Page 28 of A Dead Man's B-Side
August went to take a drag of his cigarette, but Wolf stood up and plucked it from his hands before sitting back down. “What–Hey, get your own.”
I huffed out a breath. “He’ll return it when he turns into a coughing fit, don’t you worry.”
Wolf rolled his eyes before taking a drag, exhaling the smoke without so much as a hitched breath.
I pursed out my bottom lip in mock surprise.
Color me impressed.
“Callum assumes what he wants, and I’m not in the business of handing others complimentary access into my private affairs.”
At least he wasn’t as dim-witted as the idiot to my side. I curled my lips and sent August a sideway glance.
The boy in question did a double take at the heat of my stare. “What? What did I do?”
When I didn’t answer him, he continued to pester me, but Ispoke over him, “So who else is on this board? Or should I say, are your sister-wives? Considering you rich people are always up to creepy arrangements.” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.
Wolf glared, but August barked out a laugh. “He’s not wrong.”
The former handed August his cigarette back. “It’s not really a big secret. There’s the Queen family, the Kingleys of course, the Jetts–”
I leaned forward. “Jetts… As in Rain Atlas Jett?”
August whistled. “I see you’ve met your new puppet master. I must say, she works fast.”
“What’s her deal, anyway?”
Wolf was oddly silent, suddenly finding interest in the smoke dancing up to the ceiling. It was August who filled me in, “Her grandmother is on the board. A crazy bat, that one–not the grandmother, I’ve never met her.” He shook his head quickly before pausing. “Er… I also don’t insultanyold folk, on principle.”
I leaned over and tapped the ash against the edge of the soap tray before sitting back against the wall, this time placing my pillow behind me for comfort. This was going to be a long night. “I’m sure. So, the board is only made up of three families? That doesn’t seem fair.”
Wolf came back to life at that. “Well, if you’d let me finish, you’d know it’s made up of eight, actually. There’s also the Fenlons, but I think after what happened, they might be looking to take a step back.”
I perked up. “What happened?”
August shoved my shoulder with the weight of the news he was willing to share. “Oh, it was a tragedy. Well, I never liked Malakai Young, just imagine Callum Queen except worse, but it was truly heartbreaking to watch his mother crumble under the weight of the news of her only son committing suicide.”
Why does he speak like a novelist?
“So, he was a Fenlon on his mother’s side, I’m assuming.”
Wolf hummed in confirmation.
So, did Ajax find suicidal people weak? Is that why he hates the building so much?
Does he hate the sight of weak people, or does he hate Malakai for being weak?
Perhaps they were friends?
Perhaps they were enemies.
But I was getting ahead of myself. Maybe Ajax simply found the building to be an eyesore.
I rather liked it. It was rustic yet stood proud in its historic glory.
Wolf continued like the news wasn’t at all tragic, yet again, I didn’t find it so either. I never knew the Fenlons or their son, but Wolf seemed to have known the boy, and so did August; neither of them held any love for either. “There’s… the Jetts, the Fenlons… Ah, yes, there’s also the Vales. The youngest niece of the old patriarch graduated a few years prior. Nice woman, she was. The Osei clan, the Saltford-Windors, though their bloodline is rarer and… complicated. And lastly, the Letums. Dark family. They closed ranks after their matriarch died five years ago. Not a single appearance, let alone a word.”
“What’s the complication with the Saltford-Windsors?”
