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With my prey in a chokehold—hisback snug to my chest with a gun pressed to his rib cage, right over his heart—I raise his right hand, observing each finger. “Give me the names and maybe I’ll let you keep one of these fingers.”
“I told ya. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. Look, man. I'm just a normal guy trying to make ends meet. I don’t want any trouble.”
At first glance, heisa normal guy. Mid-thirties, scruffy face with a beer belly. Pretty sure he’s even got a wife and kids, which I’ll definitely use to my advantage, if necessary. I don't know a thing about this asshole. Don’t give a damn about him, either. All I care about are the secrets he keeps. The ones that involve the murder of Sebastian Saint, our former state governor.
Didn’t feel much like going to my classes this morning. So I didn’t. Might go this afternoon. Might not. With only a couple of weeks left before our chapter’s next meeting, when my assignment must be complete, I figured, what the hell, might as well do something worth my time before the party tonight. Which led me here to the riverside park, where I knew I’d find this asshole eating during his lunch break.
Each year during our attendance at Boulder Cove University (BCU), The Elders give the male students a list of assignments. Tests of loyalty, if you will. Each completed assignment brings us one step closer to being an Elder—a member who has completed the training and assignments with advanced knowledge and authority—in which case, we call the shots. Not everyone makes it, but I will. Because one thing I desire in life, above all else, is power for me, Maddox, and Lev. The boys I’ve climbed every mountain with. One day I will reign over The Society. One day, wewill reign over The Society.
Then I saw her.
I chose my assignment at the end of the summer during one of The Society’s quarterly meetings, not knowing what I was getting myself into with my choice.Find out who killed our state governor.He’s an Elder and a descendant of one of the founding families. Should’ve been easy enough. In fact, it was. It took me sixteen hours to find out what happened. I could have handed over the information I got and had a low-key semester, while awaiting my future assignment for the next school year.
But the minute I laid eyes on her beautiful face, I knew I’d do anything to keep her safe, and it was at that very moment, I realized I’d have to be extra careful when carrying out my task because what The Elders want is the truth. And the truth is exactly what I refuse to give them. My new personal goal is to silence those who know what really happened to the governor. I’ll betray The Society and twist the truth to keep it hidden, because my obsession with Riley Cross goes beyond any power I’ll gain as an Elder.
A Guardian—my angel—killed our governor. And justifiably at that. Sebastian Saint was no leader. The man was a pansy ass who enjoyed fucking with teenagers. The sick bastard preyed on a group of students at Boulder Cove Academy and Riley did what she had to do as a Guardian—a protector of our generational members—and she shot the fucker at point-blank range. Then, she covered up his murder and claimed it was suicide. Being a Blue Blood comes with many benefits. One of them being protection from outside law enforcement. We like to handle our business on our own. And while the cops that were brought in on the case bought the story, because it’s the one they were fed, a few of The Elders weren’t so receptive to the claim and demanded the truth. They’re seeking punishment for the involved members. Over my dead fucking body.
I’m not supposed to know that Riley is a Guardian—as is my best friend, Maddox. Only The Elders are supposed to know whotheyare. It isn’t until graduation and our initiation into The Society as Elders that we know who holds what positions. I’m training to be a Sleuth—one who gathers information on cases given to us by The Elders. Meaning, we’re all basically their little bitches.
Although we’re not supposed to reveal our positions,me, Maddox, and Lev know everything about one another. As for Riley Cross, I know more about her than she knows about herself due to my sleuthing skills.
Raising my prey’s hand, I stick his index finger in my mouth and clamp down, biting into his flesh until I feel the crunch of his bone. Right now, I need to hear what this guy knows, and if I suspect it’s more than he should, his life will end.
“Fuuuuuck,” he howls, while remaining relatively still, out of fear I’ll blow out his insides.
I bring his finger farther into my mouth, positioning his nail between my molars. My jaw locks, caging his finger in as I chew like a dog with a bone.
“All right,” he cries out. “Fuck. Okay. I’ll tell ya everything I know.”
Pleased with my ability to break him so quickly, I slide his finger out of my mouth, spin him around with the gun still lodged in his rib, then I ball up the metallic spit on my tongue and shoot it right at his face. It rolls down his nose, and he doesn’t so much as flinch as it rests on his upper lip.
I dig the gun deeper, showing him it’s still there while giving him one last chance to fess up. “Talk. Now.”
His injured finger shakes in the air, his breath hitching. “Mr. Saint—the governor. He hired us to watch some kids at a school on the east side of town. The night he died, we saw them—”
“Who iswe?” I cut him off, just needing the names, not the details I already know.
“A few guys from the factory he owned, where we work.”
I push harder, grinding the tip of the gun against the bone of his ribs. “Names!”
“Robby…Robby Nelson,” he stutters. “Andy Porter. And…” His words trail off as he hesitates to give me that last name.
“And…?”
“My…brother, err…Eric.”
“That’s it?”
His head nods against my sternum. “Better be,” I tell him, before pulling the trigger. Splatters of his blood hit my face as I let his limp body fall to the ground. Pleading eyes stare up at me, blood seeping out of him and soaking his sweaty tee shirt.
Pulling out the mini notepad in the pocket of my bloodstained jacket, I add names and cross one off.
Dennis Mathers
Robby Nelson
Andy Porter
