Do Or Die [Nuworld 4] by Lorie O'Claire

would cause the two men to turn
    against each other. His son would learn this lesson and he would learn it now.
     
    Darius moved quickly. He didn’t hesitate, he didn’t bat an eye, and his expression
    gave no indication of what his next move would be. He lunged at his son and pounded
    him so hard against the side of his cheekbone that blood splattered when skin hit skin.
     
    Andru took the hit square on and literally flew backwards into one of the chairs.
    The chair broke under his weight as he fell to the ground. Gilroy clasped his hands
    tightly behind his back and didn’t take his eyes off Darius, anticipating that he might be
    next.
     
    Andru rose slowly, his eye quickly swelling shut. “There was no Bachula, Papa.”
     
    “Liar,” Darius hissed. He looked like he would lunge at Andru again and he saw
    his son brace himself for the impact. He turned quickly and paced to the other side of
    the room, running his fingers through his hair. When he turned back to face Andru, his
    fury was under control.
     
    “Andru, you do not own her. She is not yours.” His voice was a stricken whisper
    and he saw his son wince. “She belongs to Gilroy and you will leave her alone.”
     
    Andru fought the panic that rose inside him. He could sense Gilroy standing next to
    him but knew his friend didn’t look at him. He didn’t dare. Gilroy had given Ana to
    him in payment for being named commander over the Gothman army. No man ever
    reached such a high rank with as few winters as he had. Gilroy had approached him
     

 
    and offered him something he never could have obtained on his own—and Gilroy knew
    he wanted it with all his heart. Gilroy saw the only weakness Andru had and had
    dangled it in front of him. He had offered him his sister. Andru couldn’t refuse. Gilroy
    had made the offer winters ago, not knowing exactly when it would happen but
    assuring the plan would play through. It had played through at the fools’ festival.
     
    “The Bachula is outlawed for a very good reason…it doesn’t work, no. You start
    sharing a woman and passion and obsession will cloud your thinking. Gothman almost
    fell to its knees at the hand of obsession and I won’t have it happen again, I won’t.
    You’re powerful, Andru. You have what it takes to rule Gothman, hell, to rule Gothman
    and the Runners, I say.” Darius stared hard at the two men standing in front of him.
    They were strong, handsome, and willful. They would take what they wanted out of life
    and discard the rest. And they would work well together as long as they didn’t let a
    woman get in their way. Darius turned his attention to his son. “I want you to name a
    claim before the next new winter.”
     
    “Papa, I—”
     
    “No.” Darius pointed his finger at Andru. “This bitch has no proof about the
    Bachula?”
     
    “Absolutely none.”
     
    “And this baby she’s carrying?”
     
    “I don’t know.”
     
    “Get rid of the baby.” And with that Darius walked out the door.
     
    Both young men exhaled loudly. They stood in the room, not talking or looking at
    each other until they heard the front door open and close.
     
    “What do you want me to tell Ana?” Gilroy finally broke the silence.
     
    Andru turned to stare at his friend through his one good eye. He wouldn’t let Ana
    come between them. Andru served Crator and Gothman, and he wouldn’t forget that.
     
    “What do you want to tell her?”
     
    Gilroy pursed his lips and thought about the question. Ana meant everything to
    him. He remembered coming around this house when he was young, seeing her with
    her brother, and wanting her so badly he couldn’t concentrate. She’d been a gift he
    never thought he would obtain. She was the ultimate catch of their nation and wouldn’t
    be handed over easily to any man. His claim was coveted throughout all of Gothman.
    He could handle any man who crossed him but he couldn’t ever let that man be Andru.
    Andru had given all of this to him