But I wouldnt be dead, and he would be. That bastards death was worth a few years stuck in a less than ideal job. Worth whatever they made me do. And it wouldnt be forever. It would just be for a few years, right? Service terms had limits, didnt they?
People survive working for the syndicates. It happens all the time. Right?
I was already resigning myself to life under Julia Towers thumb when she leaned back in her chair again, watching me for a moment before she spoke. I want you to disappear.
Excuse me? Surprise made my voice squeak, but Lia only waited for my answer like she might if shed asked for the last fry from my plate. But I didnt know how to answer.
If I do this favor for you, Sera, I want you to disappear. Forever. My brothers wife and children are devastated with grief, she said, and I frowned, picturing the children whod nearly bowled me over in the foyer. Were they laughing and chasing butterflies over their fathers no doubt overpriced grave? No. But they werent crying and ripping their hair out, either.
They dont deserve this, Lia continued. I wont put them through the additional pain and humiliation of finding out he sired a bastard with some slut he knew in high school.
She said it with no visible emotion, her words just as cold now as her condolences had been minutes earlier.
My cheeks flamed. I shouldnt have cared what she thought of me. Jake Tower may have been my father, but he was never my dadthat title would always go to the man my mother married, whod loved me and my sister more than hed loved his own life. And who would never have called me a bastard or insulted my mother.
But Lias insult hit its mark, and I knew that if I wanted to avenge my mothers death, I would have to let the insult against her stand. And I would have to leave the Tower estate, so the Towers could continue to live in blissful ignorance of my existence, and the messy circumstances of my conception and birth.
No problem. After fewer than ten minutes spent with Julia, I never wanted to see her again.
So, if I promise to go away after its done, youll take care of this for me?
Ill need more than a simple promise, but yes.
What does that mean? But I was pretty sure I already knew.
I need your word in writing. Sealed in blood. She wanted to bind me to my oath, which would physically prevent me from ever going back on it.
My heart dropped into my stomach. I had no intention of going back on my word, but the thought of letting someone bind me to anything made me sick to my stomach. My mom had preached against that the way most mothers warn their kids not to talk to strangers, or run in the house.
Or jump off a cliff.
Why? You have my word that I dont want anything else from you, but someday I might want to get to know my half siblings. Just saying that felt strange. My real sister was dead, and she was the only sister I would ever have. Surely the only one Id ever want. But Id just lost the only family Id ever known. I wasnt about to give up the right to ever get to know what few relatives I had left, even if they couldnt replace what Id lost. Even if they were rich, and spoiled, and quite possibly as vicious as our father and aunt.
My mother was an only child and her parents were dead. Jake Towers children were the last blood-based connection I would ever have to another human being. There was always the chance that one of those kidsprobably not Kevinwould grow up to be a decent human being and parent to the only nieces and nephews Id ever have.
I shrugged. Or they might want to know me.
Sera, its those children Im thinking about. Lia pushed her laptop aside and folded her arms on her massive desk, meeting my gaze with an intense one of her own, like wed suddenly become confidantes. Lynn, their mother, is a sweet, beautiful woman, but between the two of us, shes never been the brightest bulb in the chandelier, and right now shes too blinded by grief to think clearly. But someone has to look out for the children. Im not going to help you unless youre willing to give up any claim to their inheritance.
Money? I gaped at her. You think I want your brothers money?
I dont know what you really want, Sera. I know your net worth, your college GPA and how much you paid for the heap of metal parked in front of my house, but I dont know anything about you as a person, because you evidently felt no desire to connect with this side of your family until you needed something from us. Her accusation was as sharp as her gaze, and I couldnt really argue, though I felt my cheeks flame again. But I will do whatever needs to be done to protect those children. If you really arent trying to steal their inheritance, you should have no problem swearing to that.
I dont, I snapped, struggling to think through the anger swelling rapidly to fill both my head and heart. The bitch was appealing to my morals on behalf of two half-orphaned children. I didnt for a second believe that was her only interest in the matter, but I didnt want anything from the dead father Id never met, and I certainly didnt want anything from her. Except this one favor. Write it. Ill sign it, and youll never see me again. I dont want anything but the slow, painful death of the bastard who killed my family.
Wonderful. Lia shifted in her chair and folded her hands in her lap. And, of course, youll be willing to give up the Tower name.
My name?
My brothers name, she corrected. His childrens name. My name. Youve never even used it, have you? I shook my head, and she shrugged as if what she was asking was no big deal. Then why would you mind giving it up?
Why would I mind?
I started speaking before my thoughts had fully formed, fueled by anger, unburdened by forethought. Because its my name. It belongs to me every bit as much as it belongs to you. Because for whatever reason, my mother wanted me to have it. Because whether you like it or nothell, whether I like it or notthat name is part of who I am, and I dont even know what that means yet, other than the fact that the aunt I share it with is a real bitch.
Julia blinked, and I relished the glimpse of surprise that flickered across her expression, the first Id seen so far. Youre not thinking this through. Theres nothing that can be done about the fact that it belongs to you, so in that sense, it can never be taken from you. But youd be safer using another name. Your stepfathers? Or even your mothers. Youll be infinitely harder to Track if no one knows your real surname, Sera.
Yet we both knew she wasnt thinking of my well-being.
But that wasnt the point. The point was that whichever last name I used was my decision. Mine. And no snotty rich bitch with a chip on her shoulder and blood on her hands was going to tell me what I could or couldnt call myself.
But Julia Tower had yet to come to that conclusion. So I helped her along. No.
She stood and leaned forward, both palms flat on the surface of her desk. I am the only person in the world who will do what you want done without asking for a dime in return. My price is simple. You will sign over your right to anything Kevin and Aria stand to inherit. Including their surname. Or I will have you removed from this property immediately, and you can hunt down this killer yourself, then spend the balance of your life behind bars, paying your debt to society. You have three minutes to make a decision.
But Julia Tower had yet to come to that conclusion. So I helped her along. No.
She stood and leaned forward, both palms flat on the surface of her desk. I am the only person in the world who will do what you want done without asking for a dime in return. My price is simple. You will sign over your right to anything Kevin and Aria stand to inherit. Including their surname. Or I will have you removed from this property immediately, and you can hunt down this killer yourself, then spend the balance of your life behind bars, paying your debt to society. You have three minutes to make a decision.
But there was no decision to be made. And Lia damn well knew it.
While I sat glaring up at her, resisting the urge to stand and start yelling, the office door opened behind me and Lia gestured for someone to come in.
I twisted in my chair to see a woman in her thirties carrying a manila folder. My aunt held out her hand and the woman marched past me to give her the folder. Thats the best I could do, on short notice, but if you have another hour
Julia waved dismissively, and the womans sentence faded into a tense silence while my aunt read whatever the folder held. After several seconds, she lifted the top sheet of paper and scanned the next one. Then she flipped the pages back into order and closed the folder. Sometimes simpler is better. Unnecessary language leaves room for loopholes. This will do. Send in the Binder. She motioned toward the door, and the woman in brown headed for the foyer as though she was being physically pulled in that direction. As though she couldnt wait to leave.
I knew exactly how she felt.
Julia sat, then slid the folder across the desk toward me. Sign.
Now? I could practically feel the blood drain from my face as I stared at the newly drafted binding documentthe real reason shed kept me waiting so long. She expected me to sign it right then and there, and the Binder shed called for would seal my promise in bloodeither his or mine. Or both.
I hesitated, my hand flat on the closed folder.
Sign, or get out, Julia said, and there wasnt a hint of doubt in her voice. Shed already figured out that I wasnt going to leave without getting what I came for. No matter what it cost.
I opened the folder, my hand shaking with rage. It doesnt matter, I told myself, as I picked up the pen she slid toward me. You dont need them. Youve never needed them.
But what if those kids needed me someday? What if Kevin or Aria needed help from a relative who didnt have a chunk of ice in place of her heart or wasnt the dim bulb in the proverbial chandelier? Was there anyone in this cesspool of corrupt power they could count on? Could money buy friendship or trust?
The only thing I knew for sure was that if I didnt sign, the man who killed my entire family would never see justice. The police cant catch a Skilled criminal, much less convict him.
I scanned the first page, only half reading my own promise to forfeit any and all birthrights, including the Tower surname. Id scribbled the first three letters of my name on the line at the bottom of the second page when the door flew open behind me and slammed into the wall.
Sera?
Startled, I turned so fast the pen left a long black line across the bottom of the page. Gwendolyn Tower stood in the doorway, as perfectly put together as any picture of her Id ever seen, except for the puffy, pink flesh around her eyes.
She blinked at me and I wondered what she was seeing. Did I look like her husband? Why didnt she look surprised? Lia had implied that Lynn and her children knew nothing about me.
Then Gwendolyns gaze slid past me. Julia, what the hell are you doing? Did you tell her?
My pulse spiked. Tell me what?
Lia stepped around the corner of her desk, ready to intercept her sister-in-law. This is business. Its none of your concern.
Tell her! Lynn Tower shouted, and the guard standing behind her flinched, then looked to my aunt for some instruction.
Go back to your room. Julia took Lynns arm while I watched in stunned silence. Ill explain everything when were finished here.
Lynn turned to me then, her eyes damp, her gaze strong. Its yours, Sera. All of it. Jakes personal property and assets went to me, but his business holdings go to his oldest child. Dont let her cut you out.
Gwendolyn, out! Julia shouted as I fell backward into my chair, my legs numb from shock. The guards guided Lynn, gently but firmly, toward the door at about the same moment I realized I still held the pen Lia had given me.
Business holdings? What did that even mean? Properties? Companies? Buildings? Cash?
Its yours, Sera. All of it.
Lynns words played over in my head as I watched the guards escort her forcibly out of the office.
The truth hit me in that moment, like a burst of light in front of my eyespainful, disorienting and nearly blinding.
Id just inherited Jake Towers criminal empire.
Two
Kris
So, how many is that, Kris? My sister Korinne perched on the arm of the couch, one knee drawn up to her chest, thick hair tucked behind her ear. Wed both inherited our dads blond hair, but hers was several shades paler than my own. How many poor, unfortunate souls have we freed from the corrupt clutches of the Tower machine?
As of today? I did a quick tally of the names listed in the notepad on my lap. Twelve. With three more strong possibilities.
Only twelve? Kenley, my youngest sister, groaned from an armchair in the corner. If she were a couple of inches taller, she and Kori could have been twins. It feels like a hundred. Kenni looked exhausted, yet much younger than her twenty-six years, as if trauma had somehow left her more innocent than it had found her. More fragile.
Vanessa handed Kenni a cool rag, still damp from the kitchen faucet. We knew breaking the bindings would be tough, but that last one was easier, right?
Yeah. If by easier, you mean just as hard as the eleven before.
Van stood and wedged herself into the oversize chair behind Kenley, who scooted forward to make room for her. Kenni leaned back with her head against her girlfriends shoulder, and Van laid the cool rag over her forehead, offering wordless comfort in the face of the enormous task wed all undertaken. A task that felt more impossible by the day.
A binding is like a metaphoricaland metaphysicalrope, tying one person to another. Or one person to his oath. Or one person into obedience or employment. My sister Kenley was one of the most powerful Binders in the world, but she would gladly have given up her Skill, if that meant escaping the notice of syndicate leaders who wanted to hire her for her ability.
The problem with syndicate employment is that it isnt just a job, its an existence. Worse. Its indentured servitude, wherein the employee is obligated to do whatever the employer requires, within the bounds of the contract they signed and sealed, usually in blood. For however long that contract lasts.
A five-year term is the standard. Five years in syndicate service feels like an eternity.