Shackled (The Lord Series) by Carlos
326. Rueben - The 'rat' III

Tyson pulls out the knife Reyes gave him from his belt. He usually takes it with him when we leave the farm. "My fingers are itching." Maddox's throat bobs. "I don't usually do this, but I'll give one opportunity to tell the truth. If you lie to me, Cole and Henry will pay the consequences." Maddox runs his trembling fingers through his hair. No wonder he is nervous; he has seen Tyson torture many times. Not a traitor though, but enemies. "My family was originally with the Dukes. A feud with the Deymar family made my grandfather switch bands." The fucking Senator from hell is all over the place. His son as well. "My father was the first in my family to become a Lord, and I was the second. The day I received my demon, my sister, Indy, disappeared. For days, my entire family searched for her. The police were taking their time with the investigation. Only when Deymar Senior contacted us did we understand why." Deymar Senior? Is he referring to the Senator's father? "He was behind my sister's disappearance." Rin starts the fire, and Maddox stares at it. "Indy was taken to Azael's facility." Yan's shoulders tense. He must remember the things he went through while he was there. "Deymar Senior said it was his revenge and that from that point forward, he wanted nothing to do with my grandfather or Indy."

Maddox keeps talking. "From what I heard, Azael, my grandfather, and Deymar Senior were all friends. They met in college, where all three of them studied medicine. Azael revealed who he truly was only after they opened the first facility together. After years of working together, my grandfather and Deymar Senior had a huge fallout. While growing up, I'd always hear him curse out Azael for taking Deymar Senior's side. He vowed never to have anything to do with the both of them. Azael was more than furious with my grandfather for leaving."

I didn't expect that. Did the Elders know about Maddox's family and their connection with Azael and Senator Deymar?

"Indy was so young and innocent. Azael hurt her. Experimented on her. We asked him what he wanted in exchange for returning her to us."

Maddox presses the heels of his palms against his eyes. "He demanded my father to become an informant for the Dukes. My grandfather forbade it. His hatred for Azael was greater than his love for his granddaughter. In the end, Indy was the one who had to pay the price. Deymar Senior tormented my parents for years with photos of what Azael did to my sister. I still have those images burned in my head. It was the most vile thing I've ever seen...." The only normal person from the Deymar family is Olivia. How she didn't end up as fucked up as the rest is beyond me. "Still, my grandfather wouldn't budge. He was a bitter old man who preferred to let Indy suffer than find a way to save her." Maddox shudders. I shift in the chair because I understand Maddox better than anyone else. "I'll never understand why Deymar Senior targeted her."

While Tyson is the one leading the entire show, I can't stop myself from saying, "She was a weakness, and Deymar Senior used it to his advantage."

Maddox removes his hands from his eyes and glares at me. "Indy wasn't weak!"

He is talking about her in the past. Could it be that she is dead?

"That's not what I said. Deymar Senior probably targeted her because your grandfather must have displayed public affection towards her at some point." This is why Lords can only show their true feelings while they are in the Lair. It's the only safe place where they can love their children and wives. Dukes will use anything to bring us down, even our families. We have to make them believe we marry only for convenience. "Maybe it was Azael who put Deymar Senior to kidnap Indy." Maddox's voice drops to a whisper, "He could have taken me."

Tyson leans the tip of the knife against his chin. "He didn't, so here we are." Maddox nods. "How does Senator Deymar and his son fit the story? You talked about Deymar Senior, but from what I know, he and his wife retired years ago at his ranch, hours away from here."

Camila always talked about how Olivia's parents and brother would always spend the weekends on the ranch while leaving her home.

Maddox rubs the back of his neck. "Deymar Senior had a stroke not long before he retired at the ranch. He had all his dirty work done by his son and grandson. Samson and Jason Deymar. Jason was the one who took my sister to the facility." Senator Deymar and Jason, I wasn't wrong to think that they were everywhere. They seem to have a habit of destroying families and lives.

"If your grandfather was so against Azael and Deymar Senior, how did you end up spying for them?"

Maddox's expression turns serious. "I wasn't about to let my grandfather get Indy killed. My father is a coward who obeyed my grandfather all his life. Indy had only me. I only hope that when that old, senile man dies, he gets to suffer for eternity for failing Indy."

Rin steps away from the stove. "So you became a spy."

"I had no other choice," Maddox starts to make up excuses.

Tyson pretends to check how sharp the knife is. "Bullshit. You could have said something to the Elders."

Anger reflects in Maddox's eyes. "You think I didn't try? I also have to check in with Jason Deymar every four hours and let him know where I am. And Azael has eyes all over the place. I can never speak my mind because it will reach Deymar Senior or Azael's ears, and they will have everyone I care about killed."

This statement gets everyone's attention. We always assumed there were spies, but we never had a real confirmation.

"How many more of ours work for Azael?" Tyson asks. Maddox doesn't reply, so Tyson punches him. "I bet Henry's eyes will look good next to the one from the last Duke I tortured."

"Henry has nothing to do with this," Maddox snaps at Tyson, letting his mask slip and showing us his true character.

Tyson leans forward until he is an inch apart from Maddox's face. "I will use anything and anyone to make you talk, you piece of shit. I let you inside my house, near my woman."

"Ah, yes, Olivia. I came every time I was needed. If I wanted to hurt her, I would have. I am not like you or Rueben to drag women to a shed and torture them." Tyson punches him again. "The truth hurts."

"What's going to hurt is my knife chopping your fingers if you don't tell us about the other spies," Tyson snarls in his face.

Maddox shrugs. "Some pornais. Other Lords."

Rin leans against the table and folds his arms against his chest. "We need names."

Maddox reaches from his pocket, and Tyson pushes the tip of the blade into his neck. A few drops of blood run down his skin. "I have a list on my phone, which is in my pocket."

Tyson doesn't trust him. "No sudden movements." Maddox slowly sticks his hand in the pocket and pulls out his phone. "Cirro, can you take a look at it?"

Quiet as always, Cirro gets up from the chair and comes to take Maddox's phone, then returns to the table. "I will need a day or two to analyze the entire data." I think it's the most I've ever heard Cirro say in an entire sentence. Something comes to my mind. "Why were Tyson, Ansel, and I taken to the facility?

Tyson comes up with another question before Maddox can answer mine. "Why does Senator Deymar hate Olivia so much?"

"Olivia didn't just happen to be Jason's twin. She was created in the facility by Azael, my grandfather, and Deymar Senior years ago." All eyes are on Maddox. "Biologically, she is the daughter of Jon, Khloe St. Clair, and of an unknown person- she has DNA from all three of them. Legally, she is her sister's daughter."

Holy fuck!

Yan, who has been watching the window all this time, finally looks at Maddox. "What was Olivia's purpose?"

"She was supposed to be the Anti-Christ."

**Who loves plot twists as much as I do? :) After reading the comments the general consent was that I would make another book for Alma since her story opens the Dukes Series. What I am wondering now - since someone said that she is more interested in Emily's story - if I should start Alma or Emily? I would like to do both at the same time but I have other projects to finish so I can't. Maybe if I do Alma a Sunday update and have 2-3 updates for Emily each week. Let me know what you all think.**