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The fucking Choosing. I thought back to Dogberry’s comments. How had I forgotten how close the Choosing was? My blood ran cold, imagining another man’s hands running up Mila’s smooth skin. I wanted to rip my imaginary enemy limb from limb for touching her lips, or sinking inside her warm pussy. Mila wasmine. “True.”
“I don’t have anything to be worried about, do I, Ray?” Luke eyed me, a smile on his face. But I couldn’t help feeling like the smile was a front, hiding a truth he didn’t want to share with me. “Absolutely not. I’m fully committed to the Kingsnakes.” Another lie. Another sin. When would it end?
“Good.” Luke’s smile grew. “Then you, too, are dismissed. Try and stay out of trouble, all right?”
“Yes, brother.” I left Luke’s office, closing the door behind me. I had just gotten away with murder, and yet I felt less safe than I ever had. I needed to get upstairs and talk to Mila immediately.
First to make sure she was okay after that confrontation, and second to tell her about my plan.
The timeline would need to be moved up with the Choosing so close, but I was certain we could still make it work. I crossed the room, deep in my thoughts.
Tybalt’s voice startled me. “I foundthisat our front door.” Tybalt had taken over door duty for Dogberry, and he came into the common room just as my foot hit the stairs. A small figure stood next to him. Probably another girl desperate for a roof over her head, poor thing. Except when she pushed her hood back, I froze.
“Avery?” I asked. I couldn’t believe it. She knew better. How many lessons about safety had I drilled into her head?
Tybalt smiled up at me. “You know her?”
I turned and stomped across the room, wrenching Avery’s arm out of Tybalt’s grip. “What are you doing here?” I hissed, pulling her into the corner. A few of the brothers had entered the common room and were watching with interest. “How did you even know where I was?”
Avery rolled her eyes, snatching her arm out of my grasp. “I told you I knew what you did. And anyone with half a brain knows where the Kingsnakes operate. Besides, that’s not important right now.”
“Hey, Prospero,” one of the brothers called over to me. “Who’s the fine little piece you’re hiding in the corner? She looking for a place to stay?”
I whipped my head around, glaring at the handful of men nearby. “She’s not available. Mind your own business.”
Another brother whistled. “Damn. Prospero’s protective over this one.” I gritted my teeth, closing my eyes. I wouldn’t kill them. Not tonight.
“Avery, you need to tell me what’s wrong and then you need to go. And where the hell is Ella?”
The men murmured among themselves. “Oh shit, guys. She kinda looks like Prospero. Think this could be his sister?”
In my head, I was plotting their eventual murder, dragging it out. Even Avery looked stunned at the fury in my eyes.
“Avery?” I prompted.
“If it is his sister, he can’t call dibs on her. Even in the apocalypse that shit’s wrong.” I cranked my neck around, offering a death stare to the men in the corner. All they did was smile back. Avery better have a damn good reason for coming here, because she just put all of us in danger. “Avery. Problem,” I ground out. “What is it?”
“Ella,” she whispered. “Ella is sick. I left her in the apartment with Mrs. Mullins. But you need to come home. I think she needs a doctor.”
I was certain my heart stopped beating. Ever since Ella caught the sickness after my mom, her health hadn’t been great. It was only a matter of time before she got sick again, but not tonight. Please, God, not tonight. Not with Mila hiding upstairs, and Luke waiting for me to slip up. But I couldn’t leave Ella home sick. I nodded, pushing Avery toward the door.
“Wait for me outside.” She didn’t have to be told twice, darting through the doorway without another word. Avery gone, I turned back to the men still in the room. “Tell Brother Brutus I had to go home for a family emergency. And if one of you even glances at my female, or my sister, again… I will have no problem making you disappear.”
I eyed each man individually, scanning them for fear or weakness. “Am I fucking clear?” One nodded, and the rest just stared blankly back. Sheep, doing as they were told.
The sooner I could get us all out of here, the better. I hoped Mila would understand when I didn’t come up to her room. I’d explain when I got the chance. I turned and followed Avery out into the night. She stood just outside the door, huddled in her sweater. “What the hell were you thinking coming out here?” She glared at me, her gray eyes pissed in the moonlight.
“I didn’t have a choice, Ray. Ella’s fever is really bad. It was either I came and found you, or you came home and found her.” I sighed, pushing my hood back and running my hand through my hair. “Is she that bad?”
“It’s not good. She was fine one minute, and the next she was burning up.” Avery bounced from leg to leg. I was pissed at her for endangering herself, but deep down I knew she wouldn’t have come here unless there was no other choice.
“All right. Let’s go.” I took off at a brisk pace through the streets, Avery tagging close behind. I turned to glare at her in the faint moonlight. “Promise me you’ll never come back here.”
“I promise.” She stuck her tongue out. “No offense, but that place was friggin’ creepy.”
“Language.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
