Page 26 of Property of Lucian

Chapter 18

Haylee

I lit up a cigarette, taking a long drag while I watched my brother give out the weekend’s orders. We hadn’t discussed what had happened while I was gone.

I blew out the smoke. I knew I couldn’t give up but at the same time, it was all I was thinking about. Just walking away from this way of life. It was tough trying to keep afloat when I was cracking and drowning.

“Imogen is coming over tonight,” Harley said, but I didn’t look up from my cigarette. Had nothing to say to him, he was acting like everything was a-okay and it wasn’t.

The marijuana was numbing my brain but that was about it. It wasn’t getting to the nitty-gritty of what I was feeling or the heart pulses I felt when I heard a motorcycle. Hell, Harley hadn’t even looked at the tattoo on my hand.

I knew I had to get up and act like nothing had happened, but it was so bloody hard.

“Alright by you if her niece stays?”

I nodded, not interested in her niece or her. She was nothing but a complete brain-dead slut. I personally wouldn’t let her look after my child.

“So how long are we putting up with this one for?” The words came off my tongue like a slice of a blade through the air. I looked at my brother. “She’s moved in.”

“I like her.”

“She isn’t the one,” I muttered, pushing my chair back as I got up. “Trust me, brother, she’s just a fill-in for the right one.”

His hand wrapped around my wrist as I went to leave. “Don’t speak about her like that.”

“Ya bending rules for her?” I titled my head to look at him, giving him a calculated look. “Don’t think I’ve noticed how you are breaking our codes for her.”

He scoffed, “Well, you know all about codes, don’t you.”

My expression dropped, he hadn’t seriously just gone there. “Excuse me?” I spoke clearly, hoping he would take back what he said or at least, not follow it up with something smart.

“I’m just saying that if anyone is giving a lecture about breaking codes it is you. You shouldn’t even be back here according to the codes. Don’t think I know he fucking broke them by handing you back!”

I was speechless, and he got up to leave. “Wait.” I stopped him from leaving. “You didn’t want me back, did you?”

He shook his head. “That isn’t the point, Haylee. The point is we keep our words and you pledged yourself to him, and the result was you running?”

“I didn’t run.”

“Uh-huh.” He crossed his arms and it seemed as if we were about to get into it.

“I didn’t!” I stood up. “I fucking called it in.” I couldn’t believe this was how I was going to tell my brother the truth.

His expression dropped. “You are the reason their charter was taken down?”

I nodded my head.

“Get out.”

“Excuse me?” I said.

“Get out of here, out of my life, out of this town!” he roared. “We never involve the police, what you have done is . . .” he looked at me, “unforgiveable.” And with that word coming off my brother’s lips, I couldn’t believe he was siding with a criminal who beheaded our enforcer, the one other man I had somewhat loved before this life had pulled me in.

“He beheaded Mason,” I said firmly. “He beheaded one of our men!”

“And he could have been an informer!”

“Could have been but might not have been!” I exclaimed. I couldn’t believe Harley was siding with Lucian. And it was in this moment that I realise I would life this life no more.

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