Luke steps forward and Eli pulls Harper into his side. Luke’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes as he leans in close to Ethan and whispers into Ethan’s ear. With every word, Ethan grows paler and paler.
When Luke returns to Harper, Ethan moves with the music. The crowd laughs like this is all one big prank. But it’s more than that. We’re making them part of the punishment.
We’re feeding into them what we want from them. Some of them are probably horrified. I’m sure a few have left. Others might be angry. This is someone on the football team. The team must’ve felt like they were untouchable because we’re on the team with them.
This shows them they’re all vulnerable. They all need to watch their backs.
Fuck, maybe this was the wrong move. Maybe we should have dealt with him privately, made him tell us what we need to know to move on the others. The ones actually pulling the strings.
My eyes meet Harper’s. It’s almost like she’s trying to show me what she feared for so many years. When we tied Grant to the pole, it humiliated him. The past week, the guy walked around with his head down and with the masses making fun of him.
Will they do the same to Ethan now? Or will it put another crack in the horsemen’s power and make whoever is after them more determined? Give that person more followers to break out from beneath the horsemen’s rule?
I’m not sure which way this will turn the tide, but it is satisfying watching this asshole dance like a monkey.
“Enough.” Luke’s voice makes the music stop and Ethan stall.
The red on Ethan’s face pours down his neck to his chest.
“Show’s over.” Jack waves his hands. “Feel free to go back to whoever you were doing before we turned the lights on.”
The lights dim and the music changes back to the club mix. Caden shoves Ethan back into the bathroom. I follow them in and close the door behind us, cutting off the sounds of the party.
“Was it worth it?” Caden asks as he pushes Ethan’s clothes against his chest.
“Fuck off.” His voice isn’t as strong, but he backs away from us and strips off the panties to put his boxers on.
I lean on the counter next to Caden as we watch Ethan dress.
“What next? Are you going to make me your bitch?” His blue eyes still have rage in them but it’s tempered by his fear. I’m curious what Luke said to him.
Caden shakes his head. “No one wants to fuck you, Ethan. When are we going to get that through your thick head?”
“So, you’re going to beat me up.” Ethan nods like he expected that. He sits on the edge of the tub and pulls on his socks and shoes.
“No, but you’re going to talk.” Caden steps forward and grabs his arm.
Using a key, I unlock the door to the hallway.
“Talk?” Ethan asks.
“You said a lot of interesting things to our girl.” Caden drags him into the hallway and down to a room. It’s a simple room with a couple of couches. Almost like a waiting room, which is weird for a house. But when you have a house this big, I guess not every room is going to be perfectly decorated or useful.
“I didn’t tell her shit.” Ethan sits down on the couch as Caden stands over him.
“We can do this one of two ways, Ethan. You can spill what you know. Or we can make you spill, but that requires a special room. One with a drain and a hose to clean up after.”
Does Caden really have a room like that? Or is it a bluff? I haven’t toured his whole house. Why would his parents even have a room like that? Fuck.
Caden leans against the wall and glances at me before sighing. “We’ve got all night. Though I have plans later, so eventually, I’ll make the decision for you.”
“You want to torture me? Fuck, you guys are sick.” Ethan apparently hasn’t learned his lesson.
“We won’t torture you like in the movies.” I lower to sit on the couch across from Ethan, meeting his eyes and watching him carefully. “Caden will just break his fists on your face until it will take a really talented surgeon to make you look semi-normal.”
Ethan pales again and rubs his hands together.
“You can make this quick and easy...” Caden leaves it hanging.
