Chapter 7
I could hear the rumble of movement through the house as I sat alone in my room, the flickering of the end credits of the movie that I had barely watched on my TV lighting up the room. The excitement was palpable, a tangible energy crackling in the air making the house seem alive felt hollow to me, a stark contrast to the unease churning in my gut. I sighed heavily as I dragged my hand through the short, spiked strands of my blond hair. We had spent the last few days tailing Cadence as she moved through the campus, watching her every step. Ryder, in particular, had thrown himself into the mission with a passion bordering on obsession. His eager eyes stuck to the monitors in his dim room, tracking her every movement within the Courts house where Melody kept her occupied with preparations for tonight's spectacle. I knew that he had spent the last two months digging up whatever information he could about her life. Anything that could be used in our plans against her.
I wasn’t blind to the madness that had overtaken him, hell, it had crept into Logan’s veins too. Their obsession with this woman was spiralling out of control, and I couldn't shake the feeling that we were heading for disaster. Sure, she was beautiful, that was undeniable. With those blue eyes that seemed to look right through you, and the woman had all sorts of stunning curves hidden beneath the ill-fitted clothes that she seemed to prefer. The defiance that came off her in waves had my hand itching with the desire to tame her. Come to think of it, maybe I was falling into the same trap that my two best friends were in. But plenty of girls at Regents were attractive, and there were another twelve of them more than ready and waiting, and so willing to take the coveted role tonight. This fixation felt different, dangerous even.
I had tried to talk sense into Logan, again and again. But each time, his eyes darkened with that determined glare that made my stomach twist. It was as if he was retreating inside himself, locking away the guy I’d grown up with, replacing him with the cold, distant man who'd take over his father’s empire without flinching. And Ryder? He was already spiralling, tumbling down a path I hoped he'd left behind. I hadn’t seen him as fixated as this since… I shuddered at the memory of that dark era in Ryder’s history. The whole situation left a sour taste in my mouth. We were playing with fire, and I couldn't help but feel that we were going to get burned badly.
The sudden vibration of my phone jarred me from my thoughts, yanking me back to the present. I pulled it from my pocket and the moment I glimpsed the caller ID, dread latched onto my chest like a vise. My throat tightened as I answered, forcing my voice to remain steady, betraying not even a tremor.
“Sir,” I greeted, praying that my fear wasn’t palpable. Nicholas Bale’s rough cockney voice, deep as a bottomless pit, came through the earpiece, piercing its way into my consciousness. He was like a damn shark circling the scent of blood, all he needed was a whiff of fear, and he would shred you to pieces.
“Cole, it’s been days since we last spoke. I expected an update by now.”
“There’s nothing to report,” I said, forcing the lie past my lips with an ease I didn’t feel. “It’s been quiet since we returned to school.” Loathing curled in my gut. Nicholas had me spying on his own son, cataloguing Logan’s every move like checkboxes on a grim list. Logan knew it too. He had made it clear that he didn’t care, but that didn’t make it any easier for me. It felt like a violation, a betrayal dressed in duty.
“And tonight?" Nicholas pressed, his tone neutral but I could hear the undertone of hunger for information. "It's the picking of the Consort if I’m not mistaken?” His fishing expedition was obvious. Nicholas Bale had built an empire, but still couldn't unlock the doors to the Trivium, or the Regents. That exclusion gnawed at him, a constant reminder that despite all his power, there were places even he couldn't reach. Logan had been his golden ticket, groomed to perfection to not only take over the family business, but to breach these hallowed halls on his behalf. Yet the rituals, the inner workings of the Regents and the parent organisation, remained out of his grasp.
“Yes, sir,” I replied evenly, withholding any details that might satiate his curiosity. I could practically feel his frustration vibrating through the phone, his need to know clashing against the stone wall of secrecy that I was bound to by contract. His tone turned sharper, more pointed.
“I spoke with Latters. He’s confident that his daughter is ideal for the role.” My stomach soured as I envisioned Julia Latters, her desperation clinging to her like a second skin. She was so damn sure that tonight was her big moment, the culmination of a year spent whoring her way through half of the then-second-year Covenant guys. Before Cadence crashed into our lives, Julia had been the obvious choice, the safe bet.
“I want you to make sure she transitions into the role smoothly,” Nicholas continued, his words slipping into a command. I nearly choked on the audacity of his request. There wasn't going to be any smooth transition. In fact, there wouldn’t be any transition at all for Julia tonight, not with Cadence in the picture.
“It’s not that simple,” I pushed back, though I knew it was futile.
“Then make it simple,” he snapped, the ferocity in his tone sliding like a blade between my ribs. “And don’t forget who owns you, boy. I didn’t pull you from that shit hole for charity.” His words were a punch to the gut, each syllable a reminder of the unspoken threat hanging over me. The dread that had been a low simmer in my soul now spread like wildfire, consuming any remnants of certainty I had remaining.
Before I could speak, a sharp knock fractured the quiet, the sound threading tension through the already fragile moment. The door inched open, and Logan’s familiar profile emerged, his dark eyes scanning the room with a cautious glint. I raised a hand, a silent command, an unspoken request for him to hold his tongue. He understood and nodded in acknowledgment, stepping inside but lingering at the threshold. My pulse thrummed under the weight of a conversation that had already set my nerves alight.
"I have to go," I said into the phone quickly. I already knew how Nicholas Bale would react to the brush off, his anger was a cold, calculated thing, always ready to strike.
"Don't disappoint me boy," Nicholas growled. "I can stop all my generosity if I don't feel like it is being appreciated. Do you understand me?" Oh, I understood far too well. His ‘generosity’ wasn’t a gift. It was a stranglehold, a weapon. In other words, do as he says or he will no longer pay my tuition at Regents. If I wasn't so close to Logan, I was sure the threat would include me finding myself swimming in concrete as well. But even Nicholas Bale knew Logan would pitch a fit if one of his closest friends were to go missing.
“I'll do what I can,” I spat through clenched teeth, knowing it wasn’t enough. It never was. Before he could burrow his claws deeper, I hung up, severing the connection as if it would sever him from my thoughts. The phone fell from my hand, landing on the bed with a soft thud that echoed louder than it should have. My eyes burned from the stress of knowing that Nicholas held all the control. Every word, every call, every damn breathing moment, Nicholas was always there, looming. Waiting. And yet, I couldn’t break free, not while he owned me.
The door finally clicked shut and Logan stepped fully into the room, his casual posture a stark contrast to the sharp gleam of concern in his gaze.
“What did the bastard want now?” His voice cut through the silence, low but pointed, dripping with understanding. He knew exactly who would elicit such a response from me.
"He was trying to hint at some details about tonight," I said, I sighed heavily, raking a hand through my hair in a futile attempt to calm myself. Logan’s face twisted in contempt, his lip curling in that way that always hinted at barely restrained loathing.
"Well, sucks to be him." Logan really enjoyed that he had one up on his father when it came to Regents information. Any time Logan could piss him off, he would. Their relationship was complex at best, fucked up at worst.
"He has been talking to Latters about Julia becoming our Consort," I said. "He said that I had to make sure it was done."
"Well, he's gonna be seriously disappointed then isn't he?" Logan scoffed. I grimaced and Logan reached out and put his hand on my shoulder. "He using the money thing again?" I nodded quickly and immediately saw a flash of fury in Logan's eyes, before he schooled his expression.
“Fuck him,” he hissed, stepping closer, his hand gripping my shoulder before I could respond. “You don’t need his fucking money. Do you hear me? You’re a Regent now. You don’t need him .” His voice broke from the intensity of his vow, vibrating in the air between us like a command. I hesitated, a faint smile ghosting my lips despite myself. Logan always made it sound so simple, so black and white, like we could snap our fingers and everything Nicholas held control over would fall away.
“I know,” I murmured, rubbing the back of my neck, trying to ease the tension that coiled and twisted inside me. “It’s not that. It’s just... I hate taking from you.” I shook my head. "Fuck, I hate taking from your father, but I am so far in his debt in his eyes, I doubt it'll make a blind bit of difference at this point." Logan’s eyes softened, just for a moment, a flicker of something pure beneath the hard exterior.
“We’re brothers, Cole. You know that. Blood or no blood, it’s the same. Me, you, Ry, we’ve got your back. Always.” His fingers dug into my shoulder, an unflinching promise. “And if dearest daddy decides to collect on his imaginary debt, then we will deal with it. You are not going back there, you understand me?" I nodded quickly, knowing that he was every bit as sincere as he sounded. Nicholas had threatened to sell me back to Blake several times over the years, a fear that chilled me to the bone. Dominic Blake was the devil, and his Palace was the original hell for people like me. If you survived being broken in that place, then they took delight in turning you into their very own nightmare for hire.
"So, what did you want?" I asked, shaking off my fear and changing the subject. Logan stood up again and grinned.
"I wanted to tell you it's time to party," he said. "The guys are all waiting downstairs for us." I glanced at the clock and saw that it was 7pm. Normally we wouldn't grace a party so early, but tonight we had far more important plans, so we would need to be leaving extra early. I nodded and stood up. I didn't bother with a Jacket since the party was held on campus, and it was still warm from the end of summer.
"Want me to drive?" I asked, an automatic role I slipped into. Being the sober one at these parties had become my responsibility over the years, one of the few things I could control. Logan shook his head, his grin broadening.
“Nah, tonight...tonight everyone stays sharp. No one’s drinking.” His eyes glinted with a darker edge, the weight of what lay ahead settling in, unspoken but understood. We would definitely need to be on our game for the hunt later, especially since we would probably have the added extra of a less than enthusiastic victim. Part of me hoped that Cadence would realise the shit that she was in and take the opportunity to run before Logan's plan really set in place. But another part of me had the feeling that not only would she continue her defiant streak, but that I would like it a little too much.
"Fuck man, look at what she is wearing." Ryder practically bounced on the balls of his feet as he bumped his shoulder into mine. We were standing on one of the mezzanines that surrounded the main campus ballroom. From here we had a clear view of the packed room. But despite how full it was, there was no missing the purple haired temptress clutching her drink in the far corner. "Seriously dude, Melody is an artist. And sweet sweet Cadence is a bloody work of art." I broke my gaze from the girl in question and looked sideways at my friend. His eyes were lit up like he was a child on Christmas morning, and Cadence was the gift he had begged Santa for. I had to admit that when Ryder had told me that he had asked Melody to ensure Cadence was looking good tonight, I was concerned. At this point Ryder wasn't even hiding his spiralling lust. But the girl really did clean up nicely. She was wearing a black tightly fitted dress that highlighted every swell and curve that she had and emphasised her creamy skin. Her hair was pulled into some sort of messy updo with bits hanging down in strategic places and brushing against her almost fully bare shoulders. My mind was assaulted with a flash of images of kissing down that neck and onto her shoulders, of stripping her out of the dress before burying my head between those stunning thighs and making her scream my name.
"What the fuck." Logan's hard hiss shocked me from the fantasy that had my dick tenting painfully in my jeans. I looked at him and saw his eyes were also on her. But his face was etched in anger. I glanced back over just as I saw Cadence's retreating figure, with someone's hand tightly around her arm. I zeroed in on the bastard that dared to touch what was ours, and an involuntary growl slipped out of my mouth.
"Is that who I think it is?" I snarled. It was bad enough that someone was manhandling a Courts girl, everyone knew they were off limits, but for it to be him of all people.
"I'm going to kill him," Ryder hissed and whirled around towards the exit. Fuck, Ryder wasn't kidding. I knew how violent he could get when he felt like someone was taking what belonged to him.
"Whoa," I called and rushed to block his way. "Calm the fuck down."
"Get out of my fucking way, Cole," Ryder tried pushing past me.
"Ryder." Logan's clear but commanding voice dented the anger in Ryder's expression. "We need to play this out right. Do not fuck it up." Ryder's shoulders deflated.
"Yeah, but he's been harassing her all week," Ryder whined, “And he was the one who fucked her at end of last term. I couldn’t tell then, but her messages confirmed it.” Logan raised an eyebrow and Ryder shrugged. "I've had access to her phone since yesterday," he explained. I closed my eyes and shook my head.
"Cole." I opened my eyes and saw Logan looking at me over Ryder's shoulder. "Go assess the situation. Ryder and I will be down in a few moments." I nodded quickly and turned to head down the stairs and into the ballroom.
I crossed the room quickly, moving in the direction that I saw Cadence disappear. I walked through the door and closed it behind me quietly, blocking out the music from the party. I Immediately heard voices and headed towards them.
"Damien, seriously," Cadence's sweet but defiant voice was the first one I heard. "I've been busy. I'm not ignoring you, I'm just trying to sort some shit out."
"Not ignoring me," he hissed back. "What the fuck Cade, all you've done is ignore me. I thought we had something, but now I see you are just as much of a slut as the rest of those Court whores." I clenched my fists and barrelled towards them. It was bad enough that this cunt was manhandling one of our girls, even if I had just found out he had slept with her last year, but to talk shit about the Courts was not acceptable. Especially from Damien fucking McIntyre. The guy was trouble, I knew from experience, and I bet Ryder was furious that he had already been inside her. It had nothing to do with her, and everything to do with him and what he stood for. We had already had to warn him after he had messed with Ryder's cousin back in Saintsbury Academy, and now he had his slimy hands all over our girl.
Damien had his back to me as I rushed up to drag him away. I registered the surprised look from Cadence as I slammed Damien face first against the wall.
"What the fuck," Damien snarled as he struggled in my grasp.
"What the fuck indeed," I hissed in his ear. "I would like to know what the fuck you think you are doing with your hands on one of our girls, McIntyre." Damien stilled as he realised who it was that had his face on intimate terms with the wall. My reputation for smashing bodies first and asking questions never was well known, even if he hadn't been on our shit list.
"Fuck off Bowers," Damien snarled. "This has fuck all to do with you. I'm just talking to my girl here." I was about to rip him a new one when Cadence spoke.
"I'm not your girl Damien," she said, her voice clear with conviction. "And I don't appreciate you acting like this." I felt a proud smirk tug at my lips, I knew she wouldn't take his shit.
"You hear that you perverted piece of shit," I whispered. "She wants nothing to do with you." I pulled him away from the wall and shoved him towards the door just as it opened, and Ryder and Logan stepped through. Damien paled when he realised he was outnumbered, and with a hated filled glare at Cadence he bolted for the door. Logan collared him as he got to the door and whispered loud enough for us all to hear.
"I catch you looking at her or any of our girls with that glare again, I will ensure you become intimate with my father's new development. Under. Fucking. Stand?" His voice had taken on the dangerous tone he reserved for his targets, and it was enough to see Damien gulp before Logan shoved him through the door and out of the room.
"What the actual fuck," Cadence said behind me, her voice shaking slightly. I turned to face her with a smile.
"Don't worry beautiful, he won't be-" My words were cut off as a furious looking Cadence slapped me so hard that pain raced through my jaw, and I saw lights in my eyes.