Chapter Drayton
Drayton
Iwas not a patient man. When I wanted something done, I made it happen, or I did it myself.
Thing was, finding Marian was out of my hands.
I had no idea where The Order of the Unavowed was located, and getting anyone to speak on it was impossible.
Elec. It rested on him, and the fact that he was taking forever to get back to me wasn’t helping calm me down.
I paced. I seethed. I plotted the destruction of an entire city if it led me back to Marian.
But I wasn’t sure even that would uncover the location of where they were keeping her.
Underground.
That’s all I knew. Whether that was under the city itself or somewhere on the outskirts, I wasn’t sure, but I was ready to find out.
“You can’t just go wandering around down there, Drayton. You have no idea where anything even leads.”
“Which is why I have you looking into it.”
Quinton threw me a look. “We can’t do it. Elec told us to keep in place. He said he’d call at five. That’s fifteen minutes from now.”
“He also said he’d call at noon. And at seven last night. He doesn’t know what’s going on, and I can’t wait around to find out. Do you have any idea what they could be doing to Marian right now?”
“Probably no more than you planned to do.”
My lids narrowed through the rage that lived inside.
“Which is my right. I own her. They don’t.”
“If you get her back—”
“When I get her back.”
Quinton’s lips pursed. “When you get her back, will you continue with your plan? Will you make her suffer even more than she has?”
My jaw flexed through confliction. “She’ll pay until I’m satisfied.”
“But by you or…”
My glare only increased. “You’re trying to piss me off.”
“No, I’m trying to get you to see how ridiculous this payback even is.
Why not let it go? Let her go. Let this play out and focus on finding a real wife.
A new one. She’s obviously not marrying Bastian Allard now.
There’s no reason to fear her line will overpower ours.
I mean… shit… her family is dead, Drayton.
They’re fucking dead. The LaRoes are no more.
We won. End this by letting them end her.
It’s truly the perfect revenge anyway. Can’t you be satisfied with that? ”
I clenched my fists, heading to stare out of the floor-length windows that gave view of the city.
“It’s not that simple.”
“It’s very simple. Let’s go home. We’ll forget it ever happened. We can let the past die. Literally.”
My hand wiped down my face, and my head was already shaking.
“I can’t do that.”
“Can’t… or won’t?”
“Won’t,” I roared, turning with a look that left Quinton growing quiet and nodding.
I was breathing hard. My entire body was shaking with a force that promised annihilation to anyone who crossed me.
“You don’t understand. Marian is mine. I gave myself to her.
All of myself. If I could move on, I would have done it by now.
I must make this right. I have to... fix whatever is broken.
” I turned back to the city, moving my stare to the ground everyone was walking on.
“To do that, I need her back. Whatever happens from there, happens. At least it’ll be done by me.
I can live with that. Even if she can’t. ”
Knocking had me turning to look at the door.
Quinn’s brow creased in confusion, and he reached to his back, pulling his gun free to rest down along his leg as he headed for the barrier.
I didn’t have his paranoia, but maybe I should have.
Was the man who took Marian close? Was he hurting what was mine?
He had to know she belonged to me. That was…
if she’d truly been taken by The Unavowed.
She might not even be in the country. Elec saw them land in London, but what if the location was wrong?
What if they wanted anyone tracking them to think they did?
“Well, this can’t be good.”
Quinton opened the door, and my lips parted as Elec headed in.
The air around his determined stride left my pulse hitting hard.
Dark hair was slightly disheveled as if he’d constantly been running his fingers through it, and his blue eyes were practically glowing.
The look he wore was hard. Concern immediately took over.
“Fuck. What happened?”
Elec didn’t answer. He walked straight to the small bar off to the side, pouring himself a drink. Only after he turned to me and took a sip, did he speak.
“If you knew the lengths I have gone to keep Marian for you, you’d be indebted to me for life. No… you are. Life, Drayton. We have about half an hour.”
“For what?”
I walked closer as Elec threw back the liquor, finishing it in one drink.
“To be downstairs and waiting. We’re getting picked up.”
Faster, I headed towards him. “To go to The Order?”
“No. To a meeting.”
“With?”
Elec looked at his empty glass, his lip curling back in anger as he turned to Quinn. “The team is waiting for you. Go suit up.”
Quinton quickly nodded, leaving us alone in the room. Elec let out a heavy sigh, placing down the glass.
“We can’t speak to The Unavowed unless we have someone in The Council accompany us.
Even that’s dangerous, but he’s broken laws.
It’s a process, but one we don’t have time to challenge, hence the fucking meeting.
We have to come up with a plan.” He paused.
“What I am going to tell you doesn’t leave this room. ”
“You know it won’t.”
He nodded.
“My cousin is on his way to pick us up.”
My head reared back the smallest amount. “Your cousin? Bram Whitlock?”
“He is part of The Collective High Council now. He’s our access to The Unavowed.”
“Oh… shit.”
“Yeah.” Elec’s face turned harder with his anger. “Of anyone they could send. I bet he asked to come. I think he does it on purpose. We don’t get along anymore. He betrayed us when he let Whitlock fall.”
“The first trafficking underground fortress,” I said under my breath. “I heard he did it for love. For Everleigh, the slave.”
Elec laughed. “The infamous twenty-four-six-ninety. Yeah, her. Although… she never should have been a slave. She was one of us. She was an elite, and everyone knew it. I should let it go. It happened, and it got me my position.” At my look he shrugged.
“I have shit to work out. I’m taking it slow.
” A smile came to his face. “Bram’s having an heir, did you hear? ”
“I didn’t.”
“I’m happy about it, even if I can’t stand him. The child will do right by us. Especially considering the mother. Everleigh is strong. It was a good match. I’ll admit that.”
I nodded. “I’ve heard good things. She works with the Jane Doe Foundation, helping people.”
“Which is not good,” Elec said, his voice deeper. “Those missing people Everleigh’s helping that pesky reporter, Anna, look for… they were taken because of me. They’re coming to the Gardens.”
“Oh… right. They let Bram into The Council knowing this?”
Elec rolled his eyes. “They know. There’s nothing that can be done.
They know that too. The Whitlocks help who they can, but they don’t cross lines.
They know better. Even Everleigh knows better.
It makes her feel good to be able to save a few.
I’ll let that slide. I’m not worried about it.
We have no issues filling the quota.” He paused.
“Speaking of quota, Marian is at The Order. They have her, Drayton, and I’m not seeing them hand her back over smoothly.
The Unavowed, he fought like hell for her, but I won. He’s not going to make this easy.”
“The Unavowed. Can we stop saying that? Does this bastard have a name?”
Elec’s head shook back and forth. “Not one I’ll say, nor you. It’s best you don’t even know.”
“Fine. Why does he want Marian? Not for himself if he has Penny.”
“No.” Elec’s head lowered. “It’s a mix of things, really. It’s her mother. It’s me.”
“You? Why you?”
Ice blue eyes rose to meet mine. “Because I allowed and supported the death of Charles Redman, the previous Main Master of The Order. You see, he plotted with other Main Masters to help take the life of Gavin Draper’s pregnant wife.
He was the former Main Master of Red Island.
Layla almost died. One of their twins did.
It was unforgivable. Gavin Draper wanted revenge.
I gladly gave it to him. Bram was present as well, so…
I’m not sure how well this is going to go over.
Redmond’s death forced The Unavowed to take his place.
He wasn’t ready for that, and he didn’t take to it kindly.
That’s when he met Melissa, Marian’s mother.
He wouldn’t work with me. He’d only speak with her.
Even then, they had their differences. I have no idea what damage Melissa caused, but it was enough for him to rebel against The Council, and that’s never good. ”
“Great. He has to give her back though, right? I mean, she’s mine. He can’t keep her or give her to someone else.”
“Not for good but… he can stall. He can delay. In the meantime—”
“She suffers,” I breathed out.
At Elec’s silence and agreeable nod, I cursed.
“Where’s this meeting? Why doesn’t Bram just come here so we can talk?”
Elec laughed.
“He doesn’t trust this place. Not because of you.
He knows things we don’t. If he refuses to come, there’s a good reason.
My guess…” Elec glanced to the floor length windows.
“The Unavowed knows you’re here. I’m sure there’s talk all over the underground.
There may even be retaliation. Each country has their Gardens, their Whitlock, or their Order.
We’re the US. We’re the enemy, Drayton, and we need to be prepared for anything.
Let’s call the men and head down. They’ll follow behind us and be ready. ”