“Easton?” he calls out, and I stop and turn to face him. “Whatever you want with Carnage, let it go. There’s a reason you didn’t know they existed. They are unbeatable. One of them is lethal, but all three of them … you don’t know suffering until they decide to drag you into their world. Nothing survives there.”
I flinch at his words, praying that he’s wrong. I look away from him, not wanting to reveal what Ryat told me. He didn’t have to come to me like he did. I’m thankful for that, but I won’t betray his trust or loyalty. So I say, “The girl—”
“She’s gone, Easton. If she escaped, her time on the run will run out. If she’s dead, she got lucky.”
She has to be alive. My future is in her hands. But if I go by what my father just told me about the Spade brothers, they could already have her chained to a blood-covered cot in a padded room. For all I know, they killed her years ago and then came up with the rumors to cover their tracks.
“I’ll drop it.” It’s not the first lie I’ve told my dad and it won’t be the last either.
He clears his throat, letting me know this conversation isn’t over just yet. Picking something up off his desk, he walks over to me. Holding out a white envelope, he says, “This arrived for you today.”
“What is it?” I ask, taking it from him. My blood runs cold when I read over the black writing.
Please join us for an engagement party…
It’s Chance and Elli’s party invite. I wad it up and let it fall to the floor where it belongs. Then, without another word, I turn and leave his office.
ELLINGTON
I STAND INmy room back at my parents’ house in front of the floor-length mirror tucked into the corner. My makeup and hair are done. I’ve just got to get dressed.
But I can’t seem to force myself to do it. This is it. My mother is throwing me and Chance a party. We’ll officially be announcing our engagement tonight in front of all of her and Linc’s friends. Just another sea of Lords and Ladies that they want to drown me in.
I hate that Sin is on my mind. Kira was able to get all the tallies removed from my skin. I’m pretty sure she took a layer off with it, but all reminders of that night have been erased as if it never happened. And I haven’t seen him since. It’s like when the masked man broke our only way of contact and left me crying.
I feel inadequate. Like he’s too busy with Amelia. She’s fulfilling all of his needs, so I’m long forgotten. Left to rot in the bottom of the tub like that useless cell phone.
I hear the click of the doorknob and I turn around to see my door open. I stiffen when Linc enters. “Get out of my room,” I say, trying to straighten my shoulders, but my voice cracks, giving away that after all these years just being around him affects me.
The smile on his face tells me he noticed it. Shutting the door, my heart begins to beat wildly in my chest when he locks it. “This will only take a few minutes.”
I rush over to the adjoining bathroom door, thinking I can get in there and lock him out, but he beats me. I whimper and take a step back when he steps into the doorframe, arms out wide, blocking it.
Reaching out, he grips my chin, forcing my head back. I take in a deep breath, glaring at him down my nose.
“Get on your knees and thank me,” he orders, getting straight to why he’s in my room.
My legs begin to shake. My breathing becoming labored. “Fuck you,” I spit in his face.
Letting go of my chin, he slaps me across the face so hard it knocks me to my hands and knees. Opening my watery eyes, I see it’s where I first willingly lay down for the masked man. I dig my nails into the carpet, refusing to cry at the sting lingering on my cheek. I’m so tired of looking so weak.
“You know, Elli…” he starts as his shoes walk away from me and over to my bed. “James took his time with you at first due to how young you were. Legal age of consent in the state of Pennsylvania is sixteen.” He makes it sound okay. That James was somehow a gentleman for waiting until the state says I was old enough to give consent to be fucked. “I’m honestly impressed he was able to wait that long. I would have fucked you the moment I took over this house.”
“I never asked him—”
His laughter fills the room, interrupting me and sending a chill up my spine. “You’re right. You never asked. You begged him long before then.”
My throat closes up because I can’t argue that.
He opens my top nightstand drawer before shutting it. He turns back to face me, and I try to get up on my shaking legs and run to my door, but he grabs my hair. I cry out as he yanks me back and bends me over the side of the bed, pinning my legs to it with him standing behind me.
I scream as he brings my arms behind my back and zip-ties my wrists. My stomach sinks and I can’t hold back the tears that fill my eyes.
“They can’t hear you down there, Elli. Everyone is in the west wing getting ready for your party.”
Yanking me off the bed, he shoves me to my knees. My head falls forward and sobs rack my body, so hard I can’t catch my breath.
“You will open that mouth and you will thank me for everything I’ve done for you.”