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I still didn’t understand why they were sending us to a Cartel dinner, worse still, I knew that once I walked in, Johnny would immediately recognize me. The Warden had made sure to drag me along to a few of his high profile meetings, and part of me wanted to be flattered - to believe that he wanted to show me off, include me in his plans, but the truth was always far more sinister. He took me with so that they couldseeme -memorizethe prettiness of my face, so that if I ever turned against The Warden, they knew exactly who to kill.
But the news had rocked Mack, and I fucking hated that Benson seemed to taunt him with it, as if the dinner was doomsday itself. I wouldn’t let anything happen to him - couldn’t, because even when I didn’t want him to, Mack had buried his way under my skin - embedded himself in my flesh, becoming someone I would protect without thought or consideration.
This is what having someone’s dick in you too many times did to your brain - you became attached, achy, needy, and reliant. I hated it, but I was also addicted to the feeling that was Mack - craved the highs he took me to, and knew already that when this servitude ended, like any addict, I’d have to go cold-turkey.
I also knew that if I was attending the dinner that The Warden would hear about it. Undoubtedly, there was a guest list floating around with my name on it, which meant that I needed to get to work. I knew that The Warden would use this opportunity to deliver a message to me, and I needed to ensure that he was satisfied with the work I was doing while I was here.
“Hey,” I called to Mack through the crack of the bathroom door, taking in his silhouette in the shower. Even with the glass obscuring my vision, he lookedgood,and I was tempted to slip in with him - to lose myself in the pleasure that only he seemed to offer. “I’m going downstairs to get one of those strawberry coffee things.” As excuses went, it was lame, but I was counting on Mack assuming that I craved that shit.
“Get a couple so you can keep them in the fridge for when you want them.”
This was the part of Mack that no one else saw - the part that made me pause - made me wonderwhat if.
I had to get away because if I stayed here for a minute longer, I might just climb into the shower with him, or worse yet, confess it all.
I shut the door quietly behind me before heading downstairs where all the bars and entertainment lay, slinging my tote over my shoulder. I was on the hunt for trouble, and on Society grounds, it shouldn't have been too difficult a feat. My first stop was the trendy coffee shop that was a Starbucks, except in name. I ordered four of the pink iced coffees that seemed to taste more like strawberry than actual caffeine and promised to return to collect.
The coffee shop was buzzing, but not with the kind of people I was looking for. The harm done in here was gossip worthy, but I wasn’t certain that it required The Warden’s particular brand of justice.
I wandered outside, the heat almost nauseating as it hit me in the face. Stragglers hung around the pool, but most had chosen to return inside, not even the lure of the swimming pool enough to make them brave the Texas heat. Still, I needed to find someone that was more than just a suit - someone that The Society couldn’t simply brush aside - someone who wasn’t as disposable as the others.
Because no matter what else, by the time I left here, they would fear The Warden - fear his reach and influence, for The Society had governed for far too long, reveling in the bullying they did.
I weaved between the tables and chairs, wandering almost aimlessly, knowing that when I saw it, I’d know exactly what I should do. And then I heard sounds that I was only too familiar with - sounds that I was more accustomed to hearing from bathroom stalls and back alleys - sounds that Mack seemed to ring from me, until I was the lead singer of my own euphoric choir. It didn’t surprise me - we wanted what we wanted, and most allowed their needs and passions to govern them.
But that wasn’t me.
I halted my steps, unsure if I should continue because, while I was looking for a good calling card, I didn’t feel like stumbling into someone on all fours.
That’s when I heard it.
“No…” her voice shook with fear. “Get off of me!”
The sounds suddenly took on a new meaning - it didn’t sound like passion, in fact, it sounded more like a struggle. I stepped towards them instinctively, my legs burning with the urge todo something- tostop them. I held my breath, scared that the very act of breathing would give my position away, and I didn’t want him to stop because Iheardhim, I wanted him to stop because he wasdead.
I stepped silently between the pool loungers, following the direction of the noise until I finally spotted them - in a shaded area at the back, various loungers, tables, and chairs blocking them from direct view. It looked like he was pinning her down against the concrete, her face turned away from him in anguish. Her light brown hair fanned against her shoulder, her eyes squeezed shut in pain. This wasn’t someone who was consenting - this wasn’t a game of rough and tumble sex, this wasrape- or something very close to it.
“Stop moaning, Gracie, and just take it - you know you want me - wantthis.” The guy above her spoke, pushing his hand beneath her plaid skirt, and something about his voice tugged at my memory. Iknewhim, but then that wasn’t a difficult feat considering he was clearly a Society man, and what-do-you-know, I was surrounded by them.
A sob escaped her lips as she shook beneath him, and I watched in horror as he slammed her shoulders into the concrete beneath harder.
“For fuck sakes, stop fighting. Just take it like you’re supposed to.” He turned his head slightly, baring his teeth down at her, and for a minute I didn’t see The Society prick above her, I saw Blaise, and it was enough to get me moving.
The thing about him choosingthisexact spot to force himself on her meant that we were hidden - that there was no camera coverage here, and that was at least something to be grateful for. Once I was moving, it was difficult to stop, and as I slammed my knee into his head, toppling his body off of her, I feltalivein a way that seemed to speak to my inherent need for justice. For justice and vengeance were often one and the same.
The girl before me looked up, shock etched on every part of her face, but I noted the red marks on her neck, the bruising that already seemed to blossom against her wrists. She was pretty in that innocent upper class way, and I wondered how her parents justified their bullshit in sending her here. Because no cost should be too high to protect your kid. What? They were scared to lose their precious money? Their connections? Their reputations?
They didn’t understand that none of that would be worth a damnwithout her.
Because this was never about Blaise - it wasn’t even really about me, it always came back toher- the sunny side to my darkness. My best friend - a sister in all the ways that counted - myfamily.
The man groaned next to me, but I couldn’t take my gaze off of the frightened girl lying there as if she was simply waiting for me to strike. Was she used to violence? Did she know what she had signed up for?
“Run.” I ground the command out, annoyed that she wasn’tmoving. Did she expect me to carry her to safety? Or perhaps she was waiting for a carriage ride to appear out of thin air.
“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll tellno oneabout this.” I hissed the threat, pushing the venom dripping from my veins into my throat. She needed to know that I was serious, and when this fuckface turned up dead, I didn’t need Princess over here sprouting tales that I was the last one to be seen with him.
It seemed to do the trick because suddenly she was scrambling from the concrete and fleeing the scene. I simply had to count on the fact that she was terrified enough to not utter a word. And then I turned my gaze on him. He was pathetic, groaning against the concrete, and I was strangely disappointed that a knee to the head was all it took. But then I looked at him - really looked at him, and realized exactly who I was staring at. Fate could be a fickle bitch, but occasionally she offered up presents. I liked to think of it as her acknowledging all thegoodI was doing in the world because staring back up at me was none other than Paul Mae, Military extraordinaire and serial date rapist. It hadn't been all that long ago that he had slipped something into my drink, and while I couldn’t actthen, I certainly could actnow.
