Wreck Me - Page 214

My parents are in the corner, talking in hushed tones, and all the other senior members have a shadow of unease crossing their faces.

Grandmother walks inside with a cane, limping slightly.

When she’s seated, the senior members of the Family glance from us seven, the youngsters, to her in stiff silence.

Guards bring Felix and Caleb inside, and Grandmother says, “This is your process.”

“You fear her. She’s got one foot in the ground, anyway.” Felix spits, looking at the senior members with accusation.

“Silence.”

Grandmother didn’t even have to raise her voice, and that’s true authority.

“The Family has prided itself on one thing. Loyalty above everything else. It went well for generations until times changed and values shifted. Instilling fear is nothing when we cripple the next generation to the point of fighting against their own family.”

I play with my ring while Felix glares at it. He’s the first to look away, and I love every second of his face contorted in fury.

Grandmother makes a small pause in her speech, and I redirect my attention to her.

“In my time, the initiation was a vow. Family comes first. Nothing and no one else. That’s all you needed, and it became your credo. I would have never condoned these types of barbaric initiations. But again, these youngsters became people you could have never been: resilient and devoted. A new generation that will restore the right order. They are smarter than all of you together and have followed one simple rule: love. None of them wants this legacy and that makes them worthy leaders. The legacy is tarnished anyway, but I will give the next generation all the tools they’ll need to rebuild it from the ground up.”

Grandmother looks at Kaden and says, “What do you say?”

“I’m not speaking for the group. We are a unit.”

She smiles, a genuine one, pride flickering in her eyes.

“This is what you all forgot. Sadly. An acute selflessness and sacrifice comes with upholding a dynasty.” Her sharp gaze lands on Felix. “This is your punishment; you will spend the rest of your time in a cell for betraying the Family, and for giving orders that were never yours to give.”

“I did everything for this family.”

“No, you did everything to steal the leadership of this family. Greed is a snake, and you drank its venom until you became one.” She moves to Caleb. “And you. You lived for one thing.For your research, for your projects, and revolutionizing the health industry. But passion without a balance is madness. I will put you in the cell right next to Felix so you can keep each other company for the rest of your days.”

She sweeps her assertive gaze toward the other senior members. A reverent silence falls among them, and then chaos erupts.

Celine takes off, ramming a letter opener straight into a guard’s arm, and I notice the alarm on his watch.

“You fucking bitch. You’re too late,” Felix roars. That can only mean one thing: he plans to kill us all.

“Everyone out,” Celine yells.

Grandmother’s guards shove me out before I can protest.

“Where are Kaden and Celine?” I ask no one in particular. I move to go back inside when I see Kaden and Celine running down the entrance stairs with the Family’s crest. They throw it in the fountain. Water ripples with the explosion, pushing us on our backs from the impact.

Moments later, another explosion ensues. I stare at the side of the building as windows shatter and glass flies in all directions, raining down on the ground. Flames engulf the curtains, striking viciously, but the firefighters show up quickly, containing the fire and bringing a bit of calm to the chaos.

When the fire is extinguished, it’s confirmed only one body was found, and it was not Felix’s.

He survived. I should have killed him when I had the chance. And now I might never have another.

Back at the house, we’re all seated on the couch in the living room. Thick silence falls around our group. Dane walks inside, and instantly, his brows furrow.

He looks at our crestfallen faces, and I say, “We almost died.”

“Are you all right?” He rushes to me, cupping my face. His eyes flit over every inch of me, and only when he sees that I am fine, he sits beside me.

Hunter stands up and grabs a bottle of whiskey before slumping back on the couch.