24
Mercy
When we returnedto the mansion, most of the day had passed. I felt ready to collapse on my feet, but I dragged myself inside and headed to the nearest shower as fast as my weary legs would take me, leaving Rowan far behind.
I ran into Kaige on my way down the second-floor hallway. His eyes lit up for an instant at the sight of me, a glimpse of the old him showing in his expression before it was replaced by cold aloofness. “I see you’re back.”
“Yep,” I said. Awkwardness hung around us. Well, even after our brief heart-to-heart conversation—and the intense physical intimacy we’d shared before that—I didn’t really know him.
And apparently we were both going to pretend that we hadn’t had hot sex on the hood of his car.
He let out a gruff sound and tipped his head toward me. “You might want to burn that shirt. Just saying.” With that, he put his hands in his pockets and headed down the staircase.
I inspected the shirt carefully, but I didn’t see any blood on it, only dirt which presumably a good wash could take care of. But Iwasgoing to need something to change into after my shower. Groaning inwardly, I took a detour toward my old guest room, which it appeared Wylder was allowing me access to again.
I pushed open the door and halted in my tracks, my jaw dropping.
The entire room had been vandalized—there was no other word for it. A bunch of my new clothes scattered the floor, drenched in some dark, viscous liquid. I picked up a shirt, pinching it between my fingers, and recognized from the smell that it had to be kitchen grease.
The same stuff was splashed all over my bed. And the origami creatures I’d been making and placing around the room were now nothing but shreds of paper scattered across the mess.
“Good, you’re here,” somebody said behind me. I whirled around to find Anthea standing at the door. She was barely hiding a smirk. Annoyance flared through me.
“Did you do this?” I asked. The mess was going to be hell to clean up. I wasn’t even sure all the clothes would be salvageable. Grease didn’t come out easily, and who knew how long it’d had to set.
Anthea looked at me with mock horror. “What are you talking about? I would never—”
My jaw twitched. I knew she had something to do with this.
“Before you go around blaming me, I’ll just tell you. A few of the groupie girls took it upon themselves to redecorate.”
I gazed back at her narrowly. “How convenient that no one bothered to stop them.”
“Well, this is the guest bedroom, not exactly a place of interest.”
Her words were clear. The room and its contents were of no consequence. Maybe she even meant me.
“If this is meant to be a threat, it’s not going to work,” I said. “I’m not scared of a few girls who decided to ruin my room for fun—or anyone who might have been standing on the sidelines egging them on.” I touched the bracelet in my pocket that was always with me no matter where I went. At least they hadn’t been able to get to it.
“Oh, but you should be scared.” Anthea walked into the room, forcing me to back up. She might have been half a foot shorter than me, but she was no less intimidating for it, maybe because of the hate that radiated off her. “There are seven of them, and one of you. And as you can see they’re extremely protective.”
I snorted, keeping my head high. “They’re junkies who want some clout. Even if you’re helping them—"
Her eyes flashed. “I already told you I didn’t.”
“And I’m finding that very hard to believe for some reason.”
Anthea raised a hand and tapped my shoulder with calm precision. “I can tell you this. If you don’t take the message to heart and finally run off to wherever you belong, what Iamgoing to do to you will be so much worse than this.”
More threats. How passé. I mock-shivered, pretending to hug myself. “Oooh, look, I’m shaking in my boots.”
“This is not a joke, Mercy Katz. The guys listen to me. And I will personally make your life a living hell, I guarantee you that.”
I raised my chin. “Do it then. What’s worse you can throw at me? Kill my family? Oh, that’s right, they’re already dead. Colt Bryant got there before you. So go ahead, take your shot.”
Anthea turned on her heel, tossing her last words over her shoulder. “This is your last chance. If you don’t take the hint, whatever happens is all on you.”
“Pretty sure you’d blame me for it anyway,” I muttered at her retreating back.