Rise of the Oni (Book 8 of the Köhler Series)

ᔕI᙭TY-ᔕᗴᐯᗴᑎ | 67

"Dad!" Kamaria yelled soon as Luca stepped out of Lucas's room. All of them were scared and his face didn't make it any better. Luca never showed emotions unless something had happened to his wife or one of his children. For him to look as if he was crying told them one or two things. Lucas was gone or awoke. They were hoping for the second thought more than anything at the moment.

"I-is he...."

"No, Lucas is good. We don't how good, but he's awoke." He sighed rubbing down his face. "He can't talk. One of the bastards cut his vocal cord his brain function is good which tells a lot, but we are yet to know if he can walk or use the right side of his body. When I get my hands on this son of a bitch. I'm going to rip his head from his shoulders. There will be no torture and he is only to die by my hands. Understood!" Luca said as all of them nodded.

They knew there was no need to argue with Luca. His mind was set and none of them could disagree. Torture was too good for Emmanuel; it only would allow him to get under one of their skins. Talking about all the shit he had done over the years that none of them knew a thing. Thinking back all of the attacks and the enemies made sense now. All of them were power-hungry but were being used by one person Emmanuel. Even know none would admit it.

"Can I see him?" X asked as he stepped into view. Luca tilted his head to the side looking his son up and down before nodding, but before he could go by he stopped him. "You look like shit. This isn't a time for you to fall apart Xerxes. Whatever you and Ri are going through end it now. I will not have you half fucking assing. I will not lose my son because he is in his fucking feelings."

"I'm good. I just need some time to myself. Ri and I will be fine. I promise... we always are." X whispered back before stepping into the room with his brother. Gen was on one side of his bed with their mother on the other side. Xerxes could tell Lucas was begging to be saved just by the way he looked at him when he walked in.

"Can I talk to him alone? Please? I promise I won't be that long Gen. I know you haven't seen your husband's eyes open in a while. I just want to speak with my brother...."

"He c...."

"I know. Dad told us, but he can listen, and it will give me a chance to evaluate him without Ma or you in the way." He smiled as the two women glared at him as if he cared. Both stood walking off as Adele stopped pulling a piece of his hair. "I know I look like shit."

"Paris and I will speak with Riley. It is time to put a stop to this bullcrap. Kaarina did wrong but neither of you slept together unless you are not telling the whole truth.... BUT I know my son. I know just by looking at you right now that it was the truth. Now your wife needs to see you were...."

"It's not that Ma Dele. Riley is mad at herself for believing Mariah in the first place. Now that it's in her face she wants to take it out on her husband, but we all know that is never a great thing. Sometimes it will push you into doing the unthinkable and cheat forreal, but it will be no one's fault but Riley's. Except I know my brother-in-law isn't that type of person. Xerxes will shut himself off from the world before hurting Riley and allow her to hurt him over and over again. You and Lucas are a lot alike you love hard, and we give yall hell." Gen smiled standing on her tippy toes to kiss X's cheek before leaving with his mom.

"Damn it feels good to see you glare at me like that. I know you can't talk so just listen...."

"Who said I couldn't talk?" Lucas said glaring at Xerxes. Both stared at each other for a long moment before X started to laugh shaking his head.

"Fool Dad is going to kill you. Why not let them know you could speak Lucas?"

Lucas smiled shaking his shaking as he tried to move his right arm but failed. "I was enjoying being babied at the time and waiting for my little brother to come to tell them how wrong that ugly fucker was. Where the fuck did you all find his ass. He didn't even try to see if I could talk. He just told Gen that my vocal cord was cut because kept clearing my throat... Gen told me that Opa died, and you had a service for him today." He said looking away for a moment.