Page 41 of Before the Fall
Smiling, he chuckles and asks, “How surprised were you when you walked in and saw her there?”
“I thought she was a goddamned delusion, man. Thanks for giving me a head’s up.”
“If I recall, I wasn’t allowed to get two words in edgewise since you were busy telling me to basically go fuck myself yesterday. Am I remembering things incorrectly, or wasn’t that you walking up my driveway telling me off?”
My guess is he thinks I’m going to apologize, but that’s not happening. I stand by everything I said yesterday. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I’m here this morning to talk to him.
“Yeah, and I think you need to hear more of that kind of thing because you haven’t moved on Victor yet. What the hell is going on, Ryker? I know he’s your brother. He’s my uncle and Cason’s fucking father. None of that changes the fact that the guy needs to be taken out. He nearly killed Tia and me. What the hell are you waiting for?”
I see by the angry expression that takes over his face that he’s not happy I’m questioning him yet again on this issue, but I don’t care. The time has fucking come to get rid of this Victor problem we’re all dealing with once and for all. If Ryker can’t or won’t do it, then he better be prepared for someone else to step up to handle things.
“We’ve had this conversation, Jaxon.”
Before he goes any further, I stand up and walk over to his desk. Leaning down, I get eye level with him. “Then why haven’t you ordered the hit? What does he have to do, Ryker? Come in here and fuck around with you personally? That’s not leadership. He has to fucking go, and it should have happened months ago.”
Ryker stands from behind his desk, shaking his head. “Do you want to lead this family? I’m still the head, so I decide what happens and when,” he says in that low voice I know means he’s on the verge of exploding.
Well, he fucking needs to.
“Nobody says they want to be the goddamned leader, dude. But if you’re going to sit in the big chair, you have to make the big decisions, and those aren’t happening. Victor took Lily hostage and threatened to not give her and Cason the baby back. Remember that? I thought you’d go after him then, but nothing happened. What is going on here that’s holding up this show? Does he have to kill one of us before you’ll accept your brother has to go? Because I’m not volunteering to be his next goddamned victim, Ryker.”
He's practically seething by the time I’m done talking, but so be it. I don’t know what’s going on inside his head, but somebody has to get through to him that this inaction is putting us all in danger.
“You don’t understand what goes into something like that, Jaxon. Until you do, sit down and shut the fuck up!” he barks.
That may have worked a few months ago, but after what Tia and I have been through, it’s not going to play anymore. “No, and if you don’t like what I’m saying, then ask any of the others around here. Ask Cason how he fucking feels about the specter of his father still looming over him. Ask Kane how he feels knowing Sophie is always in danger and he has to watch over her twenty-four seven because as a Varens, she’s fair game to your dickhead brother. What the hell does he has to do to earn a trip straight to hell, man? Whatever it is, he’s done it. It’s time.”
Leaning over his desk, he’s right in my face but says nothing. I know what he’s thinking. He isn’t sure he wants to deck me, but he’s sick and tired of me bringing up this same damn subject.
“It’s complicated,” he says through gritted teeth.
“No, it’s not!” I bellow right in his face. “It’s not fucking complicated, unless you’re trying to make it complicated, which is seems like you are. He’s got to go, Ryker! Now!”
I’m sure he’s about to come over the desk at me at any moment, but the sound of someone clearing their throat gets our attention, and we both turn to look toward the door. Kaia looks at both of us like she’s not sure if she wants to say what she came to the office to talk about or slap the hell out of the two of us.
“It’s not a good time right now,” Ryker says to his wife.
That gets him an eye roll. “I won’t bother mentioning you seem to say that a lot lately. I just wanted to let you know that Tia and I are going to the store. Jeremy and Rico are coming with us. Maxim just went down for his nap, and the nanny is upstairs in the nursery with him. Do you want some of that mango juice you liked so much the last time I got it?”
The two of us just stare at her for a long moment before Ryker turns to look at me and says, “I’ll be back, but when I return, we won’t be having any more of this conversation.”
“Then you’re going to have to block your ears because I’m still going to be talking about it.”
Ryker doesn’t respond to that and walks out of the office, leaving me alone for the moment. If he thinks I’m just going to let this issue of Victor needing to die go, he’s got another thing coming.
I scroll through my messages and see my guy in Italy reported early this morning that Tia’s parents are loving their vacation. They’ve traveled to Tuscany and are enjoying their time with wine tasting today.
As I’m texting him back, Tia pokes her head in and asks, “Do you want anything from the store? Kaia’s got a list a mile long, but I know she wouldn’t mind a few more items.”
I wave her in and take her in my arms to kiss her. “Nothing is coming to mind, but if you see anything you think I’d like, feel free to grab it. More people are coming to stay, so she’s probably shopping for them.”
Tia taps the tip of my nose and kisses me. “She says Ryker loves this new mango juice she found. Would you like me to ask her to get extra so you can try it?”
The mere thought of that makes my stomach turn, so I shake my head. “No, thanks. I’m not a mango juice guy.”
“You know, real men drink mango juice, Jaxon,” she says, teasing me.
She really can be so cute. “Thanks for the vote of confidence that I’m a real man, but the answer is still no to the mango stuff. Now if you see some pineapple juice, I’ll be on that in a hot minute.”