He jerked his thumb toward the other team. “They said we’re playing five on five today. I think they thought we would forfeit since we told them we only had four when we set up the match. Assholes.”
“I’ll play,” Sam’s deep voice rumbled as he stood.
Everyone stared at him, and Keith whooped loudly. “Fuck yeah. They’re going to piss their pants when they see you.”
The bench shook as Kordie plopped down with relief.
“What position am I playing?” Sam asked, taking the glove from Keith.
As Keith, Dume, and Sam talked gameplay, Rory stared at the other team. She felt the animosity from across the field.
The men broke apart, and everyone ran to their positions near the players they were covering as Sera grabbed a bat and stood over the fifth plate.
When Rory reached her position, the girl near her looked at her and stumbled back. “What the fuck?” she shouted as she continued to back up. Her teammates moved closer as she pointed at Rory. “It’s The B-Butcher.”
Rory cursed under her breath and shook her head. “Aurora is my cousin, not to mention she’s in prison.” She walked forward and offered her hand. “I’m Lo.”
The other team looked uneasy, but they believed her. Why wouldn’t they? “The resemblance is scary,” the girl replied, tentatively taking her hand.
Rory put on her best act and laughed. “You should have seen her twin sister. It was impossible to tell them apart.” Lie. “Please don’t hold my cousin’s crimes against me. We were as shocked and hurt as everyone else.”
“They were her friends,” the other team’s pitcher accused, motioning to the rest of Rory’s friends. “We remember playing against her, and that one,” he said, turning to glare at Sera. “Holds rallies and praises her like a hero. You’re all sympathizers.” He spat on the ground. “Disgusting.”
Rory’s eyes caught movement behind him, and she watched Sera stalk across the field like a predator as she twirled her bat in her hand like a professional catch-shot player.
Dume realized what she was about to do and bolted toward her, and when she cocked the bat back with impressive form, he picked her up from behind.
The bat swung inches from the pitcher’s head, and he jumped back. “You crazy bitch!”
“Fuck you,” she shouted as she struggled to free herself from Dume’s hold.
Rory couldn’t help but double over with laughter at the fury on Sera’s face, the fear on the pitcher’s, and the annoyance on Dume’s.
“I will bash your fucking head in if you utter another word,” Sera vowed when Dume lowered her to the ground.
Rory, Keith, and Kordie joined Dume and Sera, and the pitcher folded his arms across his chest, ready to spew more insults, but he didn’t realize Sam was behind him. TheAngelclosed his massive hand around the pitcher’s neck and slammed him face-first onto the ground.
“I do not need a bat to kill you,” he snarled. “I suggest you and your friends go back to whatever filth you crawled out of.” The man on the ground screamed, and his team ran. “Your teammates are cowards. Leave.” He released the guy’s neck and backed away, watching him scurry after his friends.
Rory had yet to move when Keith approached her and slung an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t listen to them, and never insult yourself to avoid upsetting people. I’d die before I let anything happen to you.”
It was the same thing Dume said to her before she was arrested, back before they knew she was The Butcher. The knowledge that they still felt that way lightened a bit of the heaviness in her heart.
“I don’t deserve any of you,” she confessed, meaning every word.
“I will bash your head in, too, if I hear you put yourself down again,” Sera yelled across the field. Rory snickered, understanding why everyone liked the girl so much. She took no bullshit.
Still laughing, they made their way to the parking lot, recounting the fear on the other team’s faces when Sam went supermystic on the pitcher.
Rory peeked at him and swore she saw the faintest smile.
16
VINCULA
Lenora,Cat, and Bellina sat around a large table in the library with books stacked around them as Kit flipped through the catalog. The king excused them from their jobs, and they’d been in the library from the time they woke until well into the night.
So far, they’d found nothing, but Kit refused to quit.
