Page 25 of Bonded By Blood
Brianna looked over at her mother, whose expression seemed contemplative. “We can’t pretend nothing’s happened. If they had an enemy who happened to kill one of us, you would be livid if they didn’t come forward about it. This is no different.”
Trista sat up straight. “We don’t cow to dogs, Brianna.”
Brianna narrowed her eyes at her mother’s glare. “That isn’t what I—”
“No,” Trista interrupted firmly. “He’s right. I don’t owe them an accounting of events that happen in my territory. It’s as simple as that.”
“And if Joe wants to tell his friends, what then?”
“If Joseph wants to be the first vampire in history to choose werewolves over his own kind, that’s his decision.”
Brianna’s mouth fell open. “That’s not the same thing, Mother.”
“We can revisit this discussion, if you insist, after Tobias Wilson is dead. Right now, that is my priority.” Trista’s words were firm, her tone detached. She’d made up her mind.
Jasen pushed off the wall and stalked from the room.
For possibly the first time ever, Brianna actually felt like she understood him. Instead of following in his footsteps, however, she refocused on her mother. “And what if that takes another hundred years?”
“It won’t.”
Brianna drew a breath. “I’m sure no one expected it to take even one century,” she said. “But as I recall, it has.”
“You’re right,” Trista said. “No one expected it would take this long. We didn’t consider him such a threat until more recently, or I would have made his execution more of a priority. We’re closing in now, Brianna. Trust your mother.” She narrowed her eyes. “Obey your mother.”
“This is the wrong decision,” Brianna said boldly. She turned then and walked from the room, cutting a deliberate side-long look at the advisor who’d spoken up as she passed him. In her opinion, it was largely his fault her mother had made the choice she had.
She wasn’t ten feet from the room when she spotted Kendall. Thank goodness.
Kendall tucked her smartphone away and straightened. “Family crisis?” she asked. “Jasen actually looked mad when he came all stompy out of the room. He even nearly plowed into me. ‘Course, that could be because he doesn’t like me. Or maybe he’s practicing for some tackle football game.” She grinned at her own joke. “Though no one in their right mind would play any kind of physical contact sport with that guy.”
Brianna released a breath and rested a hand on Kendall’s shoulder. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to.” She let a small smile show as she turned Kendall around and guided her away from the meeting room. “You’re right, though. He’d be a terrible opponent.”
Kendall laughed lightly. “Glad you agree. But seriously, why’d you call and demand I come over?”
How had she managed to wind up with two conversations destined to not go well back-to-back? Brianna sighed. “I want you to stay at the mansion for a while.”
Kendall came to an abrupt stop, just outside the sitting room they’d been aimed toward. “Hold up, what? You can’t be serious?”
Brianna faced her. “Of course I’m serious,” she said. “Just until we’ve dealt with Tobias.” Now I sound like my mother. She could have cringed at her hypocrisy. “It’s not safe in the city.”
A scowl dipped Kendall’s lips. “It wasn’t any safer in the city yesterday,” she said. “Or the day before that. Why the change? What’s the big deal?”
She was right, and it felt like a slap in the face. “I know, I’m sorry. I should have had you here earlier.”
“No,” Kendall said, shaking her head. “It’s the opposite, Bri. I don’t want to drop my life every time some big scary monster shows up on the radar.”
“Kendall,” Brianna began, searching for the right words. “Please, listen to me. This isn’t going to be an ‘all the time’ situation. Tobias is dangerous. If he finds out about you—”
“I know how to defend myself,” Kendall interrupted sharply. “You made me learn, remember? So I wouldn’t be defenseless in your world.” She began gesturing. “But the minute some bad guy shows up, you just wanna lock me in my room like a fragile little kid?”
“It’s for your own good, Kendall,” Brianna said firmly. “Knowing how to fight isn’t always enough.”
Kendall crossed her arms stubbornly. “What about my day job?”
Brianna fought not to roll her eyes. “I’ll make sure you get it back if it means that much to you.” She knew it didn’t. Kendall complained about the thing anytime she talked about it, but for some reason she insisted on keeping it.
Kendall made a face of disgust. “No. That’s not how real life works. I deliberately picked a place not ‘owned and operated’ by the Family. You don’t get to swoop in and buy it up just so you can back me into this corner.”