RIPTIDE (Shadows book 1.1)

RULES AND COUSINS

I set my own rules. ~Hope Sinner 

All of them sat in an awkward silence, waiting for anyone to start conversation. Devon sighed.  "Right, we will get back to the conversation that just happened after I discuss a few rules-" he halted mid sentence when he heard Ajax chuckle. Ajax looked like he was about to burst out laughing any minute now. When he looked around the table, he couldn't hold it in anymore, he erupted into fits of laughter. He got himself into control after a few seconds.

Hope just looked around the table. She hated rules, now here she was waiting for Devon to lay down the rules. 

"What is so funny?" Vincent questioned after Ajax stopped laughing. 

"You'll know in a few seconds" Ajax replied. 

Devon interfered before anymore questions were asked. "So about the rules-" This time Hope cut him off

"Don't set any rules Devon. It would be a waste of time." she said.

"What do you mean?" Everett asked.

"I don't like it when other people set rules or try to order me around" she replied.

"So you are a rebel." Hayes said.

"If that is how you see it" she said.

"You are going to be living under my roof from now, so you are going to follow my rules" Devon said. His voice was laced with authority. People would scram at the tone he was using. But not her.

"Don't set rules and boundaries around me Devon. It makes me want to break them just to see how you would react. And living under your roof, remember one major thing. I am here on my own will, not because my previous guardian is in prison. Being here was easy for me. Leaving this place is just as easy Devon. Just because I followed your lead till now doesn't mean I would continue to do so. Don't push your luck" With that she got up from the table and exited the room.

A shiver went down Devon's spine when he heard the authority in her voice. She radiated confidence, power and danger. And he fought with the urge to flinch. When he looked around the table, it was evident all the others except Ajax had the same reaction as him.

"So, who was it in the phone?" Rueben asked  when he felt that he was composed enough to speak. His sister's voice had done a number on him.

"Our cousin from mother's side" he answered just as Devon took a sip of water. Devon choked on his water. He didn't know that his aunt was in touch with his mother's family. He thought his mother's side of the family cut connections with them after her death. Well at least that's what his father told him when he asked about them. After that he hadn't thought about them that much. 

"You mean Uncle Derrick?" Rueben asked wide eyed.

"His kid." Ajax replied.

"Hope said that she was here at her own will and she could leave at any time if she wants to. Tell me about it." Vincent said. Ajax's demeanor changed abruptly. He stiffened. 

"That question is not for me to answer. That will be answered by her when you earn her trust. The only reasons I am here are to actually meet you in person and maybe help you with her. The first one is done, the second one however will depend on you." With that he too got out of the  room.

The Sinner brothers sat there thinking over everything that happened today. Each of them had their own thoughts about the new family members.

"Hai chimato nonno" (Did you call grandpa) Vincent sked breaking the silence.

"Si" (Yes) Devon replied.

"Com'e andata" (How did it go) Rueben asked.

Devon grimaced before replying "Terribile. Ha maledetto papa e mi ha detto che mi avrebbe chiamato prima che avesse intenzione di venire qui." (Terrible. He cursed dad and told me he would call me before he plans to come here). 

"E Riven?" (And Riven) Hayes asked. 

"Peggio. Mi ha lanciato maledizione in ogni modo possibile prima di dirmi che sarebbe arrivato domani sera." (Worse. He hurled curses at me in everyway possible before telling me he would be here by tomorrow evening) 

"Sono contento di non doverlo affrontare" ( I am glad that I didn't have to deal with it) Everett muttered before bidding good night and retreating into his room. The others followed him. 

Hope lay on the bed in the guestroom thinking about the day. She was conflicted about being here. She wanted to leave, to go back home. But she didn't want to break the promise she had made to her grandpa just because she didn't feel like staying here. That ended her conflict. She was going to stay here. She had things to do.

Ajax entered the room Hope was staying in. He was itching to ask her about the phone call ever since it ended. But he couldn't bring it up at the dining table. His sister would skin him alive if he did that. 

"Pourquoi Leno a-t-il appele?" (Why did Leno call) he asked. She was lying on the bed with her hands under her head, her eyes closed. She didn't react to his voice. One would think that she was unaware of her presence. But not Ajax. He would be a fool to think that. His sister was aware of his movements the second he stepped on the stairs.

"Rex est en colere." (Rex is angry) She said.

"Pourquoi?" (Why?) he asked. He put together the pieces when she didn't respond.

"Il n'etait pas au courant, n'est-ce pas?"( He didn't know about this, did he?)  he asked. She nodded.

"What next?" he asked. 

"I don't know." she answered honestly.

A silence followed her admission before Ajax's curses rang into the night.

"Why Lils?' he asked. She let out a quiet sigh.

"Because, I'm desperate Ryo. You saw what Raf was like. And Z is turning out way worse than him. I can't lose one more person." her voice broke at the end. 

"What do we do?"

"We do what we've always done." she replied firmly. "We protect them. We keep them safe or we die trying."