Chapter 22 #2
Daphne didn’t flinch. I couldn’t tell whether he liked that or hated it. His hand tightened around the glass as he waited for her response.
She gestured toward the bar along the far wall. “Why don’t you go drink yourself deeper into a stupor?” she asked flatly. “Or better yet, aim for alcohol poisoning. Maybe that’ll prevent you from fucking random girls in the Oval Office.”
Whoa.
I jerked back.
Definitely didn’t expect that response from Daphne.
The air between them was thick with hatred.
“Okay, gross,” Adelina muttered in the background. “Certain things are best kept private from sisters.”
Whenever I saw Brooks on TV, he always looked like the perfect presidential son. His smile was polished and practiced. His words, tone, every gesture was flawless.
In public, he was a charming golden boy.
In private, he was the opposite.
Down here, people seemed to shed their fake skins and show what they really were. It was probably why he didn’t want me down here.
The intense way he stared at Daphne, coupled with Enzo’s pointed remarks about Brooks to her, made it obvious they had history.
Well, duh, Blair.
Her father did try to kill his.
But still, there had to be more.
As Brooks stared down at Daphne, I saw nothing but hatred in his eyes.
The same with hers.
The feeling was definitely mutual.
One thing I knew for sure was that the president’s son was a fucking asshole. If he ever ran for president—which rumor was that he would someday—I was not checking his name on the ballot.
Daphne made a swatting motion. “Now, go away. I want to have a nice night without assholes interrupting it.”
Anger flared in Brooks’s eyes so hot it genuinely scared the shit out of me. He gave more Enzo vibes from that look alone.
He was a Night Son. I’d put everything on that.
I also knew, deep down, he’d been there alongside Enzo, torturing me in the woods. He’d also played a part in all the shit they did to me in that freezing room.
I shifted on the couch, silently urging Daphne to go on.
To berate him because men who thought they could do anything deserved it.
All of a sudden, I decided I hated the president’s son.
He was no golden boy. He was another menace hiding in expensive clothes.
One thing I was learning about the Sons, other than they were fucking psychopaths, was that it was always about them. They showed no regard for the pain they inflicted upon others.
I chewed my lip, wondering if Brooks had had anything to do with the senator’s son’s death.
The kid of his father’s political rival’s car suddenly blown up?
I smelled murder, and it came from the drunk asshole standing across from me.
Brooks lowered his arm, snatching Daphne’s elbow, and attempted to lift her.
“Jesus.” Daphne planted her elbow on the armrest to keep herself in place. “At least let a girl get a drink first.”
Rising, Adelina wedged herself between them as a barrier and shoved Brooks back. “Seriously, go to bed.”
Brooks retreated a few steps, glaring at Daphne as she rubbed her elbow and glared back.
“Don’t stick up for her,” Brooks snapped, cold eyes slipping back to Daphne. “I can’t believe you can even fucking look at her. She’s nothing but …” He paused his speech, sidestepping Adelina to get in Daphne’s face. “A fucking snake.”
Daphne reared back, and I swear to God, from the way she moved her arm, I was prepared for her to smack him across the face.
But instead, she calmly and gracefully brought her middle finger to her lips and made a kissing motion. “No snake here, Brooks. If anyone’s a snake, it’s you.” She tapped her lip next. “You’re not mad that my father tried to murder yours. We both know why you’re really mad.”
Seraphina leaned in closer. “Ohh, please tell the room why he’s really mad. I’m loving this tea.”
“Samesies,” Livia said. “Air it out, Daphne. It’s best to get everything out in the open.”
“Jesus, fuck, Brooks.”
The air left my lungs at the sound of the deep, masculine voice.
The one that haunted me.
While Daphne’s devil stood in front of her, mine was walking toward me, looking every bit as dangerous as he was.
He looked freshly showered. The ends of his hair were still damp. His hoodie was black, and a gold chain hung at the open neckline.
Brooks stepped back and turned to face him.
I shuddered when he flung his arm in my direction, sending what remained of the liquor in his glass splashing out.
“Why the fuck is your Fawn here?” Brooks shook his head as if my presence here was an abomination to him.
Enzo remained unfazed by his attitude. “Because I invited her here.”
“First Daphne, now her,” he spat. “Let’s just start letting anyone in.”
“Stay mad, Brooks,” Daphne said snidely.
Enzo strolled closer, walking around the couch to stand behind me. His hands dropped to my shoulders, pinning me against the couch.
“Can you please just fuck?” Enzo asked them, sounding almost bored at their little argument.
“Hell no,” Brooks said at the same time Daphne shouted, “I’d rather poison myself.”
Enzo lowered his hand to my heart, tapping it once. “Come on. Let’s go.”
I didn’t want to go anywhere with him, so I made no attempt to move.
Let him act a fool in front of his sister and these other women.
Everyone went quiet at my disobeying him.
I’d forgotten one thing.
These women were protected Havens—minus Daphne, though she seemed to be protected by the Havens.
I wasn’t.
I wasn’t protected by anyone but Enzo, and only when he decided I was.
I was simply a Fawn. And from what I was learning, that put me at the very bottom of the food chain when it came to freedom.
A deep, slow chuckle left him as he dipped his head down, resting it on my shoulder, and whispered, “Trust me, you don’t want me to make a scene. It’ll only embarrass you. Not me.”
He pulled back, walking around the couch until he was in front of me, and held out his hand. “Time to do our homework.”
Without waiting for me, he snatched my hand and tugged me up from my seat. Losing my balance, I fell into the wall of his chest, and he held me steady.
“Enzo,” Seraphina said, “we wanted her to hang out with us tonight.” She pouted out her lower lip.
“Yeah, while I love you, I’m not Dad,” he told her. “That puppy-dog-face shit doesn’t work with me.”
She narrowed her eyes and flipped him off.
He smirked while turning my body, facing me away from them, and snagged my hand in his.
I knew this would happen, but I wished I’d been more prepared. Like Daphne had said, the Sons came to us only when they wanted something.
And Enzo wanted something.
This fucking list of secrets, for one.
He was about to be very disappointed.