Page 93 of Legacy

“Get out.”

I ordered it once as the glass shattered and flew out in an arc from the stone slabs underfoot.

Music stopped. I felt the eyes of all the chiefs directed my way.

“Get. Out!”

They scrambled, climbing out of their chairs and leaving. The women seated with Ozias hurried away too, dodging any contact with the shards of glass. I’d come to a party scene of them all kicking back and living it up, and now, it was just me and him.

I didn’t move, blocking the sun from touching him and warming him. I felt no warmth or benevolence for him. He didn’t—hadn’t ever—deserved it. Not from me. Not from anyone.

“I demand an explanation for your plan.”

He pursed his lips together, feigning concentration, and he hummed. “What plan?”

“Don’t fuck with me.”

He chuckled. The sound grated on my nerves as he smirked at me like this was some big joke—an epic stunt.

“What plan? I have lots of plans, Eli. I’m the head of the Xenos Family. A leader has to have plans.”

“You’re not a leader.”

His smile dimmed.

“You’re nothing but a figurehead, an outdated example of what this family used to represent.”

He pulled his lower lip in and bit it. Anger was creeping over his face, slowly, but he was losing the war to hide it from me. “And what did the family ‘used’ to represent?”

“Power.”

He pointed at me, his cigar still wedged between his fingers. “Now, that, I agree with. The Xenos name used to be so readily associated with power.”

Keep believing that.It had never been his to have in the first place.

“I said I want an explanation for your plans.”

Reverting to the humor, he smiled and nestled back in his chair, puffing on his cigar. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Here we were once again. History repeated itself, with me pushing Ozias for answers and to own up to his schemes.

Not even an hour ago, I was at home with Avra, put on the spot just like I was putting Ozias on the spot. The only difference was that I was clueless when confronted with an accusation of participating in something I’d never heard about.

Ozias, on the other hand, was the mastermind of the entire conspiracy. He acted innocent when he was guilty of all this chaos.

“What is it? You’re already so sick of married life that you want to return home?”

This place was never home. Not mine. Not his either, when he had to steal it from Juno Vitalis.

“It’s tough, isn’t it?” He puffed his cigar again. “Married life is a hassle. Listening to the wife bitch and nag. Wanting this and that. I can only imagine how fucking miserable that girl is making you.”

I stood there and said nothing, letting his pathetic wordsgo in one ear and out the other. Who gave a damn what he felt about marriage? He never honored the one he had with his nonstop affairs.

The longer I remained silent, glaring down at him, the more he grew uneasy, squirming beneath my intense scrutiny.

His smile faded, then crumpled completely. His eyes narrowed as suspicion and annoyance claimed his mood. He shifted in his seat, unable to maintain eye contact.

Since childhood, the best way to irritate and push his buttons was with an unblinking stare and an added lack of response. He’d never been able to handle a silent treatment well. He couldn’t take the suspense.

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