Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“Don’t play dumb with me, Onyx. What’s happening between you and the girl?”
I played it off. “What girl?”
He glared at me.
“I’m with a lot of women. You’ll have to be more specific.”
“Onyx…”
“Her name’s Hennessy.”
His eyebrows rose. “Have you slept with her?”
“Since when do you care who I sleep with?”
“Onyx…” he warned in a harsh tone. “You need to follow the rules.”
“And what if I don’t?”
In one stride, he was in my face. “Listen to me, you little shit. Don’t be stupid! Think with your head for once and not your dick.”
I adamantly shook my head. “You don’t even know her.”
“Onyx, I won’t tell you again!”
“Fuck you!”
Before the last word left my mouth, his fist was in the side of my face. I stumbled a bit, quickly catching my footing.
“Don’t you ever talk to me like that again!” He turned and left, leaving me standing there with my hand on my jaw, moving it all around.
I watched him leave, resisting the urge to hit him back. I could literally kill the man with my bare hands. Though the truth was, in the end, it wasn’t my dad who terrified me.
* * *
It was the feelings I was developing for her that kept me up at night.
Chapter
Twenty-One
Onyx: When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you.
From the moment I walked into the Legacy Council chamber, the same chamber that we were initiated in. This wasn’t going to be a conversation, that much I did know. I had a hell of a morning, beating the fuck out of the guys who were trying to fuck Hennessy. My knuckles were still raw and bloody.
The Legacy Council were all wearing their black cloaks, which concealed their entire bodies, along with their masks, which covered their faces. There was no indication of who was behind each one, which was the point of all this. They were supposed to be intimidating, but to me, they were just wasting my fucking time.
The faint glow of candlelight caught against each of the sacred crests behind us, representing each family legacy. The council was up in their chamber while I was on the floor below them, resembling a jury as I was on trial.
I stopped when I was in the center of the room for all to see, to investigate and pull apart.
“Onyx Devereaux,” one of the councilmen announced, echoing my name off the ceramic walls.
Keeping my face expressionless, I replied, “Council, to what do I owe the honor?”
“You have been called before the council, and this is how you decide to dress?” the same voice inquired.
I was wearing my usual attire, a black hoodie and jeans with my boots.
“I wasn’t aware of the dress code.”
“Your brazenness isn’t why you’ve been called before the council.” There was nothing but silence until the same voice informed, “You were warned by your father, were you not?”
“Mm-hmm…”
“Onyx Devereaux, use your words.”
I stayed quiet.
“This is the council. Let me remind you that you will answer when you are addressed and your answers will be clear. Do you understand?”
I nodded. “Yes, my father warned me.”
“Yet you continued this affair.”
“Affair?” I chuckled. “I haven’t fucked her.”
“You’re out of line!” one of them shouted. “You will show this council the respect that is owed!”
My eyes lifted toward the voice. “Then perhaps you need to learn the definition of affair. I’m just spitting facts. I haven’t fucked her.”
Another second of silence before the same voice called out, “You kissed her.”
“Yes, that I did.”
“You were warned not to.”
“Yes.”
“And you did it anyway?”
I crossed my arms over my chest, bored already. “Yes.” I grinned. “And before you ask, it’s because I wanted to, so I did.”
The utter silence was deafening. I could hear it deep down into my bones.
“You chose to disobey an order from a council member, is that correct?”
I cocked my head to the side. “Yes, we just established that.”
“You find this amusing?”
I shook my head. “No. Again, I’m just laying out the facts like any good member of the Brotherhood would.”
“You seem to forget who you’re speaking to. The council does not tolerate defiance. You’re forgetting your blood oath to your Brotherhood.”
“No, I remember every word of it perfectly.”
“Then how about you remind us what you swore?”
I sighed. “Speak No Claim, Hear No Promises, See No Temptation.”
“But you’ve managed to forget all three for one girl, correct?”
“I didn’t forget. I made a choice.”
“A choice that goes against what you swore, and you show no remorse.”
“No,” I agreed. “I don’t have any regret for what I did.”
“You stand before the council and admit that?”
“You asked me a question. I answered it.”
“Will you do it again? Kiss her?”
I shrugged. “If I want to.”
“And what gives you the right to disregard what you’re ordered?”
“I kissed a girl. It’s not that deep.”
“You were forbidden to.”