Killing For Family

Chapter 14

She hurried down the steps and out the door, breathing in the cold outdoor air with relief. Her anger was clouding the air up there, and it felt like she couldn't breathe. 

She went to sit in Romans car and waited there for what felt like hours, head back against the seat, overthinking every single thing about her outburst.

She wanted to sift through the information she had been given, which was sitting in her mind like an unopened file, but knew she should wait until she was in a better state of mind.

Her eyes were closed as she threw her head back against the seat.

She heard the car door open, and Roman get in. He said nothing but started the car. 

He paused for a second. 

"I don't think that anyone deserves to die." His voice was deep, and low, and vulnerable. "but if anyone would, it would be them."

And then silence. His words reverberated around the car, a silent apology or attempt to reconcile. It wasn't much, but it was something. This brought a slight smile to Celia's face as they drove away, and her mind quieted.

And then they drove on through the night. In the morning they would be at the meeting point with the rest of the men, as they had driven quicker than expected.

That ball of longing and sadness that had been constant ever since yesterday morning grew, as she thought of seeing her brother again. She missed his familiar presence in her mind, though for just two days. 

But for them, who had never been apart, two days felt like a year. 

She must have fallen asleep in the car, for when she woke up they were still driving, but she had a jacket over her and that drowsy cloudy feeling when you've slept somewhere you usually don't.

She hadn't had any nightmares that night, which she saw as a plus. 

She looked over to see Roman still watching the road.

"You were muttering in your sleep," he commented offhandedly, talking about her nightmares.

"Wouldn't you?" Celia replied grumbling, reminding him of the fact that she hadn't been free for over 12 years.

"I suppose so." He replied, and that was the end of their conversation.

She used this time to sift through her new information. The only bit she found interesting, though she couldn't be sure if it was a rumor or not, was that Zane was half brothers to Lincoln and Hunter and all the others.

They shared their dad, but Zane's mother was a completely different species, explaining his extraordinary looks, but also how he seemed outcast and ignored by the brothers. 

The dad had married, and all the other brothers had the same father. What was peculiar is that Zane was younger than the eldest brother, who didn't appear to have his name widely known. 

What would explain the resentment was if their father had cheated with Zane's mother, therefore Zane's age was right in the middle of the unknown eldest and Lincoln.

According to the information, Zane was around 24 or 25. The eldest was more around 26, Lincoln was about 23, Isaac was around 22, Hunter was 20 and the twins were 19. They all seemed so young, but she supposed that legally, they were adults. 

Lukas and she had just turned 18, and she remembered that it had been a very very fun birthday. They had been told to kill a young girl, heiress to a company, and refused. As a result, they had been beaten to within an inch of their lives and separated for a week.