Malicious Envy (Sins of Proteus Book 1) Read online

  Copyright © 2020 by Gallica Publishing LLC

  Cover Design by Fiona Jayde Media

  Edited by Ellie McLove at My Brother’s Editor

  ISBN #(print) 978-1-7347283-2-3

  ISBN # (digital) 978-1-7347283-0-9

  No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the author, with the exception of quotes used in reviews. Requests for permission to excerpt portions of this book may be directed to the publisher. This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any persons, living or deceased, or references to historical events or actual locations is purely coincidental and used fictitiously.

  Contents

  Acknowledgments

  Protean Mythology

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  To my lifetime gaming partner, friend, and husband.

  I love you and our life together.

  Acknowledgments

  My earliest book memories are of buying my mom the newest hardcover Danielle Steel novel for Mother’s Day. My mom, more than anyone, is responsible for my love affair with books. Thank you for nurturing my passion for reading, supporting me on this journey, and for all your help with those pesky typos.

  To my wonderful husband, Tony, my everlasting gratitude. You’ve put up with my terrible housekeeping, been my partner in this crazy journey called parenthood, and encouraged me to follow my dreams. In fact, you have made so many of my dreams come true. You’re my real-life hero and our family is my happily-ever-after. I love you and Lincoln so much.

  A big shout-out to all my family. To my dad and the best step-mom ever for your love and support. Kristen Welk, my favorite cousin, thanks for your encouragement, feedback, and for being my first fan. And to my friend and one-time roomie, O’Dell McGuire. For reading, critiquing, and just being there for me through thick and thin.

  Thank you to my writing friends, I couldn’t have done this without you. In no particular order: my first CP Harper A. Brooks, the critique gals in Indiana RWA, the indomitable Melanie Jayne, my BWFF Cindy Tanner, and the Queen of Tentacles Ava Cuvay. Your support, friendship, and feedback gave me the balls to do this and the knowledge to (hopefully) not do it badly.

  To my coworkers at the day job, Kelly, Bradford, Tiffany, Teresa, and Scott (Rest in peace. I will miss being your tech support). Thank you for your excitement and continued encouragement. For putting up with my antics and HR-questionable moments. And especially you, Kelly, for being my guinea pig and reading everything I’ve written pre-editor.

  Thank you to Kathy Greening and Susan Panak for proofreading, Fiona Jayde for my amazing cover, Ellie McLove at My Brother’s Editor for fighting through the curly quote mess and editing my book into shape, and Stacey Rourke (aka The Blurb Doctor) for taking the headache out of writing my blurb.

  And to you, my reader. Thank you for visiting the Proteans with me. I hope you liked Ash and Libby. If you feel so inclined, I’d love you to leave a review and find me on social media to say hey. I’m awkward and quirky, but love to meet new friends.

  Never underestimate the power of jealousy and the power of envy to destroy. Never underestimate that.

  Oliver Stone

  Protean Mythology

  An Abbreviated List

  PRIMORDIAL GODS

  Uranus ♂ (Sky)

  Gaia ♀ (Earth)

  Pontus ♂ (Sea)

  TITAN GODS

  First Generation

  Born of Gaea and Uranus

  Kronos ♂ (Time and the ages)

  Rhea ♀ (Fertility and motherhood)

  Oceanus ♂ (Salt water)

  Tethys ♀ (Fresh water)

  Crius ♂ (Heavenly constellations)

  Coeus ♂ (Intelligence, farsight, and heavenly oracles)

  Phoebe ♀ (Prophetic radiance)

  Born of Gaea and Pontus

  Eurybia ♀ (Mastery of the seas)

  TITAN GODS

  Second Generation

  Born of Oceanus and Tethys

  Amphitrite ♀ (Sea life)

  Proteus ♂ (Prophecy and shape-shifting)

  Born of Crius and Eurybia

  Perses ♂ (Destruction)

  Born of Coeus and Phoebe

  Asteria ♂ (Oracles and prophecies)

  TITAN GODS

  Third Generation

  Born of Perses and Asteria

  Hecate ♀ (Magic and Witchcraft)

  GREEK GODS

  Born of Kronos and Rhea

  Zeus ♂ (Sky, lightning, and thunder)

  Poseidon ♂ (Sea, earthquakes, storms, and horses)

  1

  Libby

  The blue neon silhouette of a howling dog flickered in the window. Past the rhythmic swish of my Honda's windshield wipers, the sign's glow reflected in oil-slicked potholes littering the street. Hair of the Dog was a hole in the wall bar in the nowhere farming town of Homeplace, North Dakota. Its brick facade and faded blue awnings belonged in a different decade, one long before I had been born.

  Blowing out a breath, I got out of the car. My knees popped and creaked in protest. Being trapped in my fifteen-year-old sedan over two long days of driving had sucked. My back ached, and my butt was half-numb. I ignored the cool summer rain and stretched, tipping my face up to the darkened sky. Lightning flashed in the distance, forking across the horizon almost too fast for my eyes to register.

  I crossed the deserted street and ignored my queasy stomach. How would Johnny take me just showing up? This had to work. Johnny was my best hope for a fresh start. And he was somewhere inside that run-down building, spending a Tuesday night drinking. Classy.

  But I was out of options, otherwise, I would never have come. So I went inside.

  The room beyond the doorway was all about function, not form or style. There were around twenty people inside, men for the most part. An old flipbook-style jukebox near the door layered over the sounds of Bon Jovi's “Livin' On a Prayer” with the dull roar of a dozen simultaneous conversations. Lemon Pledge, Pine-Sol, and the bite of alcohol permeated the air, tickling my nose. Decorated primarily in faux-wood paneling, unintentionally vintage beer signs, and dead animals, the place was a taxidermist paradise.

  I scanned the room, spotting Johnny at a table toward the back. I hadn't seen him in eight years, but it didn't matter. He looked just like I remembered. He had his shoulder-length, medium brown hair pulled back, the ends sun-bleached to gold. A scruffy beard covered his handsome face.

  He sat at a scarred wooden table, empty beer bottles littering its surface, with three other guys. Two of the men were engaged in conversation with Johnny while his third companion was… Occupied. A peroxide-blonde, badly in need of a touch up, straddled his lap. Her mouth fused to his in a k
iss so heated it belonged behind closed doors, not in a bar, surrounded by people.

  I averted my eyes, my cheeks warming and nodded to the bartender. He, along with a good portion of the bar, stared at me with open curiosity as I moved deeper into the long room. The looks didn't surprise or phase me. Besides being a stranger in a small, one-stoplight town, I knew I gave off a certain vibe.

  I wasn't beautiful. In fact, I was pretty plain if you got right down to it. Brown eyes, brown hair, unremarkable face, and a body with curves a little too generous. On looks alone, I wouldn't turn heads. But what I lacked in beauty I made up for in a back-off aura I'd spent years perfecting. A slightly more aggressive cousin to resting bitch face. It was all bullshit. But if people thought I was a bitch, all the better. Maybe then they'd leave me alone, and that was what I wanted. What I needed.

  Stuffing a hand into my pocket, I fidgeted with my car keys as I moved closer to where Johnny sat. Gnawing on my lower lip, I shoved a lock of hair behind my ear, fervently hoping this whole thing wasn't a mistake. It was crazy how nervous I was. But if this didn't work, and he turned me away, I didn't know what I'd do.

  Johnny was only seven years older than me, and more a brother than an uncle. For the first eleven years of my life, while my mother finished high school and then college, my paternal grandfather and his second wife had raised my twin brother, Justice, and I alongside their child—my uncle Johnny. Then, when I was sixteen, my mom had met someone, married him, and moved us all to Georgia.

  I'd hated leaving, for so many reasons.

  And then Mom got sick less than a year later. Fucking cervical cancer. She died in a matter of months. Her funeral had been the last time I'd seen the rest of my dad's side of the family.

  Now, only fifteen feet separated me from Johnny.

  My steps slowed, hesitation fucking with my gait. My throat tightened, heartbeat thudding against it, and I squeezed my keys until it hurt.

  What the hell was I thinking coming here? It had been close to a decade since we had lost touch. And he'd never tried to find us.

  I debated the merits of spinning on my heel and leaving when Johnny looked up. Our eyes met, and I froze, one foot half off the ground.

  His eyes widened, mouth dropping open. A myriad of emotions cycled across his face while we stared at each other. Tears flooded my eyes, and an ache bloomed in my chest. Even after all this time, he knew me. Recognition was right there on his face, the way his brown eyes warmed.

  “Liberty?” he yelled my name, jumping to his feet.

  The entire bar, minus the guy making out with the slutty blonde, turned and stared.

  “Hi, Johnny.” I gave him a little finger wave with a closed-lip smile.

  “Holy shit.” In four steps, his long legs closed the distance. And then his arms were around me, my face smooshed against the soft cotton of his black t-shirt.

  The hug was almost bruising, but it felt too good. I clung to him, inhaling his scent—automotive grease and Lava soap. Even after all these years, I still remembered that smell. Most people would probably hate it, but for me, it was a piece of home.

  He released me reluctantly, and his gaze swept me from top to toe. “Wow, you're… not a kid anymore. What in the hell are you doing here?” he asked.

  With a hand in the center of my back, he pushed me to an empty chair, dropping into the seat next to me.

  “Well, that's a bit of a long story,” I said.

  “I got time. Want a drink?”

  “Water's fine.” Alcohol would be a bad idea with how thin my nerves were stretched.

  He popped back up and headed to the bar, glancing back at me as if I might disappear. While he ordered, I studied the people around me. The blonde was still doing her Hoover impersonation, so all I could see of her partner was a mop of curly blond hair and ridiculously muscular arms.

  The guy across the table offered a smile and held out a hand. “Duke,” he said, his voice a deep rumble.

  Duke was handsome in a rough way, with black hair and eyes. He was about four days overdue for a shave and his smile screamed that he knew it looked good on him. And it did. It really did. I put my hand in his, but before I could respond, Johnny dropped back into his seat and set a red, plastic tumbler of water in front of me.

  He glanced at our hands mid-shake and took over introductions. “Duke, this is my niece, Liberty.” Johnny ignore the couple sucking face and gestured to a man at the other end of the table, with golden brown hair and pale blue eyes. “And this is Greg.”

  Greg took my hand, his eyes crinkling in a smile that revealed a dimple. Just one. Well, wasn't that just adorable?

  “You're Aaron's kid?” Greg asked.

  This being a small town, it wasn't a surprise he knew who my dad was. After all, Johnny only had one brother.

  I nodded.

  “He's going to be glad to see you,” Johnny said, surprising me a little.

  I snorted, and my mouth pulled into a sneer. “Yeah, I'm sure. You don't have to lie for him, Johnny. I'm a big girl. The minute we left, I'm sure he forgot all about us.”

  “Libby, you know your dad loves you. He looked for you. So did I. Hell, so did Dad. None of us could find you. You and Justice disappeared. Now here you are, nearly ten years later. You just walk in, unannounced. It isn't that I'm not glad to see you, it's just… Why are you here?” Johnny asked. He didn't sound mad or suspicious. More... concerned.

  I picked up my water with a sigh and took a long swallow, forcing it down my parched throat. Surreptitiously, I looked at the faces of the surrounding men, thinking. I debated asking Johnny if we could move our conversation somewhere with fewer ears. I had a lot to tell him, but it seemed like too much to dump on a person. The question was, how much should I tell him now?

  “Liberty, are you listening to me?” Johnny asked.

  I shook myself. “What? Hey, sorry, been a long two days. I stopped last night and got six hours, but… Twenty-seven fucking hours to get out here, thanks to the entire state of Wisconsin being under construction.” At least it had felt that way.

  “Shit. You gotta be tired. I asked you where Justice is. I can't believe he let you come all this way by yourself.”

  That empty feeling flooded into my chest, hollowing it out. A dry wind seemed to whip through the cavern where my heart had once been, stinging and burning the pieces that remained.

  “Justice?” Duke asked.

  I struggled to control the pain.

  “Her twin brother,” Johnny answered.

  “Jesus. Liberty and Justice?” He chuckled.

  Duke's laugh was deep. In another universe, in another time, I would have liked it a whole lot. Now, his words barely registered.

  I wasn't ready to talk about this. If I was being honest, I would never be ready to talk about this, but maybe I could delay.

  “I left Georgia,” I blurted. “For good.”

  Johnny blinked, surprised, lifting his eyebrows. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. I've had a little, uh, bad luck lately.”

  He frowned. “Bad luck?”

  “Epically. Lost my job, apartment got robbed. You know, the usual,” I said. “And that was only the icing on the cake. I need a fresh start.”

  “You need money?” Johnny said in a quiet voice.

  Flushing, I shook my head. Money was perhaps the only thing I didn't need. Years of experience taught me how to survive with next to nothing. “No, I have some savings. Enough to get by for a while. I need my family, Johnny. I need someplace safe.” My breathing hitched, desperation creeping into my tone. My eyes burned with tears I fought not to shed. “I want to come home.”

  Understanding dawned, and he grinned like a kid at Christmas. “You're coming home?”

  “Yes,” I choked out the word. Home. God… I cleared my throat, swiping at the moisture gathering in my eyes. “I need to get back on my feet. Get a job, a roof over my head. I checked into a motel this afternoon.”

  His smile grew even larger. �
�Fuck that. I got a spare room with a bed, just collecting dust. I also hate cooking. You're welcome to the place as long as you want, just feed me.”

  Duke laughed. “Careful with that. This one can put it away.”

  “I remember that, actually. Are you sure?”

  “Hell yeah,” Johnny said, reaching over to grab my hand, squeezing. “Then it's settled. You'll come stay with me.”

  I smiled at him, relief pounding through my veins. He would let me stay. I could only hope that this was a new beginning for me, one that would bring better luck.

  “So, where's Justice?” Johnny asked again, and I knew I would have to tell him.

  My stomach dropped, my smile a distant memory. “Justice—” I struggled to keep the tears locked down tight. I failed. A sob lodged in my throat, and I choked out the words, “Justice is dead.”

  2

  Libby

  “What happened, Lib?” Johnny asked.

  Fiddling with the label on my beer, I stared into the darkness. I supposed I should be grateful my uncle had waited until we got to his house to probe. But I would never be ready to have this conversation.