him. “That doesn’t mean I want anything to do with you. My baby is just a baby. She’s not part of your organization, and neither am I. Whether you claim a hold on us or not is irrelevant as far as I’m concerned. We get to choose our own futures.”
“Perhaps you should explain that to whoever is trying to kill me.”
“Not my fight. It’s politics, and I want nothing to do with that.
” Kenna braced her hands on the back of the chair, pushing it against the table.
Jax hadn’t stood yet, which meant he wasn’t satisfied he had enough information to leave with a complete picture of what was going on.
She wasn’t sure he’d get that, but she could help.
“If you want to take over Dominatus as their supreme overlord or whatever, then get rid of the competition and take the throne. Preferably before someone else does the same to you.”
“That is what I believe is happening.”
Kenna shrugged one shoulder. “Have you made a list of suspects?”
“There’s no way to know.”
She let out a big breath. “You guys and your secrecy. You know, if you had a membership roster, you’d know who was trying to kill you.”
Jax shifted in his seat.
Petyr dipped his head. “I’d be obliged for your assistance.”
She wasn’t even going to touch that, not coming from him. “I’m busy. Apparently, I have cases.”
And a suspect, but she wasn’t going to tell them that she had seen the “ghost” young man from the platform where she’d been held in a hospital up north in Boston.
Or that he’d killed Megan Tiller. Given their usual tactics, if they got their hands on him again they would bring him back in the fold and then get him to kill on their behalf, which wouldn’t solve anyone’s problem.
It was far better for Amara or someone else in Kenna’s family to end his deadly antics.
Either by turning him over to the police, which was Kenna’s preferred result, or by being forced to take his life.
“I’m not surprised you care nothing for my fate. Despite what we are to each other.”
Of course, he was going to bring that up. “Don’t.”
Petyr flicked a hand in Jax’s direction. “Did you tell him?”
“It isn’t a secret, but no. You’re not some sordid part of my life. You’re no part of my life at all.” In her defense, she didn’t consider him credible and she’d been dealing with a whole lot of huge stuff in her heart and mind. “Despite what you think we are to each other.”
“I am your father, Kenna.”
She touched Jax’s shoulder just to steady herself. “At least you didn’t use the word seed like last time.” She made a gagging motion. “But calling yourself something doesn’t make it true, and it doesn’t make me care.”
“The test was clear.”
Clear as mud. “Yeah, Dominatus has never faked a DNA test before. It must be real.”
“Deny it all you want—”
“Petyr.” She cut him off, and Jax reached up to put his hand over hers. “So what if you’re my biological sperm donor? You aren’t part of my life, you never have been, and you never will be.”
“I could keep you safe.”
“You’d be using me to keep yourself safe.”
“I cannot be certain my enemy would respect our ways. It may be he who is targeting our offspring. Attempting to turn Dominatus in a direction we were never meant to go.”
“So I save the kids from being killed, you fix your problem and become the leader, and then my focus turns to taking you out. After all, you just became Imperatoris.” She stared at him.
“So be it.”
Kenna shook her head. “You’d accept it simply because you believe I’m your daughter.”
“If you wish to end my life, I will not try to stop you.”
Jax’s fingers flexed around hers. He pushed back his chair and stood, disconnecting them for a second before he took her hand again. “I’d like to say it’s been a pleasure, but it’s certainly been informative at least.”
“I’m not finished.” Petyr looked at her. “You insist on having that piece of trash in your association.”
She glanced at Jax. “He’s talking about Bruce.”
The president’s sharp intake of breath was audible.
“They don’t like him.”
“Seems like a good reason to keep him around,” Jax said. “Unless there’s reason we should be wary of him?” He glanced around.
Petyr said, “He will betray you.”
“Then it’ll be our fault for trusting him.” Kenna shrugged. “And none of your business.” She glanced at the president. “Thank you for your time.”
As if she’d asked to be here.
The president nodded like a queen to her subjects, the political mask back in place. “Take the file with you.”
“I’ll be sure to find a shredder on the way out.” Jax took the file, and Kenna’s hand and they headed for the door.
It opened before they reached it, and two Secret Service agents entered. Two stood in the hall. Those followed Kenna and Jax.
At the turn in the hall, the assistant reappeared. “This way.”
Kenna plastered on a smile. “Of course.”
Jax waited until they were through the lobby and out the North Portico, with its hanging lantern light above them.
Between the two center pillars. He chose the left path.
Not until they were out in the open did he say, “If he hadn’t been there, were you going to tell me that the Croatian president is the one who claims to be your father? ”
She winced.
“Interesting guy.”
“You aren’t mad I didn’t give you all of the information?”
Jax shook his head. “I don’t like being blindsided.
I don’t think anyone does. But were you actually going to tell me between yesterday and everything that happened, with him being here in town and us working the lawyer’s case?
Or were you going to keep it to yourself and hope the situation just fizzled out and went away? ”
He had a point, which was why the questions had been rhetorical.
“Do you have to be understanding?” She wound her arm through his as they walked toward the gated entrance and onto Pennsylvania Avenue, which was closed for traffic and had Secret Service guards at a gate to the left.
Beyond that, there was a coffee shop on the northwest corner she’d been to before. “I have to pee, by the way.”
Jax chuckled. “You wonder why I just roll with it.”
“Maybe you should be mad. But in my defense, it’s all scrambled in my brain. Although, I clearly remember him slapping me when I backtalked him.”
Jax’s arm tensed.
“He’s a great guy,” she drawled in a sarcastic tone. “Definitely grandpa material.”
“What’s their problem with Bruce?”
“See that’s the thing. They’re all about harping on the fact he’s bad news. That he’ll betray me. Blah-blah. Where’s the proof?” She rolled her eyes. “They’re trying way too hard. Makes me think I can trust him, just because they said I can’t.”
“So why avoid him?”
Kenna sighed. “I’ve been avoiding a lot because it was just easier. Or I thought it should be easier. Maybe I have to face him, too.”
“We might not trust anyone implicitly, except maybe Maizie. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to betray us.”
She nodded, dragging it out while she thought the situation through.
“There’s always an agenda. Why tell me Petyr is my biological father, and that Bruce is going to betray me so I can’t trust him?
What’s the reasoning behind that? Add in a lack of caffeine and it’s enough to keep a pregnant woman up at night, pacing the RV. ”
Jax walked her to the coffee shop, and she stood in line with tourists for the bathroom.
A small moment of normal life in the middle of the insanity of their chaos.
She and Jax weren’t the kind of people who’d bring their family to Washington, DC, to do the tourist thing, even if it was worth a trip.
They knew far too much about what went on behind closed doors, what power did to people who wielded it, and the darkness beneath the surface of a civilized society to be at peace in a place like this.
She took care of the pressing business and found Jax in the corner by the door, reading the file the president had given them while he sipped from a paper cup. Of coffee. “Turns out I’m not so understanding as you,” she grumbled. “I want coffee.”
He held out the cup to her. “This is apple cider.”
“My hero.” She swiped the cup from him and sipped, savoring the tartness and cinnamon flavors. “That’s good.”
Jax chuckled. “Our rideshare will be a few minutes.”
“Back to the car?”
He nodded. “I still want to check out that building. You probably need to look at this file to see if it’s that guy.”
“At least you didn’t say your friend.”
“Also, we need to check what Maizie sent so you can look at the photos from the file packet. See if you recognize anyone.”
Kenna slumped into the closest chair, holding the paper cup to her lips. “I’m exhausted already.”
“Want to pack it in and go to Wyoming?”
She took a sip, contemplating everything. In the middle of the mental recounting of what’d happened the past few days, she remembered to pray again. “There are too many unanswered questions.”
“And Dominatus is in the middle of it.” He focused his gaze on her. “Do you believe what they said about the baby being safe from them?”
“Mostly, I figure she’s safe where she is for now.” Kenna leaned forward on the chair and put her elbows on her knees. “But what about after she’s born? What if one of them decides they want her for whatever sick and twisted reason, and they take her from us?”
“Would Petyr being in charge mean she’s safe? If he believes they’re related, maybe it’s in his best interest that she’s unharmed and protected with us.”
“It’s worth hoping for that.” Kenna wished she had a way to be assured of their safety. “All I’ve got is faith, and right now even that feels fragile.”
“There are never any guarantees. I wish there were. I’d have less to worry about.” He gave her a soft smile. “I’d also have less of a need to rely on God and trust Him, because I’d be confident it’s going to work out. But my confidence would be in people and not Him.”
“Understanding and wise.”
Jax smiled at her. “Guess you’d better keep me around.”
“It’s on the list of reasons why I’d be an idiot to let you go.”
“So romantic.”
Kenna shrugged. “It’s the hormones. They’re making me mushy.”
He leaned in and kissed her, a soft touch of his lips. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.” She wanted to thank him again, and would, but she uttered it as a prayer.
Thank You.
God had given her Jax as an ever-present support. Even when they were separated, she knew he would’ve burned the world down to find her—because she’d have done the same in his place.
She needed to trust God for the outcome. After all, it was her only shot at finding peace in the middle of this chaotic situation. No matter what happened next, they’d be together and God would be with them. His hand would be on them.
He would be fighting for them.