“Get lost, Maddison,” Xaden snaps. She peers back at him over her shoulder undeterred by his angry tone.
“Screw you, X. This pain in my ass is late for her shift and I’m not covering for her again,” Maddison hisses.
“First period is about to start, she doesn’t have a shift,” Cas interjects with venom in his tone.
“She has a free period so she is rostered on, smartass.” Maddison doesn’t wait for a reply, she grips my arm and drags me out of the hallway with his gaze boring a hole in the back of my head. I don’t protest or fight against her, allowing her to drag me outside with Carnage hot on our heels. She doesn’t stop until we round the side of the building, then releases me with a slight shove. Carn comes to stand beside me while Maddison places her hands on her hips and looks between the two of us. I know she is trying to figure out what our dynamic is but she will never get it and I can never tell her. “Why the fuck are you back here, Toren?”
I note the tone of concern in her voice and feel a sense of gratitude toward the girl. Her and I have never been close or even friends, but the fact she is trying to help me right now has my respect.
“The less you know, the better,” I answer. Her eyes narrow and I can see she wants to push me, but growing up in Stormsend has taught her not to ask questions.
She purses her lips and nods. “Next time, I won’t save you.”
“I know,” I answer honestly. Truth be told, I never expected her to come to my rescue just then.
“You have no idea what he is capable of, Toren. He has changed since taking over and it’s not a good thing. Xaden was ruthless before but now, he’s so much fucking worse.” I can hear the slight tremble in her voice and I know Maddison isn’t the type of girl who scares easily.
“How so?” I press. I know Carn is listening to every word and taking notes on our enemy.
“He doesn’t ask questions. If he thinks you wronged him…” She clamps her mouth closed and shoots Carnage a distrusting look before focusing back on me. “He eliminates the problem without remorse, put it that way. Stay away from him if you hope to live long enough to graduate. He isn’t the guy you knew him to be. He changed after he lost Emery and that was bad, but this, this is so much fucking worse.” She doesn’t wait for me to digest her words before she spins on her heel and marches back inside the building. I reach up and rub my throat. That is the second time that asshole has tried to strangle me to death!
“How do you want to play this?” Carn asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
I look over at him and smirk. “He expects me to tuck tail and run like I would have before. I’m going to show Xaden Devlin that I’m not that weak bitch anymore.”
A vicious smirk touches the corner of his mouth. “What’s the plan, killer?”
“Time to beat him at his own game and seduce the motherfucker like he did me. But first, I think we should go pay my dear old dad a visit.”
“We going to his house?”
“Yeah, I want to surprise him and catch him off guard. It’s time to play this game and start tearing them down. I’m done being nice. I want this shit to end so I can get the fuck out of here and not look over my shoulder every single day.”
Carn reaches out and places a hand on my shoulder. “You have the Denver Kings on your side. If they want a fucking war, we’ll give it to them.”
CHAPTER SIX
TOREN
Pulling up in front of my childhood home doesn't have a feeling of warmth settling inside me. When I look at the mansion, all I see is a palace devoid of love and care. This isn’t a home, it’s just a house. A blank canvas for a rich sadistic bastard to show off his wealth. Nothing about this place feels right as I step out of the car. I hold my head high as I walk to the front door with Carnage beside me. I have no idea what it is about him but I feel safe. It's a strange feeling considering I haven’t known him long but he has proven to me that I can trust him.
I know we aren’t exactly on the same team, considering the Denver Kings want the Devlin Cosa Nostra and Kellar Cartel shut down, but for right now our wants are aligned and as long as that continues I know I can trust that he will have my back. My only worry is when all of this is over, what will happen then? Will he become my enemy? Will he want me dead as well?
Before I can open the door, a butler beats me to it. The look of surprise on his face at the sight of me has me biting back a smirk. I’ve never seen this man before, he’s new but it’s clear he knows exactly who the fuck I am. He speaks as I stalk past and head straight for my father’s study ignoring his protests, knowing Carnage will handle him and stop him from getting to me.
I should be terrified of the person I am becoming but I’m not. The power the Denver Kings have given me is addictive and alluring. The hunger for revenge is toxic, like a dark cloud constantly hovering over me daily, but rather than trying to push it away I’ve embraced it and allowed it to consume me. Masen, Kellan, Cas, Meekan, my father and even Xaden are the reason I am this way. They forced me to change and become this jaded monster who thirsts for the demise of her enemies and wants to watch their worlds crumble to the ground.
I round the bend and push his study door open without knocking. I expected him to be alone here but seeing my brother, Frank and Kellan in here has me schooling my face from showing the shock. The look on their faces at the sight of me is fucking priceless, I wish I could take a picture of this moment to relive on days I’m bored. I’m standing in the middle of the room and place my hands on my hips, smiling. The four of them just continue to stare at me with varying looks of shock, outrage and hatred, but the glimmer of fear and regret I see in my brother’s eyes has my stomach rolling. I tear my gaze from him and focus on my father.
He places his hands flat on his oak desk and pushes to his feet, the sneer of his old withered face only solidifies that I am doing what is best for not only me but the future of both these towns. These men aren’t fit to lead. They allow their greed and hatred for each other to rule them and cause chaos. I want none of that. All I want is to be free of them all and live my life in peace, and if that means me needing to take down both sides, so fucking be it. His mouth opens but no words come out and I know it’s because the sight of Carnage entering the room and coming to stand by my side has rendered him speechless.
Before he can utter a word I take charge and speak. “Father, allow me to introduce you all to my friend, Carnage… De Santis.”At the mention of his last name, all four of them stand and stare at him with looks of outrage on their faces.
“You dare to walk into my house uninvited and interrupt a private meeting? You have no fucking respect,” my father roars and pounds his fist on the top of his desk. The old Toren would be trembling and dropping her gaze to the floor in shame, but not anymore. Toren 2.0 doesn’t cower. I don’t have the luxury of being blinded to the corruption and vile things they do any longer.
I shrug my shoulders. “Respect is earned not given,Steven.” My brother’s face falls at my blatant disrespect, but I ignore it as I look between my father and Frank. The sight of them both makes me sick. These men aren’t who I once thought they were. I always believed both of them wanted what was best for the people and educated their lives to make the world a better place but how fucking wrong was I?
“How fucking dare you?—”
