“Can I ask you something?” I say.
“You can ask. I reserve the right not to answer.”
“Why did you actually say yes? When Tatum asked.” I feel him go still beside me. “You told me in the car it was because my father is getting sloppy and drawing too much attention. I believe that. But I don't think that's the whole reason a man like you drives across the country with his brothers for a girl he doesn’t really know.”
A beat. Two.
When he speaks, his voice is even. Measured. The voice of someone deciding exactly how much to give away.
“I had someone once who needed exactly this and there was nobody around to do it.” He keeps his eyes on the lights below.“Nobody who could or nobody who chose to. I'm still not sure which. Doesn't change the outcome.”
I don't ask who. I don't need to. I understand in the way you understand things that haven't been spelled out, that this is the weight he carries the way I carry mine, quietly, without putting it down.
“I'm sorry,” I say.
He nods once. Accepts it. Then reaches across and taps my knee twice, brisk, matter-of-fact, the way you'd signal time to move, then starts the engine.
“Come on. Pope will have eaten by now but Halo's been waiting for dinner.”
I almost laugh. It almost sounds normal.
As we pull back onto the road, I let the decision settle into me the way decisions do when they stop being choices and start just being true.
I trust him. Not because I have no other option. Not because he's useful, though he is. But because he told me something real in a car park in the dark with nothing to gain from it. Because when I said I didn't know how I was holding up, he didn't rush to fix it.
Because he said it started the second you got out of the car, and what he meant was you've been doing it all along.
In this war I'm fighting, with cracked armor and a plan held together with spite, that might be the most valuable thing I have.
CHAPTER FOUR
XADEN
The pressure I’ve been putting on myself is the only thing keeping me grounded, and the urge to chase down the bitch and tear her fucking throat out at bay. Cas told me he helped her hide until we could get her afterward, then he came back to assist me, but by the time he got there it was too late. I had a nice set of bracelets around my wrists and Meekan’s smug face in front of me. That cunt thought he had me hook, line and sinker, but I have deep pockets and my lawyers know what the fuck they are doing.
They came into my house without a warrant or a single phone call to the station, giving them probable cause to enter my residence. The satisfaction I felt when I watched his face fall as his boss told him to cut me loose had my cock rock-fucking-hard and begging for an outlet. I know he won’t stop. He’ll keep trying to come for me, but I’ll be waiting because I’m not done with that cunt yet.
I can’t prove it but I fucking know Meekan knew about what Lorenzo and that other cunt had planned that night, I just don’t know how he knew and that is driving me fucking mad! I need to find out how he knew. Lorenzo hated him, so I know there is no way he was working with the feds, which leaves her father. Thatfucking snake is slimy and I wouldn’t put it past him to get in with the feds thinking it would cover his ass when shit blew up.
I push all that shit out of my head as I pull into the parking lot of SU. I fucking hate this place and could stop coming any day I wanted, but the truth is, I made a promise to Emery years ago that I would finish college and that is the only reason I keep coming here.
School.
That fucking word only has one meaning—six cruel hours of our lives—-ever since everything went down that night a few months ago at Lorenzo’s. Security has been upped since then to make sure no one crosses into each other’s sides. Fights have broken out most days because my people can smell the blood in the water and know I will allow it and not punish them like Lorenzo did. I want them to hurt those Somerset fucks and show them we are the stronger town and will tear them down to fucking nothing. I own this place and it's only a matter of time before I make my move and overthrow their dear senator.
I climb out of my car and instantly feel the stares of all my peers. I knew they all worshipped me before, but now, they all stare because of the rumors of my father’s death. The only one who knows the truth is Cas. I made sure to take my time tearing Hammer, Tike and Merc apart slowly before removing their lips and adding them to my treasure jar. Those cunts had it coming and the moment they realized their savior was dead they tried to run, but I hunted them down and made them fucking pay.
I enjoyed every second of hearing them scream and beg for mercy. Cas relished the chance to claim his pound of flesh and remove their nails. It was fucking orgasmic seeing their skin peeled back and looking at their insides, I shiver now just thinking about it.
Fuck, I need to find a new target!
The bloodlust coursing through me will consume me if I don’t find an outlet soon. I make my way inside the building, ignoring every person that tries to speak to me and the sluts that throw themselves at my feet. Don’t these bitches get that their desperation reeks and turns me off? The way they line up against the lockers and make sure I know they are available and would gladly drop to their knees in front of everyone and suck my cock is repulsive.
As I round the corner to head to my first class, Brady crashes into me. I sneer at the fucker and love the sight of the fear in his eyes when he realizes it’s me.
“Shit, sorry,” he mutters.
I narrow my eyes at the fucker, he’s lucky he’s still fucking breathing. “Stay the fuck out of my way,” I spit out, then shoulder past the little cocksucker. I take one step into my classroom only to be halted by the sound of Cas calling my name. I turn around and see the big fucker stalking toward me like a man on a damned mission and bite back my growl. The look on his face tells me I’m not gonna like what he has to say.
