I walked out to the lobby of the hotel, my phone buzzing with texts from my partner, Vexton, who was currently out with their friends. I think Kelly, my brother's girlfriend, was one of them.

Landon was sitting on one of the couches, scrolling on something on his phone as I walked past. He glanced up at me briefly before returning his attention to his phone screen. He laughed.

"What?" I asked, curious.

"Oh, nothing, Kells just sent me something funny." My brother replies, I noticed Jax nearby, playing around with a couple toy dragons.

"What'cha playin' with there Jaxxy?" I asked him, and he looked up at me.

"Da dwagons are fighting over deir rocks." He replies, making his toys clash again. "Da smawer one is gon' die."

I blinked at his weirdly sadistic reply, sheesh for a nine-year-old he really seemed to like tourcher a lot. Then, we do have the radio demon for a father, we're bound to be a bit fucked up.

I personally quite enjoyed violence and just about anything gory, but I mean, it wasn't as bad as how crazy Jax is whenever he hears about any unfortunate events that have occured. It seemed to freak Dad out a bit but Father of course encouraged the behavior, going as far as to brag about how his son takes after him quite a lot.

Although we all had Dad's sweet tooth, so none of us are exactly like either of our parents.

"You want a snack kid?" I asked, and he grinned, nodding.

"Apple pie!" He cheered, and I scooped him up on my shoulders, walking to the kitchen.

I got me and my little brother each a nice helping of the pie, and he sat down eagerly, shoving his fork into the food, giving it a few stabs before finally taking a bite.

Father walked in suddenly, looking at us both and smiling, then glancing cringingly at the pie we were eating.

"Hey Father." Jax says, and the deer ruffled his hair and ears, my little brother grinning up at him.

My phone buzzed, it was a text from Vortex.

"Hey gorgeous could you call me? My papa's being an ass again"

I stood up, putting my now empty plate in the sink for later and stepping out.

"Where you going?"

I froze at Father's question. "My room. I need to call a friend."

"Why can't you do it here?"

"Um . . . I don't want to?"

My father put a hand on my shoulder, giving me a serious look. "Are you lying Amara?"

"No!" I exclaimed, panicking slightly. "I just-um-"

"Amara. What's going on?"

Shit. God why is he so hard to fool?

"Nothing!"

"Amara."

"Ugh. They're going through shit and I don't wanna talk to them about it in public because it's their private business!" I said, although that was only half the truth.

The other half is that they were my girlfriend, and my fathers didn't know.

Why?

. . . Reasons.

Their fathers are Vox and Valentino Vortex-

In other words, the people both my fathers despise.

I knew Father's history with Vox. I knew what he'd done. But I also knew that Vexton wasn't like that. Vexton had compassion, a heart, they cared about people.

And I cared about them . . .

Father looked at me for a few more moments, before finally saying. "Alright, be quick."

"Thanks Father!" I said happily, and headed out of the kitchen and up to my room. When I answered, though, things got weird.

"Hey babe! Are you oka-"

"Is this Princess Amara Morningstar?" A deep voice said.

". . . yes, who-who is this?"

"You and your brother. Briar's Bar for Fucked Up Souls. Nine O'clock. You'll come alone if you value your partners' lives."

The man hung up, and I sat there in silence.

What the actual fuck . . .