12. Emmett #2
It doesn’t matter if she’s willing or not.
She will do what I tell her to do. I just need to find a way out of the crap she wants from me…
“How am I using her, then?” I ask instead, not revealing my thoughts.
“I don’t quite know, but the very fact that Grandpa is involved in this matter tells me that it won’t be long until you finally show your hand.” Scar smiles tightly.
“You make it sound like I’m going to go against Vaughn by using Angel.”
Scar whips her head so fast, her hair flutters everywhere.
“You call her Angel?” She gasps, then squeals so annoyingly, I glare at her. “You call her Angel! Is it because she saved your humanity and made you see the light?”
She squeals again.
“Can you stop?” I say, feeling aggravated.
“Oh sweet Jesus, that’s freaking adorable! Aww!”
I stare at her, doing my best to stay impassive.
“Angel, as in angel of death ,” I state seriously. “Don’t try to romanticize it!”
Scar blinks continuously, like a freaking caricature. “Angel of death? Why?”
“That’s none of your business!”
“But it’s still so romantic that you call her that. What does she call you?”
“Asshole.”
Scar throws her head back and laughs loudly.
“Can you focus on what’s important?” I growl, getting annoyed again.
“Ah, yes, of course, sorry, asshole !” Scar dissolves into another fit of giggles. This time I don’t bother talking to her again. “My apologies. I just couldn’t resist that one.”
“Clearly,” I mutter unhappily.
“Okay, so if my analysis is correct, you and Vaughn’s so-called fight for the supposed throne is somehow linked to Ivy, but then you are you. You haven’t cared about Vaughn or given him the time of day ever, which means you don’t see him as an equal.”
I neither confirm nor deny that. I don’t think of Vaughn… unless it’s for strategy.
“And now that Grandpa has called for this meeting, I bet it’s because he’s taking Vaughn’s side to deal with the grandson that threatens his position and power.”
“You’ve gotten better at your ability to deduce from limited information, Scar.”
“Thanks, but you’re not being careful anymore, cousin,” she says worriedly.
“Grandpa has always supported your decisions, no matter how sinister and audacious, but now he’s switching to Vaughn?
I guess he also senses that you’re no longer as impassive as you used to be.
Your singular focus is about to be unearthed. ”
Well, she isn’t wrong.
In some ways. I’ve lived a very tedious life, with only one goal.
I’ve sacrificed, let go of, and ignored so many things that I once wanted in order for me to get to this position, and I’ll be damned if it all falls apart now.
“Grandfather wants a meeting because he made a deal with Vaughn,” I start, choosing to firmly ignore the sirens in my head.
I’m hoping I’m wrong, but with years of analyzing things, I know I’m not.
“What deal?” Scar questions with a frown.
“That’s what I’m going to find out now, but whatever it is, he made Grandfather extend the deadline.”
“For the decision?”
“Yes.”
Scarlet falls silent, mulling it over.
“Is this your doing?”
I smirk.
“Are you deaf? Your cousin is the one that went and made a deal and got what he wanted, why would any of that be my doing? I wasn’t even there.”
Scar’s eyes narrow on me. “And who are you? You’re the guy that makes serious, earth-shattering moves in the shadows.
You don’t have to say anything for you to gain the biggest advantage.
In fact, I know you’re the best at using other people to accomplish your goals without leaving a trace back to you, so while it might look like Vaughn thought of this himself, you’re the one who actually created the circumstances where he made that decision. ”
“Oh? I didn’t know I was so powerful,” I say sarcastically.
“Don’t give me that! I know you! And I know that everyone’s thoughts, actions, hell, even their emotions are all calculated and manipulated in your hands, the guy who seemingly has no affection in this world.”
Scarlet suddenly grins like a Cheshire cat.
Feeling uneasy, I stare back at her. “What?”
“But that’s not true, is it?” She wiggles her eyebrows in a creepy way that’s so unlike her but also on brand with her quippy, unpredictable character.
“You know, I’m beginning to think you have multiple personalities,” I mutter, side-eyeing her.
“Err, that wouldn’t be a stretch. With all I’ve been through, it would be a shock if I don’t have a mental disorder as the cherry on top,” she says nonchalantly, waving a hand dismissively.
“But you’re not as detached to the world as you claim to be.
I just met the one person in this world who can make you move and you call her Angel! ”
“I can move just fine on my own, thank you very much.”
“That’s not true!” She waves a finger between us like she’s freaking using a Harry Potter wand or something. “You had so many opportunities to make your moves all these years, like when Grandpa had the first stroke. You could’ve easily moved against them all, but you didn’t.”
“Wrong. He was at his most vulnerable, which means he was at his most defensive.”
Scar chuckles humorlessly. “I’m not a child anymore, Emmett.
I don’t need you to read me fairy tales or cover my eyes to the nasty bloodshed like you did back then.
I know you’ve adequately prepared for everything, including how to deal with Grandfather, my father, and our uncles, yet you’ve done nothing all these years, but the moment a certain beauty from Westbrook Blues enters the city, you’re at DEFCON 1. Isn’t that funny?”
“It’s so funny, I forgot to laugh,” I deadpan.
“Uh-huh,” she hums. “My question is, who is she?”
“She’s whoever she told you she is.”
“Nope, there’s something about that girl that is beyond what everyone else sees, isn’t there?”
“Maybe that they say she’s Theodore’s daughter?” I mutter sardonically.
“Oh, please, Grandpa doesn’t give a damn about the Hughes family. Who is she?”
I remain silent, not because I don’t want her to know but I also don’t quite know what’s running through Grandfather’s mind.
“Scar,” I start, my tone grave and low. “There’s a high chance that before the sun rises tomorrow, something would’ve happened to me.”
Scarlet immediately straightens. “What do you need?”
“Stay.” I turn to face her. “I need you to stay and be her backup.”
Scarlet holds my gaze, “Of course. I’ll do my best, but who am I guarding her against? I can’t exactly go against Vaughn by myself.”
“There’s no need to go against him,” I tell her. “And you won’t be alone.”
“What do I need to do?”
“Make sure she doesn’t panic. Monitor her health. My people will be on standby.”
“Then I’ll go stay with her.”
“Not yet,” I warn. “Don’t do anything to spook the vermin I want to exterminate. After tonight, keep close guard.”
“You have my word.”
In my entire family, I trust Scar the most.
She doesn’t flake on her duties and responsibilities but as I look at her now, I know it’s not just my words she’s taking to heart.
It looks like she genuinely likes Angel.
That’s good. Angel will have someone I trust after I’m gone.
“Are you going to kill my father?” she suddenly questions.
“Did he take part in getting rid of my mother?” I counter.
She’s silent for a while, then she sighs and only says, “My brother is innocent.”
“I’m not touching Xavier.”
“But you’re going to make them move tonight, aren’t you?”
I don’t say anything. Scar shakes her head.
“All the pawns and pieces you strategically placed on your board will be moved tonight and yet it seems the one you should protect is the one you’re going to sacrifice to win this game,” she says coldly but directly.
“Are you sure you want to use her so cruelly? Are you sure this move won’t be your undoing? ”
Without waiting for an answer, Scarlet walks away.
My phone buzzes with a text from my doctor. I almost drop the phone after I read his message.
Is this real?
Possible surgery…
If this is true… if there’s a chance…
Kai materializes from the shadows and whispers the words I’ve been dreading, hating but anticipating for a long time.
“Are they sure?” I demand.
“The doctor is ninety-two percent sure it will work,” Kai answers with the same eagerness I’m fighting to control. “Sir, let’s take this opportunity to do it. Ty will stay with the young miss. Nothing will happen to her.”
“Are the tracker chips running?”
“The trackers you injected in the young miss are all working, sir,” Kai says seriously, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
Knowing what’s about to happen, I had to put measures in place that ensure I always know where Angel is at all times.
I’m aware that it’s a breach of her trust to have done it while she was unconscious, and the fact that I didn’t tell her is likely a problem, but I don’t care.
I’ll go against the world—including her—to keep her safe.
Besides, there’ll never be a repetition of what happened last night. Even after I’m gone.
“Have Ty move Angel’s team in place. Tell him to get ready tonight,” I instruct.
I have no idea what will happen if I take this gamble, but I won’t leave her vulnerable. I never do if I’m far away from her.
I’ve been in and out of operating rooms my whole life. This opportunity hasn’t come my way all these years. Why now?
Do I do it or not?
If I do, maybe I have a chance… with her.
Maybe I can have her.
Maybe I can make her happy and tell her all the things I have buried deep in the recesses of my torn-up, leaky heart.
Maybe the thing in my chest that has always beat for her will finally match her heartbeat.
Heartbeat.
Heartbeat.
Heartbeat.
“Ninety-two percent?” I mutter.
“Yes, sir.”
Calculating all the possibilities in my head, I grab my phone to send a text, but one flashes immediately from the person I was just thinking about.
But when I read Angel’s text, I freeze.
Angel: Is something up?
You have to be more specific than that, Angel.
Angel: Are you under some kind of attack? Vaughn said something weird…
Are you worried about me, Angel?
Angel: No! Hell no! I’m worried about my brother and grandmother!
Their well-being depends on you. When the time comes, tell them what I told you to tell them and everything will be fine.
Angel: Jesus, Emmett, what’s going on?
Nothing to be concerned with.
Angel: Seriously?
I stare at the texts as waves of agony start swelling up in my chest like never before.
Angel: Are you in danger?
Angel…
Angel: Jesus, Emmett, just tell me!
I’ll come for you, baby.
Just… wait for me.