“You think I’m going to go along with this?”
“You are because, in exchange, I am going to tell you all the information you wanted to hear.”
“About what?”
“About you and your parents.”
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?” He leaned closer, his breath brushing against my cheek. “Or are you scared of what you’re about to hear?”
I held his gaze, refusing to look away, but wanting to puke.
“Your parents,” he whispered, “weren’t innocent in any of this.”
I inhaled sharply, my entire body locking up.
Jack grinned. “You think they were forced into working with the Order? You think they werevictims?” He clicked his tongue. “No, Evie. They went to the Order first.”
“No.” The word fell out of me before I could stop it.
Jack continued, undeterred. “They needed help. They needed something no one else could give them. And they agreed to help the Order in exchange for it. They were like me. They needed protection and would do whatever it took to get that.” He smiled, letting the moment hang between us.
Jack leaned back, stretching, casual as ever. “Oh, they didn’thandyou over, of course. That would’ve been cruel, right?” His grin widened. “No, they just made a deal. They promised to help. To do favors. Tobelongto the Order in whatever way was needed. And in return, the Order made sure no one could hurt you or them.”
I couldn’t breathe.
Jack watched me, his smile growing as he took in the way my body stiffened, the way my breathing hitched.
“I thought you were smarter than this, Evie,” he murmured, standing. “Thought you would have put it together already. But I guess it’s more fun this way.”
He turned toward the door, pausing long enough to deliver the final twist of the knife.
“You’ve been running from the wrong people, sweetheart,”he said, his voice almost kind. “Because the only monsters you needed to fear? The ones who put you in danger from the very beginning?”
He looked over his shoulder, eyes dark, his voice laced with something cruel and victorious.
“We were right in front of you the entire time.”
The door slammed shut, locking me in the dark.
My mind raced, trying to put the pieces into place, but I couldn’t find where they went.
Was I supposed to know who was in the Order? I remembered the list of names I was given and couldn’t picture a single one of their faces.
I guess in our life, that didn’t mean much. We had plenty of friends and even more enemies, most of them unknown to us.
My head rolled back as I stared up at the ceiling. I had no plan. This was when Aiden usually stepped in and saved me, in my ridiculous plans.
Aiden.
My stomach churned, wondering if he and Rook were still at the house fighting or if they had given that up, choosing to blame me for the mess and move on. I didn’t actually know how long I had been gone. They could have already worked it all out.
I guess that was if I ever made it home.
Another hour went by, or at least I guessed it was another hour, before the door swung open again. Another man in another suit who I didn’t want close to me. Unlike Jack, he didn’t look as grossly excited, but there was a smile on his face.
“Evie Emberson,” he said, looking me over. “You’re not quite what I expected.”
