Peering through the tiny gap in the door, I can’t see much, but I can make out that my brother is talking on his speaker phone, not to someone in person. Desperate for more, I inch closer, my heart thundering with the reality that there’s a spy from The Vale on the other end of the call right now, and I have no idea who it is, despite how close I am.
There’s no way I can alert Elodie and the others though, even if I could figure out who it is. Jude took great pleasure in taking my cell phone seconds before sending me off to do his dirty work.
Running my tongue along my teeth, I consider my options. Entering without knocking in hopes of catching a glimpse of the caller’s name on the screen could be one sure way to piss Jude off. Under his command, would I act like that?
My stomach gnaws at the uncertainty, but I find my feet moving closer to the door anyway. Just as the tips of my fingers find the door, I’m halted in my place by a grunt from behind me. Spinning onthe spot, I come face to face with my least favorite person in existence: Walker.
My lip curls as I sneer at him. I hate him more than my own brother for what he did to Elodie. Was it at Jude’s command? Yes. Would he have done it otherwise? We will never know. But the pain and terror that clung to Elodie the night she made a run for it, only to find herself back at Institute Thirteen because of the man before me, will forever live in my mind.
I’m going to take great pleasure in killing him eventually.
His stance matches mine as he takes me in, his fists curling at his sides as his nostrils flare. He tilts his head, raking his eyes over me for the third time, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
He’s suspicious of me, that’s for sure, but I refuse to falter under his stare. My brother may have given him the illusion of power, but it sure as hell doesn’t reign over me.
His jaw rocks from side to side as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. “What’s your motive?” he grunts, and I shrug, making sure to keep my muscles relaxed as I fix him with a bored stare.
“I don’t know what you are referring to.”
His gaze travels past me, landing on the doorseparating us from my brother, and when he opens his mouth again, his voice is lower, barely more than a hushed whisper. “You would betray her for him?”
Like he hasn’t?
Like he didn’t shatter her trust into a million pieces for everyone else to put back together again?
Like none of this that I’m doing is for her?
I don’t voice any of my truth. Instead, I swallow it down as my gaze narrows and my anger boils to the surface. “That’s my brother,” I snarl, jabbing my thumb over my shoulder. “Nobody comes before him. Especially not some two-bit whore who?—”
He snarls, charging at me before I can finish my sentence, and I’m thankful for it. His hands find my throat effortlessly before my back hits the wall beside the door. He has the upper hand because I’m giving it to him, because I fucking deserve it after calling her that.
“Keep your mouth?—”
“What might we have here?” My brother’s challenging voice echoes around us as he cuts off Walker’s warning.
I can’t decide whether I’m thankful for the interruption or pissed that I can’t question Walker’smotives when it comes to my girl. Instead of deciding, I turn my narrowed eyes on Walker, whose fingers flex at my throat.
“We were just getting to know each other,” I rasp, a cocksure grin curling the corner of my mouth, and the man in question huffs as my brother snickers.
“Then please, don’t let me get in the way.” He waves his hand dramatically, taking a step back as he offers a stage for us.
Walker’s hand flexes for a fleeting moment before he releases me, but not before he shoves me against the wall in one last show of dominance.
Cute.
Being submissive isn’t easy. It burns, unsettling my soul, but I grind my teeth together, keeping my mouth shut as I turn my attention to my brother.
“He’s dead,” I grunt, finally swiping the back of my hand across my mouth, reminding myself of the blood that coats me in layers.
Jude follows the movement, his eyes gleaming with pleasure. “And you’re well fed?” he asks, and I nod. My stomach rolls at the distinct difference in the blood that sits in my gut. Another price to pay to make this worthwhile. “Where did you put him?” he adds, and I point over my shoulder.
“He’s burning in the pit,” I explain, and his smile widens.
It’s almost hilarious that Elodie and Ocean call themselves psychotic all of the time when men like this fucker exist in the world. Self-loathing rips through my chest at the fact that the man is now burning in the pit, but that one body is nothing in comparison to the remnants already diminished to ash at my brother’s hands. It’s nothing shy of a slaughterhouse.
“Excellent, Brother.” His gaze devours the crimson stains all over my body, his eyes calculating as he brings them back to mine. “Don’t bother changing. You can aid Walker with the subordinates.”
“Like this?” I blurt, distaste pinching my mouth as my eyes narrow.
