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“Because life has been very unkind to you, Samara,” was Xavier’s serene reply. “Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do for Jace. I understand you’re in a relationship, but with him being Damien’s son, I cannot offer him the same courtesy right now. I need him here to help Griffin keep Damien on stable ground. Should you decide to accept my offer, Griffin will drive you to the airport in Clover Bay. From there, you’ll board a plane, and then the rest will be left for you to decide.”
“And if I don’t take the money?” she asked.
“Then Griffin will take you back to the academy, and you’ll be permanently locked in as a recruit for the Ravagers, meaning you’ll have no choice but to take the trials. It also means that you’ll volunteer your servitude to the Ravagers and work as a double agent. Just like Griffin and Jace.”
Her eyes flicked away from Xavier and locked on mine. Then she stared down at the money, dragging her teeth across her bottom lip, torn at what to do or say.
“Can we-uh,” I finally spoke, cringing in pain as I made to sit up straighter in my seat. “Can we have a moment alone, please?”
Xavier bobbed his head. “Of course. Griffin and I will be right outside.”
They made their departure, and when the door was shut, I turned to Samara. “Kitten? Are you okay?”
“Something doesn’t feel right about this, Jace.” She lifted her head. Tears were in her eyes. “None of this makes any sense.”
“What do you mean?”
“This.” She gently kicked the duffel. “Why is he doing this? I’m nobody to him. A stranger.”
Even I had to admit that something about this whole thing felt off. If it were one of the other lords like Crane, Alesi, Sinclair, and of course, my father, Samara and I would’ve been executed on sight, no questions asked. Still, Xavier did spare us, and although I didn’t really know much about the guy, he showed no faults in his kindness being ingenuine. Nor did Finn. It burned me to say this, but despite the justification, this shit was the real deal. Samara would be crazy not to take the money and run.
“I think you should take the money.”
Samara blinked at me like I'd sprouted six heads. “What?”
I sighed, my heart cracking. “Think about it, Kitten. All you’ve ever wanted is to be free from the Valley. With that money, you could go anywhere off grid, have anything and everything you’ve ever wanted. You-you’d be—”
“Don’t say I’d be safe, because we both know that’s a lie.” Samara leaned down to zip the duffle. She deposited it on the bar top, turning to face me when she was done. “Let’s say I take the money and go. Once Damien realizes I’m gone, he’ll send fucking bounty hunters after me, not to mention inflict whatever sick torture he can think of upon you and Finn, too. And besides, even if I did leave and manage to make it a few years under the radar, I’d never fully be free, Jace. I’d still have to live life looking over my shoulder. I’d spend every moment of every day in constant fear that it’ll be my last.”
I raised my hand, not needing to hear more because arguing with her was like wrestling a bear, and I was pretty confident she’d made her choice.
“Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
“It’s what I have to do, Jace. I can’t run. I won’t. I’m gonna stay and fight, even if it ends up killing me.”
Eighteen
Rhett
“Iseverythinginorderfor this weekend?” Isaac asked at lunch on Monday as he took a seat beside Phantom at our usual table.
“Yeah,” Phantom replied. “We meet with the boys from Clover Bay Friday night and then we have the first trial on Saturday. As long as there aren’t any more inconveniences getting in the way—” He cut his eyes across the cafeteria, where Samara was sitting down next to Sky. “—then everything should run smoothly.”
My throat bobbed. Despite the ongoing war of emotions festering inside of me, my eyes lifted from my tray and focused on her.
It was all a game. She never wanted me.
Even with the knowledge of her deceit, I still fucking fought for her. Killed for her. I told her how much I cared just to be used like some fucking tool!
“I can’t believe she didn’t take the money.” Isaac scoffed and shook his head. “She’s either nuts or just plain stupid.”
“Or has a death wish,” added Phantom.
It grew quiet for a stretch before Isaac’s green eyes slid over to me, Phantom following a second later. “You’re still not talking to us, huh?”
“Just let him sulk,” Phantom said with a scoff and a heavy eye roll. “He can be pissed all he wants, but what’s done is done. He’ll get over it eventually.”
Pissed wasn’t the proper word to illustrate my mood. It was bad enough I’d woken up in the middle of the goddamn clearing alone to find that Samara had stolen my keysandmy car. But whattheydid, going after Jace and Samara like that, really cut deep. They hid it from me. Lied about where they were going and what they were doing because they didn’t trust me. And since my car was gone and with their refusal to answer the goddamn phone, I had no other choice but to call Father for help.
