Page 76 of Pucked Around and Found Out

“And none of you have the fucking right to stand here and question her motives when it's none of your fucking business!”

I whirl around at the sound of his voice and almost weep with relief at the sight of Carnage standing in the entryway, with Harper at his side.

My joy at seeing him—at knowing he's okay—is immediately snuffed out when I take in the panicked look on Harper's face.

Something's wrong.

Something's very, very wrong.

“She hurt you!” Tate snaps, making me cringe.

Carnage shrugs, the movement casual despite the tension radiating from every line of his body. “Since when did you give a shit about me, Tate?”

The question is pointed, sharp.

He doesn't wait for her reply. Instead, he looks directly at Alex. “We need to talk.”

“Is it about how you had your brother come babysit while you ran?” Archer snarks, earning a scornful look from Carnage that could freeze hell.

“Considering my disappearing act might have saved the life of Alex's brother, I doubt I'll have to explain shit to you,” Carnage shoots back, his voice deadly calm.

The room goes completely silent.

“Cas,” I breathe out, the name escaping my lips like a prayer and a curse all at once.

Carnage's gaze shifts to me, and at the sight of me standing there in Xaden's oversized clothes, something in his expression softens. Some of the tension drains from his body, replaced by something that looks dangerously like concern.

“He's safe... for now,” Carnage says, his ominous words settling like a rock in my stomach.

“What do you mean 'for now'?” My voice is barely above a whisper.

Carnage's jaw clenches. “I mean Xaden suspects he has a rat. And he's getting close to figuring out who it is.”

Horror floods through me, ice cold and paralyzing.

“Cas was followed when he left the apartment. He didn’t know he was tailed. Before the guy could make the call after seeing Cas meet with Fiona, I took care of it,” Carnage says bluntly, his eyes never leaving mine. “Xaden knew he had rat before you went there tonight, he just needed you to confirm it.”

The room erupts.

But I can barely hear them over the roaring in my ears.

Cas.

“He'll kill him,” I whisper, my voice shaking. “Xaden will kill him.”

“Yes,” Carnage confirms, his tone gentle but unflinching. “He will.”

“Why would Cas meet her?” I ask, my mind spinning. “He knows Xaden is teetering on the edge and he chose tonight to meet up with the cunt? Why?”

“Because Fiona obviously has leverage,” Carnage states.

My stomach twists violently.

“What happens now?” I force myself to ask, even though I'm terrified of the answer.

Carnage's expression hardens. “Now? We figure out how to keep Xaden from discovering the truth. Because if he finds out Cas betrayed him…” He doesn't finish the sentence.

He doesn't have to.