Chapter 22
M y mind raced as I made my way to my last class of the day, replaying the events of lunch in vivid, nauseating detail. Ryder's hands on me, Logan's cold commands, the feeling of utter helplessness as I was reduced to a plaything for their amusement. The memory of my body's betrayal, the unwanted pleasure that had coursed through me under Ryder's expert touch, made bile rise in my throat.
I could still feel the phantom sensation of Ryder's fingers and hear Logan's threat echoing in my ears. The thought of being forced to pleasure Ryder in front of everyone made me want to curl up and disappear. How had this become my life? How had I gone from a struggling scholarship student to... this?
"Cade! Cade, wait up!" I recognized Luce's voice behind me, but I didn't slow down. Part of me wanted to be alone, to process the horror of what had just happened without having to explain or justify it to anyone. But Luce was persistent, her footsteps quickening until she fell into step beside me.
"Cade, please," she said, slightly out of breath. "I'm so sorry. I should have said something, done something..." I stopped abruptly, turning to face her. Luce's face was a mask of guilt and concern, her blue eyes wide and pleading. For a moment, I felt a surge of anger. Where was this concern when Ryder had his hand down my pants? When Logan was threatening to make me... But as quickly as it came, the anger dissipated, leaving me feeling hollow.
"It's okay, Luce," I said, my voice sounding tired even to my own ears. "There's nothing you could have done." Luce shook her head, her blonde hair catching the sunlight.
"But I just sat there. I watched while Ryder... while Logan..." She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
"And what would have happened if you had intervened? You saw how quickly Logan shut Julia down. Do you think he would have been any kinder to you?" Luce flinched, but I could tell from her resigned expression that she knew I was right.
Mentioning Julia made me remember the threat that Logan had made to her. It had seemed odd, something about a personal touch didn't sound very threatening to me. But she paled when he said it.
"Luce," I said slowly, "what exactly happened with Julia? I mean, I know Logan threatened her, but..." I trailed off, not sure how to articulate the question burning in my mind. Why had Julia, who had always seemed so untouchable, so confident in her position at the top of the social hierarchy, crumbled so completely under Logan's words? Luce bit her lip, glancing around once more before leaning in close.
"It's not just an idle threat, Cade," she whispered. "Logan... his family... they're dangerous. Like, really dangerous."
I frowned. "What do you mean? I know they're rich and powerful, but-"
"It's more than that," Luce cut me off. "Logan's father, Nicholas Bale? He's not just some wealthy businessman. He's... he's the head of a crime family." I stared at her, waiting for the punchline. When it didn't come, I let out a nervous laugh. "Come on, Luce. That's ridiculous. Like the mafia or something?” But Luce's expression remained deadly serious.
"I'm not joking, Cade. The Bale family runs a huge organised crime ring. They use Bale Construction as a front, but behind the scenes..." She shuddered. "There are rumours, horrible rumours about what happens to people who cross them."
"What kind of rumours?" I felt a chill run down my spine as Luce's voice dropped even lower.
"They say that Nicholas Bale buries his enemies in the foundations of his buildings. That's why Bale Construction is always getting new contracts, they need fresh concrete to hide the bodies."
My stomach lurched. "Fuck off. That can't be true... can it?" But even as I said it, I remembered something. My grandfather, before he retired, had worked in construction. He'd always spoken highly of Bale Construction, saying they were the biggest name in the business. At the time, I'd thought nothing of it. Now, the memory took on a sinister new light.
"It's not just rumours," Luce continued. "Ryder... he's told me things. Things I wish I didn't know. His dad is Nicholas' Solicitor. My dad hates it, and tells me to keep away all the time. The Bale family has their fingers in everything, drugs, weapons. And Logan? He's set to inherit the whole thing."
I felt like the ground was shifting beneath my feet. Logan, with his perfect looks and air of entitlement, had always seemed dangerous in a spoiled rich boy kind of way. But this... this was something else entirely. I thought back to the cold calculation in his eyes as he'd threatened me at lunch, the casual way he'd ordered Ryder to touch me. It wasn't just the actions of a privileged bully, it was the behaviour of someone who knew he held real, terrifying power.
"Oh god," I whispered, feeling the full weight of my situation crashing down on me. "Luce, what am I going to do? If what you're saying is true, then I'm..." I couldn't finish my sentence. What the hell was I going to do? I leaned against a nearby tree, suddenly feeling dizzy.
"This can't be happening," I muttered. "How did I end up here? I never wanted any of this. I just wanted to get my degree, to make something of myself. And now..." Luce reached out, squeezing my arm gently.
"I'm so sorry, Cade. I wish there was something I could do. If only I had..." The way she trailed off made me feel like she was leaving something out.
"What? What is it?" and did I even want to know?
"It's just that Ryder was asking about you last year, at the Regents Coronation," she said. "I just assumed that it was curiosity after you had that run in with them. That's why I got upset when I heard you had joined the Courts. But now, knowing what you told me. God Cade I wish I could help but..." I nodded numbly, understanding now why Luce hadn't intervened at lunch. It wasn't just about social standing or fear of embarrassment. It was about survival.
"What about Ryder?" I asked suddenly. "And Cole? Are they part of this too?"
Luce's expression darkened. "The three of them have been best friends since high school. My guess is they would be involved as well." I closed my eyes, feeling a wave of despair wash over me. I was surrounded by predators, and I had no idea who I could trust. Even Luce, my closest friend, was connected to this web of darkness through her cousin.
"I don't know what to do," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I feel like I'm drowning, Luce. Like no matter which way I turn, there's no escape." Luce's eyes filled with tears.
"I wish I had answers for you, Cade. I wish I could tell you there was an easy way out. But..." She trailed off, looking helpless. I straightened up, trying to pull myself together. I couldn't afford to fall apart, not here, not now.
"It's okay," I said, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. "I'll figure something out. I have to." Luce nodded, but I could see the doubt in her eyes. She knew as well as I did that there might not be a way out of this mess. Not without consequences I couldn't even begin to imagine. Just then, Luce's phone buzzed. She glanced at it, her eyes widening. "Shit, Cade. You're going to be late for Maths. You better hurry." I felt a jolt of panic. Being late to class was the last thing I needed right now.
"Thanks, Luce. I... I'll talk to you later, okay?" She nodded, pulling me into a quick hug.
"Be careful, Cade. And if you need anything... well, just be careful." I gave her a quick nod before turning and hurrying towards the Maths building.
I slipped into the lecture hall just as the professor was setting up, relief washing over me that I wasn't late. My eyes scanned the room, looking for an empty seat far from the front. As much as I needed to focus on the lecture, I knew my mind would be elsewhere. That's when I saw Damien. He was sitting in the middle of the room, his dark hair slightly messy as if he'd been running his hands through it.
When our eyes met, a small smile played on his lips, and he gestured to the empty seat beside him. For a moment, I hesitated. The last time we'd really talked, things had gotten heated. He'd been angry, possessive even, upset about me brushing him off and my new Courts statement. But as I looked at him, I saw genuine concern in his eyes. And right now, a familiar face, even one with baggage, seemed infinitely preferable to sitting alone with my thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, I made my way over to him, sliding into the seat he'd saved. Up close, I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his eyes darted over me as if checking for signs of distress.
"Hey," I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. "I didn't expect to see you here." Damien leaned in close, his voice low.
"I switched into this class when I found out your schedule had changed. I... I wanted to make sure you were okay." I blinked, surprised by his admission. Part of me wanted to be touched by his concern, but another part, the part that had been through hell over the past few days, bristled at the idea of him rearranging his life to keep tabs on me.
"Damien, you didn't have to-"
"I know," he cut me off, his brown eyes intense. "But Cade, I've been worried sick about you. Ever since I heard about... about the Consort thing."
"It's complicated," I said, my voice barely audible. "I don't really want to talk about it." Damien's hand came to rest on my shoulder, the weight of it both comforting and slightly unsettling.
"I get it," he said softly. "But Cade, you have to know... those guys, they're dangerous. The things I've heard about the Regents, about what they do to their Consorts..." How much did Damien know? I was told that everything that was in the contract between the Regent's and their Consort was strictly confidential. Before I could ask, the professor called the class to order. Damien gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze before pulling back and putting his attention on the professor.
As the professor droned on about derivatives and integrals, my mind wandered. I thought about how, just a few weeks ago, my biggest worry had been maintaining my scholarship, and maybe finding out something about my mum. Now, I was caught in a web of crime, manipulation, and dark desires that I couldn't fully understand.
I glanced at Damien out of the corner of my eye. He was focused on the lecture, scribbling notes with an intensity that almost made me smile. For all his faults, Damien had always been brilliant when it came to maths. It was one of the things that had drawn me to him initially, his passion for numbers, so different from my love of words. As if sensing my gaze, Damien turned to me, offering a small smile. I quickly looked away, focusing on my own mostly blank notebook. But I could still feel the weight of his concern, his desire to protect me.
I was clearly so lost in thought that I jumped when Damien touched my shoulder again. "Cade," he said softly, "can we talk? Please?" I hesitated and looked around to see that the majority of the class were huddled in small pairings as they worked on the lesson. Since it was clear I wasn't getting anything done, I nodded.
"What about?" I asked my voice barely above a whisper.
"I need to apologise. For how I acted before, for pushing you and then for getting angry when you pushed me away. I really like you, and I let that cloud my judgement. But now..." He trailed off, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
"Now what?" I prompted, even though I had a sinking feeling I knew where this was going.
"Now I'm terrified for you," he admitted. "Becoming involved with the Courts, becoming the Consort... Cade, do you have any idea how dangerous that is?" I let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh even to my own ears.
"Trust me, Damien, I'm starting to get an idea." His eyes widened at my tone. "What do you mean? Cade, has something happened? Have they hurt you?" The concern in his voice, the protective fury building in his eyes, it was all too much. Before I could stop myself, the words came tumbling out.
"I didn't choose this, Damien," I said, my voice cracking. "I didn't apply to the Courts. I didn't volunteer to be the Consort. I don't understand how any of this happened. One minute I was just trying to keep my scholarship, and the next..." I trailed off, unable to continue. Damien's face had gone pale, his eyes wide with shock and growing anger.
"Are you saying..." he started, his voice low and dangerous. "Are you saying they forced you into this?" I nodded, unable to meet his eyes.
"I don't know how they did it. There's paperwork, contracts... but I never signed anything. And now, if I try to back out, my grandparents will be ruined. I'll lose my scholarship, everything." Damien's hands clenched into fists on the table.
"Those bastards," he muttered. "I always knew they were corrupt, but this... Cade, we have to do something. We have to get you out of there." I shook my head, feeling tears prick at my eyes.
"You don't understand, Damien. It's not that simple. The Regents, they're not just rich college kids playing games. They're... they're connected to something much bigger, much more dangerous."
"Oh, I know exactly what kind of harm they can cause," Damien hissed. I narrowed my eyes. Damien clearly had past dealings with the guys. Something that he wasn't talking about. Before I could ask, his expression softened and he reached out, gently taking my hand in his.
"Cade, listen to me. I know I messed up before, but I want to help you. Whatever's going on, whatever they've done... We can figure this out. I won't let them hurt you." I looked up at him, seeing the determination in his eyes. But I knew that I couldn't drag him into this.
"Damien," I said softly, squeezing his hand before letting go. "I appreciate what you're trying to do. But you don't understand what we're up against. These guys... they're not just bullies we can outsmart or outmanoeuvre. They're dangerous, really dangerous. Please, I don't want to have to worry about you as well." The professor coughed and I looked up to see he was glaring at us. We got the hint, and I put my head down and looked at the lack of notes I had made.
The rest of the class passed in a blur. I barely registered the equations on the board, my thoughts consumed by the tangled web I found myself in. When the professor finally dismissed us, I felt a mix of relief and dread. Relief that I could get out of class but scared at what was waiting for me after class. As I gathered my things, Damien turned to me.
"Cade," he said softly, his voice urgent. "I can't just stand by and allow this to happen. Please let me help you." I hesitated, torn between my desire for some kind of hope and my fear of the consequences. But before I could respond, I glanced towards the door and felt my blood run cold.
Logan was standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, his hazel eyes locked on me. The anger radiating from him was palpable, and I knew instantly that he had seen me with Damien. That he had probably been watching the entire time. I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry.
"I... I can't, Damien," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper. "I have to go."
Without waiting for his response, I grabbed my bag and hurried towards the door. As I approached Logan, I saw his jaw clench, his eyes darting between me and Damien. I could feel the storm brewing and knew that this confrontation was far from over. As I reached him, Logan's hand shot out, gripping my arm tightly.
"We need a little chat, Princess," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. I nodded mutely, not daring to look back at Damien. As Logan led me away, his grip like iron on my arm, I couldn't shake the feeling that I had just stepped closer to the edge of a very dangerous cliff. And I had no idea how I was going to find my way back.