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I know we are all exhausted. Everything that’s been happening these last few days have taken years off my life. After we get all the wedding stuff finalized, and Society things taken care of, I think we should all take a relaxing vacation.
“Jacob isn’t a bad person, and his eyes are finally open,” I say, as I start to pack my bag. “So what brings you by, Ash?” I ask as he stands there quietly lost in thought.
“Oh, Bast and Jonas will be here in a few minutes. They are grabbing snacks because they skipped dinner. We’ve all been studying for our next trial, since it was pushed back again. A small part of me just wants to get it over with, so we can finally be inducted. While the other part of me is worried about what it’ll be like to go through it.”
I nod, because I had similar plans to talk to them about this. “We have some things to discuss, so I’m glad they’re on the way. One of them is your trial, and the other is Chastity,” I tell him.
Ash wrinkles his nose and I smirk. I’m not telling him shit until the others get here. He pulls out his phone and begins texting them furiously, no doubt trying to get them to haul ass over here.
My phone buzzes and I sigh. I’ve been in classes all day, and the stupid thing has been going off throughout the day. The only reason I didn’t excuse myself to deal with it is because The Society gave me this job, so I won’t shirk my duties. My father knows the code to text me if it’s an emergency.
Picking up the annoyance, I see it is, in fact, my dad.
“Be right back,” I tell Ash, holding up my phone. He glances up for half a second before frowning, knowing I’d only be excusing myself if it was really important. He nods, his body coiled in anticipation. Ash has been struggling the last few days with guilt, but he’ll need to take that up with our girl.
No one else can absolve him of his sins against her.
“Hi, Dad,” I murmur as I close the door to my office behind me.
“Son,” Dad says, his tone sounding off. Forehead wrinkling, I walk to the back corner of the room so no one can overhear our conversation. Something tells me this is a formal Society call.
“Yes, Sir, how may I serve The Society?” I ask, showing him that I understand he is calling as The Eagle.
“The Society is worried about the safety of the Eve. We didn’t realize her father was such a danger to her, but after further investigation, it has been decided she can never be in his presence again. Chastity is too important, Levi. What are we doing to secure her?” he asks.
Biting my lip, I think about my words. I need to know if there is anyone else in the room with him. “May I ask if my words are being recorded or heard by others right now?” I ask my father. He usually warns me, but his tone is so strange.
“No, our words will stay between us, if they must.”Dad sighs. “There’s a lot of pressure for the Adams to complete their first trial. This year hasn’t gone as planned, and you haven’t been very communicative as of late.”
I wince, knowing what he's saying is true. Proposing to Chastity was never supposed to happen, and Dad always warned me that my marriage may be an arranged one.
“I’m sorry, things moved very quickly while Eve was at the hospital,” I apologize. “Her grandmother wanted to check her into Hidden Hills—”
“That place is a torture facility!”Dad roars. “The staff aren’t qualified, and it’s where the rich stick those who are a nuisance or dangerous. Is this her first stay there?”
Fuck, why doesn’t he know she was there previously? He’s right, there are too many damn secrets.
“No. Dad, here’s the deal. I don’t know everything, but her father is a terrible person. He’s been hurting her under the guise of religious punishments for years. Maxen Andrews lured Chastity from Holy Cross three weeks ago with the promise of seeing her daughter. I don’t know who the father is, but I get the feeling that the conception and its act weren’t consensual,” I explain. My heart constricts in pain at everything that this girl has gone through. “Our Eve is strong, but even the strong break, Dad. She attempted to take her own life after she was beaten and forced to legally give up her child against her will. We almost lost her… I worry that she won’t be able to withstand the things The Society will ask of her.”
There’s silence on the line for so long, I have to check to see if it disconnected. Sitting down, I wait for my fatherto absorb this information. The leaders of The Society never get personally involved with the Eve's, because they are a means to an end. Wild girls who enjoy sex. But Chastity was chosen because she’s special. She’s a Cross, which means she will one day be very important to The Locked Souls Society.
She is not just a warm hole for the Adam's to lose their virginity. Jonas, Bast, and Ash were meant to fall for her, but in many ways this makes things more difficult.
The crash of glass on the other end of the line makes me jump. Dad never loses his temper like that. Shit.
“What else do you know, Levi?”Dad asks in a low voice.
Breathing deeply, I think. “She was at Hidden Hills before she came to Holy Cross. I’m not sure for how long, but she’s terrified of going back. The look she gets in her eyes when she thinks about it… I refuse to allow it. I am a medical proxy for Chastity, because Mother Cross had to attend to her duties at the school while her granddaughter was at the hospital. However, she was very quick to begin admitting Chastity for her own ‘safety’,” I say sarcastically.
I have no doubt in my mind that it is to protect the old bag from any blow back. “The Dragon was able to get me some incriminating information from the Adoption Agency’s video camera. I couldn’t see faces, but Chastity was beaten by men three times her size. I am currently blackmailing Mother Cross.”
I make sure to tell my dad about Jacob helping me, because I’m hoping he’ll be more willing to forgive my misstep in communicating with them. I’m toeing the line between my life within The Society, and my commitment to Chastity’s safety.
“So, the Dragon knows about what has been happening?”Dad asks, and I find myself nodding, even though he can’t see me.
“Yes, Sir. He is aware of Chastity’s background,” I say candidly, because we did fill him in on some of it. The rest he knows because he’s her brother. I’m surprised that Jacob didn’t tell The Society about her time at Hidden Hills. It appears he’s the one with secrets as well.
“Alright, I need a written statement of the last few weeks for The Society’s files. Anything you believe is too dangerous to disclose, feel free to exclude, and call me to tell me about it instead. Now, care to explain why you’re marrying the Eve?”Dad asks, and my lips twitch because there’s a bit of amusement in his voice.
