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Fear.
This is what fear feels like.
War
I tapmy phone against my thigh as people file through my parents’ front door. Thank fuck they’re never home, and even if they were, you’ve got a one hundred percent chance of my mom smoking a joint with you instead of her throwing you out.
It didn’t matter. They were here through all the parties we threw growing up. And we threw a lot of them. Kind of still do since we all find ourselves with a lot of time on our hands.
This time was different, because this time I was fuckingpissed.
Halen thought we were still on Perdita, but between her ignoring our calls and Evie going live on TikTok long enough for us to figure out that they were all up to some shit, it warranted a flight straight home. They left Perdita in a hurry, with no text or call. We hadn’t spoken to any of them since showing them our extracurricular activities. Was she turned off? Hardly. She could pretend that she wasn’t as fucked up as the rest of us all she wanted, but the truth is, she’s just a better liar.
Just when she thought she wasn’t like her daddy…
And don’t get me wrong. I ain’t mad at it, but the girl is pissing me off.
D12 raps in the background as people scream from the pool behind us. The lounge isn’t as busy as the backyard, but it’s enough for us to all talk, hear the music, and do whatever the fuck else.
“How do we know they’ll come back here?” Vaden asks, leaning against the chair opposite me. My knee doesn’t stop moving. I’m on edge. We didn’t get to finish what we were doing tonight because of this, and now, I’m fucking agitated. And that’s not at all where I want to be when I’m anywhere near civilians on land.
Fuck.
“Because I’ve made sure they do…” Priest murmurs, dodging a girl who has her hand on his shoulder from behind.
He flicks it off like one would a piece of trash, before glaring at her coldly. Her lips roll behind her teeth, her cheeks pink. He rests back on me. He knows every single thing that’s going through my head right now and all of them don’t put his sister in a very good position.
Literally.
“You know that at the ritual, by oath, we shouldn’t hide shit from them.”
Another girl screams from the pool and my teeth clench. “I know.”
Vaden kicks my shin with his foot, and I tear my eyes away from the front door. I can be patient with my wrath. I don’t have to tear her apart out of rage, because I’ll fucking dismember her with a smirk. “So what is it with you and Halen?”
Priest laughs coldly. “Like you didn’t know?”
“It’s nothing like that.” I bare my teeth, agitation wavering too close to my final straw.
“She’s going to be a King after this weekend, War.” Priest holds my stare, and I watch as the cloud from ganja pillowsaround his face. “Which means she’s an equal. You can do whatever the fuck you want, you know.”
The corner of his mouth twitches, just as the front door cracks open and I watch as River pauses at the threshold, her eyes finding mine instantly.
Her face drains of color. Good. She’s fucking lucky that’s all that is being drained from her tonight.
But then I notice the bloodstains on her clothes, splattered all over her white dress.
She backs up, almost tripping on her feet as she makes her way back the way she came.
I fly up from my spot on the couch, without so much as telling Priest and Vaden, though by the sounds of their heavy footsteps they’re not far behind me.
I catch the door before River can shut it, just as Halen climbs out of the GTR with Stella.
River clears her throat, most likely thinking of some bullshit explanation. “Um, what are you guys doing back?” She quickly steps into me and closes the door, her eyes bouncing over the three of us with disbelief. The door opens from behind her and she closes her eyes in defeat, cussing beneath her breath.
“Why the fuck are you all covered in blood?” I point to all three of them.
Halen blinks down at River’s dress. “I told you not to wear white—”
