Page 38 of Retaliation
The bartender immediately slid a gin martini to Laszlo. He picked it up and took a sip before turning away from me. Laszlo walked along the garden-side wall, and I knew he wanted me to follow. I downed my vodka and kept my pace even as I followed him to a quiet alcove. Laszlo Blackbyrn was a massive man, almost as broad as Ty. The deep green of his custom suit paired nicely with his dark skin. He kept his hair short and styled. Laszlo never moved hastily, commanding a room with his threatening presence alone. People edged away from him as he walked, easily registering the monster hidden behind the handsome smile and fancy suit. He watched the dancers and sipped his martini, saying nothing for several moments before I couldn’t stand the silence any longer.
“I didn’t realize you were attending the ball tonight, Father.”
He ignored me. A lesser man would be sweating in the silence, but I was used to this. Molded by him from boyhood into the ruthless creature I was now. I maintained my bored expression until he finally responded.
“Things are moving along quickly. We will need you boys in North Carolina before long.” He uttered the words quietly enough that only I would hear.
My body tensed, knowing what would come next.
“So, you’ve found the girl you’ve been looking for?” I asked, keeping my voice even.
“Nearly. Her father will get her to come to us. And once she does, we will finish what we started. Finally.” The tremor of excitement in his voice unnerved me. “Have you discovered any information about the recent deaths of some of our members?”
My jaw ticked with frustration. In the last two years, fifteen members of The Obscuritas had been murdered. Seven of those were in the last two months, counting Jackson Delano. “No, sir.”
Laszlo sighed. “Disappointing. How has it come to be that one of my spies has discovered information when my fully trained son has not?”
My teeth grated, but I chose to ignore his comment. Laszlo was in a mood, and with Sara here, I didn’t want to start a fight.
I adjusted my suit jacket and pretended to be uninterested. “What did you find?”
He turned slightly and raised a condescending eyebrow. “And why would I share information with a son who cannot find things out for himself?”
For fuck’s sake. “We know Jackson was tortured and murdered. It was clearly a professional hit. The mansion as well. The staging was well thought out.”
Laszlo grunted. “For a novice, it was adequate. This was not a team. This was a single being seeking retaliation.”
The way he spoke made goosebumps rise beneath my jacket. “Being?”
He didn’t respond. I glanced his way and watched as his gaze caught on something, or someone, and I nearly choked as I realized who he was watching.
“Who is that beauty Typhon is attempting to dance with?”
“No one important.” I kept my voice even and uninterested. “She’s a student in one of my classes. Leviathan invited her.”
I chanced a look, and my heart stopped as his eyes grew hungry, watching them. Watching her.
“Typhon seems to be enthralled with her. His thoughts are quite loud and unguarded,” he mused, sipping his drink.
I checked my mental shields, but they were still intact. While he could read almost anyone, the other Princes and I were able to block out my father’s psychic attacks thanks to the gifts—as he liked to call them—the four of us gained from the ritual all those years ago. We also all gained the ability to read minds. Apparently, Ty was thinking more with his cock if his shields were lowered. But I wasn’t worried for him. In fact, I surmised he was doing it on purpose as a distraction. I was worried my father would discover something about Sara Braun if he spent too long looking, and I was right.
His breath caught, and I knew what he would say next. “Interesting. Can any of you read her?”
I grimaced, unable to get out of this. “No.”
He cocked his head, tracking her with more interest as alarm bells sounded in my brain. “How very interesting. Keep her close. Bring her to me next week.”
I swallowed as my throat went dry. “Of course.”
Laszlo nodded, pleased. He handed his empty glass to a passing server and disappeared into the crowd.
Levi came up behind me and gripped my arm hard. “Andras.”
I kept my eyes on Ty and Sara as my father stalked across the room. “We will take her tonight. She’s caught my father’s eye.”
“Fuck.” Levi cursed under his breath. “He cannot get his hands on her, Andras. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met. Any woman we’ve ever known, and you know it.”
He was right. The thought of handing her over to my father made my blood boil and rattled the icy cage around my heart. I wasn’t ready to admit that to anyone else but I sure as fuck wouldn’t be giving her to my father.
