Chapter 20

Damien

I have to deal with Gabriel's funeral today, and I'm still not any closer to having answers than I was three days ago. I've been trying to keep things from completely falling apart, but that's easier said than done.

Everyone keeps pressing me for information, but I don’t have any to give. The council wants to see Callie, and I've been doing my best to keep them preoccupied. They don't know that she isn't on the compound anymore. I've been using the funeral to distract everyone in order to buy myself a little bit more time to think about how to use this all to my advantage.

The people think Callie and Natasha are grieving in peace, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I punch a hole in the wall thinking about the entire ordeal. If I can't come up with something soon, I'm going to be blamed for his death because I was the one to find him. I should have left him in the basement to rot until a member of the guard stumbled on him. I was so close to having it all, and now I'll be the prime suspect.

I pull out my phone to send Soren another text. I've been trying to get in touch with him, but there has been nothing but radio silence. He was supposed to be on the compound, but I haven't been able to find him. I just need the useless piece of shit to pull the security footage from the basement camera. I can't do it myself.

Me: It's been three days. Where the fuck are you?

Me: Answer your fucking phone, or I'll make sure you regret it.

I grip my phone and consider my options if he doesn't get back to me. There is the possibility that he was involved in Callie's escape. It's the only thing that makes sense, with both him and his wife being unattainable. He was supposed to put a tracker in Callie’s arm, too. I found the stupid fucking hair clip on Gabriel’s desk next to her ring. That crooked ass hacker ruined everything.

I text Austin Roberts, asking him to meet me in Gabriel's office, well, my office now, I suppose. I've been staying at the Ashford house since finding Gabriel in the basement a few days ago. The house I have is fine, but this is the house of the leader. My presence here sends a message that I will be here to pick up the pieces of the crumbling society.

Word of his death spread quickly, and the members who left after my wedding to Callie quickly turned around. Campers fill the entirety of the fields behind the houses again, and it's a bit annoying. The women are upset and crying for him, but they didn't know him, not really. I'll be a better leader than he was. I'll secure the legacy he failed to.

Austin pops his head into the doorway of my fancy new office and immediately fills one of the seats. "Damien. What's going on?"

Austin has seen better days. His hair is gray and shaggy like the man doesn't own a comb. You would think being a well-known judge would encourage him to take care of his looks, but he doesn't seem to give a fuck. I believe he's in his late 60s, but I'm not positive because I never cared to ask. I sure as fuck don't care to ask now.

He’s the only council member I think I can lean on, though.

"I need your help with a few things, and since you and Gabriel had such a close relationship, I trust you will keep whatever is said in this office between the two of us."

"Of course. How's Callie doing?"

"I didn't bring you here to talk about my wife. We have a problem," I say through gritted teeth.

"What sort of problem are we talking about?" Austin looks confused, his eyebrows drawn together.

"Soren has disappeared, and I need to find someone with a similar skill set. Any suggestions?"

"I may have someone in mind. I’ll reach out and have them contact you. It may take a day or two, though."

I don't really have the luxury of time right now, but if that's what I need to do in order to put all this behind me, then I guess I have no choice. As long as I know I'll have someone who can access what I need, I can still move forward with my plans. Gabriel's funeral is set for tomorrow, and it will be the perfect time to suggest Callie is his murderer.

"Thank you, Austin. Please let me know as soon as you find out. It would be best if you could have your contact meet me here on the compound as well. I’m assuming they are a member of Rouge? This would be a permanent position we are looking to fill."

"Of course they are, I'll let them know. If that's all you need, I have something I have to address this afternoon," he tells me before standing to walk toward the door.

"That's all. Thank you for popping in on short notice."

He nods and walks out without saying anything further. I don't trust him. This all needs to be handled perfectly, or everything will be ruined. I grab the aged whiskey from one of Gabriel’s drawers and pour myself a glass while enjoying my newfound empire. The amber liquid burns as I gulp down two glasses before sipping on the third. I have no clue how tomorrow is going to go, and it's stressing me the fuck out.

***

The small mausoleum dedicated to the leaders of Rogue is on the far side of the compound behind a small field. Outside, people gather around in groups as they wait for the event to begin. After the funeral, I'll call a council meeting to officially try to take control of the society .

When a leader dies, there are rituals that must be performed in order for the new leader to take control. Callie hasn't been readily available on the compound; she hasn't been able to complete the rituals, so in theory, Rogue has no leader at the moment. It's mine for the taking. I am the logical choice, being that I am her husband.

I step up to the podium to take my moment in the spotlight and clear my throat. "Thank you all for gathering together to mourn a loss to this great community, Gabriel Ashford. You may notice Callie and Natasha are not in attendance today. I know this may arouse questions, but let's focus on recognizing the life of our great and fearless leader for now."

I watch as everyone mutters quietly under their breath. They’re curious why my precious wife and her mother would miss this. I'm going to tell them the truth as soon as I can. Callie was the one to kill her father. I don't have the video proof yet. She had to be involved somehow. Her and her mother disappearing will only corroborate my story if I'm not able to get the video footage right away.

I can guarantee she ran right back to the fucking Monroe brothers to spread her legs for them like a whore. Rogue will be mine, and Callie will be back in my arms soon enough. When she is, I'll deal with her however I like. I think I'll keep her as a toy to use until she gives me a son; that might be fun. A sadistic grin slowly pulls at the corners of my lips, and I have to force myself to keep my face blank. This is supposed to be a sad event, after all.

Pastor John takes my place on the podium and begins the whole ceremony. I'm lost in my thoughts as the day drags on. Minute by minute, I find myself getting antsy and bored. I look over to see the wives crying and their husbands consoling them. I roll my eyes just as the pastor finishes up whatever he is saying and tells the crowd the funeral has come to an end.

It's showtime.

We organized a small informal meal for everyone in the main hall. Attendance is not required, but the council figured it would be a nice way to pull the community together during these trying times. I didn't disagree.

I watch as the crowd moves from the funeral space toward the hall where I was married less than a week ago. I find myself walking along with them, nodding as they glance my way. I've gotten so good at playing the nice guy that it's almost too easy.

Upon entry, I take my seat at the table assigned for the council and glance around. The room is set up with tables all around and a giant buffet-style table in the center. I look around at the members of the community who have entered with tear-filled eyes, and I want to laugh. None of these people knew Gabriel’s true nature. If they did, they wouldn't be shedding tears for him.

Once all the council members have found their place at the table, I clear my throat to gather their attention. "I think we need to hold a formal meeting after everyone is done eating. There are some pressing matters that need to be addressed."

They all nod in agreement, and I wait patiently for this stupid meal to be over so I can convince them to give me the title I deserve. I take this time to plan it all out in my head while smiling and waving at everyone in the room. I am their perfect shoulder to cry on. I am the one who will give them comfort in this dark time. Smile and wave.

When the meal finally ends, the council members and I excuse ourselves from the main room and walk toward the meeting room deeper into the building. We go down a few sets of stairs and meander through a couple hallways before entering. Once everyone takes a seat, they all look at me.

"Damien, where are Callie and Natasha? They should have been in attendance," one of the council members speaks out.

Stupid fucks are always too impatient. I was getting to that; all they had to do was give me a minute. "That's the reason I've requested this meeting. I was hoping to give my wife some time to make her presence known on her own, but with her not showing up today, I'm afraid I have no choice but to confess what I know."

Austin looks at me with suspicious eyes but nods at me. "And what's that?"

"This may be hard for some of you to hear, but I believe both Callie and her mother may be involved in Gabriel's death." The room erupts in whispers and gasps all around me.

"Quiet, please! Let Damien speak," Austin yells out to calm everyone down.

"Callie was the last person known to be with her father before he died." I do my best to play the part of a sad husband and shake my head. "Gabriel was not always kind to her. I’m sure some of the guards can attest to witnessing some of his outbursts. He would take her to their basement and punish her fairly often. When I found his body, I knew it couldn't have been just a random person committing the act. I believe Gabriel took Callie back down there to punish her, and instead, it resulted in his death."

"Why would Callie kill her own father?" a council member speaks out.

“He hurt Natasha, too. I think Callie was trying to protect her mother," I tell them.

"If she killed her father, then that is a direct violation of one of our most sacred rules. We do not kill other members of our community," Austin yells out.

"I don't want to believe she did it, but there's no other explanation for her and Natasha's disappearance."

The members of the council mumble amongst themselves before Austin stands up and lifts his arms up to silence everyone. "Do you have any proof of this accusation? How was a woman able to take advantage of him like that?"

"I believe Soren may have also been involved. He’s disappeared. It's possible that he helped Natasha and Callie kill our great leader and flee the compound. I'm working on finding someone with the same skill set who can pull the video footage from the basement."

"Fair enough; we will continue this conversation once the proof has been displayed. It is definitely suspicious that Soren disappeared. If anyone is in contact with Callie, let her know that the council has requested her presence." Austin looks them all over as they nod at him in approval.

This isn't how this was supposed to go. Austin is stealing my spotlight, and I don't know how to get it back without drawing suspicion to myself. My fists clench at my sides, but I have to try to keep myself calm.

"What should we do about the leadership role in the meantime?" I ask nervously.

"We don't need to make things complicated." Austin looks over at me before looking back out at the others. "You were Gabriel's second and Callie's husband. If we are all in agreement, you should hold the interim role."

My eyes roam over the room as they all nod and respond with an "aye." It's mine. It all seems a bit strange that Austin was so willing to let me have control, but it's mine, and I need to make sure it stays that way. I’ll get the video proof the council requires, and once I do, I'll put plans in place to track down my wife.

She will stand in front of the council to claim her fate. The best part about the whole scenario will be me intervening to save her before they can dole out her death sentence. Her punishment will be me for the rest of her pathetic life, and I'll be sure to make sure she secures my lineage before she dies unexpectedly. It's nice to finally have everything working in my favor.