It doesn’t take long to land and disembark. Waiting for us is a black Rolls Royce Cullinan, which has the windows darkened. It’s quite a car. Not exactly my style, but it will do the job to get us from here to the Lancaster estate.
Once we’re in the back of the vehicle, the driver pulls away and we’re on our way. The roads aren’t busy at all, and I’m thankful for that. Exhaustion has taken a hold of me, and even though I know sleep won’t come until tonight, I hope we have a relaxed afternoon.
My father explained that I’d be meeting Ares Lancaster, one of the four crowns of the Society. He heads up the Gilded Sovereign with his brother and two of his best friends. It reminds me of the Thorne and Haven men, all six of us taking on the roles of our fathers. I know that if anything were to happen to Bradford or Octavius, we would need to keep the legacy of Thorne Haven alive.
Even if we don’t want to, we don’t have a choice because it’s in our blood. And there is no running away from it, even if I would love to. As much as I tell myself I’d walk out the first chance I got, I know it’s a lie. And my father knows it too. Perhaps that’s why he’s always been so hard on me.
With Damien in London and Cassian no longer living in our childhood home, I’m the only son who is still lives at Thorne Manor. Even though that may seem like I’m not independent, our family is nothing like what one would assume a normal family is like.
When we come to a stop at intricately designed jet-black metal gates, my shoulders tighten with tension. I don’t know these people. I’m not sure what this meeting will entail, but I need to fight the anxiety and focus.
It’s part of being a Thorne.
You roll with the punches, and you hit back even harder.
14
JARRED
Thankfully, we’re staying with Ares. The car takes us through town, past my old home with the Birchwoods stopping outside the one home that used to be party central when I was growing up. I’m not sure who would be working for the Lancasters at the moment, but I pray it’s someone new to town, someone who doesn’t know me. The staff are usually brought in from out of town, so maybe over the years, Ares and Philipe have hired new butlers and housemaids.
As soon as we exit the vehicle, my muscles tense up, but I calm down again when the front door opens and I don’t recognize the woman who steps out. She doesn’t even cast a glance my way, but I know it won’t be long until Finn finds out who I am. Or at least, that I’m from the society his father wants him to join.
Even though I walked away from it, I still have an obligation to them. It makes life hell, but I’ve gotten so used to living with my demons, they’ve become friends.
“Welcome,” the woman greets us. “It’s so lovely to have you here. I’m Ramona, and I’ll be your host for the next few days when Mr. Lancaster is out. I know you don’t have a time limit on your stay, so please, feel free to let me know if you need the rooms for extra nights.”
“Thank you,” Finn says before I can respond. “We’ll only need the three nights.” It seems he’s just as ready to leave here as I am. Don’t get me wrong, Tynewood is a beautiful town, but I don’t think I can bring myself to live here indefinitely. Not with my past haunting me.
“Not a problem,” she says with a smile. “Follow me and I’ll have Luther bring your luggage up.” We make our way up the staircase to the first landing, where we turn right. Before us, there are three rooms, and I’m almost certain we won’t need all three, but we don’t tell Ramona that small detail.
“This is the first one,” she announces before pushing open the door. I take it, since I know Finn will want Zaria between us. We’ve come to a place we don’t know, and the threats are real when it comes to the two factions of the Sovereign.
Ramona tuns and leaves as I shut the door, before leaning against the wooden surface. I can relax for a few moments, before I have to decide how I’m going to come clean.
I’d rather it be me telling Finn the truth.
It’s best if he hears it from my mouth.
But, deep down, I know that, that might not be the case. He’s stubborn. And, at times, he can be cold as ice when it comes to learning he’s been kept in the dark.
I pull out my phone and tap out a message to Ares. He’ll keep my secret for as long as I need him to. If I can get past the initial meeting, I can take Finn out to the churchyard, where I used to hang out with Ares, Etienne, and Tarian, and talk to him in private.
I can’t do it here.
I need to be in a place I feel at ease. I’ve always enjoyed sitting in the yard, where there was nobody but me and the tombstones. Maybe I can ask Finn to go with me now. But I know if I were to tell him to come with me, he’d refuse. Right now, Finn is all-business because his father needs this contract signed.
Sighing, I exit the room to go find him. But the moment I reach his door, a voice from down the hallway calls out to me. “Jarred?” Finn’s door opens right at that moment. I glance over my shoulder to find Tarian Calvert. One of the four. He, Ares, and Etienne are the three men who stepped up to sit in the Elder’s chairs four years ago.
He hasn’t changed. His pitch-black hair still falls across his eyes. The glint of his piercings, one in his eyebrow and the other in his lip shine in the light streaming in from the window.
As he nears us, I can tell his bright blue eyes hold shock and confusion. At twenty-seven, Tarian looks all man now. But there is still a boyish charm to him. He reminds me so much of Finn, it’s disconcerting. Perhaps I did hold a flame for him when I was younger. But not now. Because the man I love is standing in front of me, more confused that someone here knows me.
“Tar,” I greet, using the nickname he’s had since I can remember. It started as a joke, when one of the girls he’d been fucking said his hair was as black as tar. But also, it is a play on his name.
“What are you doing here?”
“You two know each other?” Finn asks, looking between Tarian and me. Tynewood shouldn’t be familiar to me, and people here shouldn’t know who I am, at least in Finn’s mind. But unfortunately, there are. I’m too late to stop it now. I can feel my house of cards tumbling down.
“Yeah,” Tarian says, “this bastard grew up around here.” The confusion in his expression makes me edgy. I doubt Tarian understands why I wouldn’t have told Finn about my past. I left so long ago, and I’ve tried to bury a lot of my memories. I wanted a new life. The thought of having to live under the rule of the Society wasn’t something I wanted, so I walked away.
“He did?” Even more tension emanates from Finn as the truth slowly comes to the surface. I should have known that it would. There has always been a threat of it happening, I just didn’t realize it would happen before I could tell Finn myself.
“It was a long time ago,” I try to soothe the shock.
“It was,” Tarian agrees. “But when you upped and left, we missed you, man. You didn’t even tell us where you were going. Your dad didn’t even know.” His mention of the man who left me in Tynewood has anger racing through my veins.
“I know.” I nod, turning to Finn to find questions dancing in his dark eyes. I flick my gaze to Tarian. “Can you give us a minute? We’ll be down in a bit.” He watches us for a long moment before nodding and heading down the hall.