“You should’ve come to me,” Asher said, his words pained. “I would’ve helped you.” His mind reeled—he knew now why the little boy in the photographs on Noah’s computer looked familiar: because he looked like Alistair, and Noah had known.
“I went to Father,” Alistair said bitterly. “He told me I made the mess and I needed to sort it out on my own.”
“I don’t believe that,” Asher said. He couldn’t believe that his father would neglect to help his own grandson. “What exactly did he say?”
“Who?” Alistair asked like he had no idea what they were talking about.
“Father! What did he say about your child?” Asher asked. It was then that he noticed the beads of sweat across Alistair’s forehead. “Jesse told me you were clean. But look at you—you’re still in withdrawal.”
Asher looked to James, but he didn’t look surprised by this revelation. His expression didn’t change at all.
Asher’s mind was spinning and the conversation was going in circles. He would get the name of the boy’s mother and let James deal with that problem. Right now, he needed answers.
“How did Martin Snider help you negotiate the deal for the ruins if you’d never met him?” Asher asked.
“He called my cell phone, and sent me the paperwork in an envelope addressed to the palace. He told me to get it velvet stamped and it was a done deal,” Alistair said simply.
Asher paused, the blood in his vein froze over like he’d been thrown into the Antarctic. “What did you say?”
“What?” Alistair said.
“You said velvet stamped,” Asher said slowly.
Alistair’s eyebrows threaded together. “So?”
“Are you sure?” Asher asked.
Alistair seemed thoughtful for a moment. “Yes. What’s strange about that?”
Asher suddenly knew who Martin Snider was, and he felt sick to his core.
“The official term is chopped and stamped. I’ve only ever heard someone say velvet stamped, because it was a joke—a reference to our father and his love of velvet.”
Alistair frowned, indicating he’d had no idea.
Asher looked to James.
“Find my cousin Troy. Bring him to me,” Asher said.
James’s black eyes darkened and he left without another word.
“What does Troy . . .” Alistair’s voice trailed off. When he looked to Asher, his teeth ground together. “No,” he whispered.
Asher stared out the window to the palace gardens beyond—a place his father had spent hours walking, clearing his mind.
“What are you going to do?” Alistair asked.
“I’m going to execute him,” Asher said, turning to stare his brother in the eye. “And then I’m going to destroy Adani. The world is going to see who they really are. I’m going to take everything from them, just like they tried to do to me.
“I’m going to destroy them all,” Asher said as a fierce determination rose in his chest. “Adani will fall—and I’m going to take it.”
THE STORY CONTINUES…
The third, and final, book of The Royals will be released in April 2020.
In the meantime, click here to download a FREE copy of ESCANTA, Book One of the James Thomas Series.
ALSO BY BROOKE SIVENDRA
THE JAMES THOMAS SERIES
Escanta
Saratani
Sarquis
Lucian
Sorin
The Favour
THE DEACON THOMAS DUET
The Ranger
The Redemption
THE THOMAS SECURITY SERIES
The Vault
The Traitor
The Conspirator
THE SOUL SERIES
The Secrets of Their Souls
The Ghosts of Their Pasts
The Blood of Their Sins
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brooke Sivendra lives in Adelaide, Australia with her husband and two furry children. She has a degree in Nuclear Medicine and worked in the field of medical research before writing her first novel.
You can connect with Brooke at any of the channels listed below and she personally responds to every comment and email.
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Copyright © 2019 by BROOKE SIVENDRA
All rights reserved.
The moral right of Brooke Sivendra to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
This is a work of fiction. All the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, not to be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
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SERPENTI (The Royals Book 2) Page 22
