Thirty-Six
SCARLETT
A utumn leaves in various shades of orange, yellow, and red rustling in the wind. Birds chirping as they soar above us, migrating south for the winter. Trees whistling as the crisp breeze flows through their branches, leaves falling, footsteps crunching them as we walk on this cool autumn morning.
That’s all I hear as we head toward the Dahlia House. Ace walks silently beside me, his thoughts clouding his eyes and ridding him of words. I know there are so many things going through his mind right now. He’s at war with himself. A war between what he’s always believed to be true and the lies of what he now sees in front of him.
I begged him to let me go, to let me leave and come back to the girls’ house alone. I’m in grave need of a long, hot shower to burn away Macallan’s dirty touch. I ache for the comfort of my own bed to forget the events of last night, but he demanded that he walk me himself, to make sure I made it back okay. I can tell what occurred last night is haunting his every thought as he stands so close to me, constantly looking over, not wanting to let me out of his sight.
However, what I’ve just discovered haunts me even more. The drugs, the girls, still children, being sold at The Gallows to the highest bidder. It’s repulsive, immoral, and downright evil. And somehow, I now find myself caught in the middle of it all. I can’t help but wonder why Agent Servite wanted me to find out, to find what they’ve been hiding.
What did he gain from showing to me the sinful empire he’s built? How did he know I wouldn’t divulge his corruption, and reveal his dirty little secrets?
I know there’s something else I haven’t yet uncovered. Something even more sinister is occurring deep within these gates, behind the brick walls of the academy and all of Hillcrest Hills and I’m going to make it my mission to find out.
Even if it kills me.
We make it to the front steps of the Dahlia House when Ace finally breaks his silence and speaks. I feel almost relieved to not have to listen to my thoughts any longer.
“I want to see you tonight,” he commands, not bothering to turn to me.
I scoff rolling my eyes at him. “We all want a lot of things we can’t always have,” I say, taking a step forward.
Big mistake.
Ace reaches out and wraps an arm around my waist turning me to him. Our chests collide and he instantly devours my lips with his. His arm tightens around me as his lips take what I’m so eagerly giving. The feel of his lips on mine is hypnotizing, and the fight is no longer in me. I never have been able to push him away once he’s close.
My weakness, like venom, lies in those luscious lips that tell nothing but lies each time they meet mine.
He breaks apart our lips whispering softly against them. “Let me rephrase, I need to see you tonight. I will see you tonight. Don’t make me remind you, Red, you are mine,” he says, kissing me once again.
His lips make their way down my neck as his hands move up my back under his t-shirt, the only thing shielding my naked body from him. His fingers graze my sensitive center and I bite down on my bottom lip as my hands grip his arms firmly. “All of this belongs to me.”
I moan softly not wanting to concede but giving myself away, regardless.
“Meet me back at the beach house around seven. I want to show you something,” he says, and I simply nod in agreement. He kisses my lips once more before he turns and walks away leaving me breathless and wanting on the front steps of the Dahlia House.
I head inside and open the door of our quarter gently, not wanting to make a sound to alert the girls to my arrival. As I turn to close the door behind me, I hear someone clear their throat. Fuck, I’ve been caught. I close my eyes and carefully turn facing whoever is behind me like the guilty culprit that I am. I hear them clear their throat once more as I open my eyes slowly. I find both Stella and Jade glaring at me, their arms crossed against their chests. They look me up and down, and when they see my outfit, Ace’s t-shirt, devious grins appear on their faces.
“Well, well. Looks like I don’t have to scold you after all. I know exactly where you’re coming from,” Jade says, winking at me.
“Look, I don’t want to hear it. The good thing about not having a mother, I don’t have to report or answer to anyone. I’m tired, I need a shower, and then I’m going to bed. So, save your lecture and comments for another time,” I say, leaving them and retreating to the bathroom.
After the seemingly endless shower I take, I head into my room and bury myself under the comforter. Just as I turn and gaze at the window beside my bed, I hear the door to my bedroom creak softly. I close my eyes, not ready to hear whatever Jade has to say.
“You can’t pretend you’re asleep. I was in Stella’s room, I heard you come in.” I stay silent, not bothering to answer her. “I don’t know why you felt the need to sneak out last night. I know you’re pissed at me. I am the one who suggested you break up with Drake and start dating Ace. It’s been almost a month now. I just want to say you don’t have to continue to hide your relationship from me. I get it, we don’t like him, hell I’m not even sure if you do. It’s hard to tell how you feel where he’s concerned. But if it’s too much, I get it if you want to…”
“Stop,” I shout, interrupting her as I sit up and turn to face her. Her eyes are wide at the sound in my voice. “Just stop. I don’t have the energy to get into it with you today. I am with Ace now, whatever the reason maybe, it’s done. I have to see this through. Not only for you and Chaz and Roman, but for myself as well. Last night I found out things I’m terrified to believe are true. And worst of all, I still don’t understand how I fit into it. Or what Lilith’s role is in all of this.”
Jade walks over to the bed and sits beside me reaching out to grab hold of my hand. “What happened last night, Scarlett?” she asks, a glimmer of fear overshadowing her curious eyes.
“That’s not important, Jade. What I meant was I have to get to the bottom of this. And that means when Ace calls, I follow. He wants to see me tonight, so, I don’t think I’m gonna be able to go to dinner for Jax’s birthday.”
“That’s fine, Drake’s obviously coming and well, things have been rocky. Sometimes I feel Jaxon’s more pissed at you then the dragon himself.”
“He’ll have to get in line. I’m fairly sure after all this is over, there will be plenty of people who feel the same.”
Her eyes widen at my comment. “You scare me when you talk like that, Scar. I don’t know whether to think you’re joking or if you’re being one hundred percent honest with me,” she admits, fear in her eyes as she speaks.
“Just don’t worry, Jade. If this life has shown me anything, it’s that things are better done when I’m in it alone. You all are too important to me, and I can’t risk anything ever happening to you guys because of something that I could have prevented. For that reason alone, I will always choose to sacrifice myself and my happiness. You all deserve the best life from here on out. After last night, I’m not sure if I do.”
“December thirty-first, two thousand eight. Eleven fifty-nine p.m. Do you remember what we swore to each other as midnight struck ringing in the new year?”
I close my eyes replaying the exact moment in my head. It was New Year’s Eve 2008, Chaz and Lilith weren’t home, obviously. Roman had just left, and Jade and I were utterly alone. We made a pact to always be there for each other no matter the reason, no matter the consequences. It was just us two from there on out. Sisters. Allies. Soulmates. Two souls intertwined, tied together with an invisible string.
“Always and Forever,” I say, uttering the words spoken that night. A solemn tear falling upon my cheek, knowing well enough this lie is going to cost me so much more than I had imagined.
I wake to the sounds of cheerful laughter coming from outside my bedroom door. Their loud laughs and conversations echo in the hallway, and I can’t help but smile. I’m glad they’re at least happy here. I look over to the clock on my bedside table and see it’s nearly six o’clock. Ten hours. I was out for ten hours.
Mind you, I was drugged and nearly raped last night, so I think the sleep is well deserved. I walk over to my closet and pick out a pair of dark skinny jeans and a burgundy cropped sweater. I quickly dress and slip on my black combat boots, securing my hair into a high ponytail.
I find myself nervous about seeing Ace once again. Lately we’ve been on edge, and I don’t know what to make of it. A couple weeks ago I almost believed that our relationship could be something real. If you’d asked me then, I’d have said that maybe I wasn’t faking it after all. But then he started acting suspicious and secretive.
It’s also why I was so curious when Agent Servite asked me to follow him. I had known he was hiding something, but I would have never imagined that this would be it. Now I don’t know what or who to believe. I don’t know what caused his mood to change. He acted distant but then the way he reacted to Macallan putting his hands all over me, taking advantage of me, it almost made me, once again, believe he genuinely cares.
Almost.
I walk out into the hallway and see the door to Stella’s room is slightly ajar. I go toward it knocking gently and Stella instantly yells for me to come in.
“Scarlett, wow you look so put together. I mean compared to this morning,” she says laughingly.
I look at her questioningly and notice a row of liquor bottles lined up on her dresser.
“Wow, someone’s started the party early. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say Jade’s alcohol problem has rubbed off on you, Silver,” I say jokingly, and she twists her head toward the bottle.
“Oh no, that’s just. I mean, I just needed some…”
“Liquid courage,” Jade says, laughing. “Stella’s nervous because Kai’s obviously coming tonight. So, I gave her a little something to loosen up. You know how uptight our girl can be.”
Stella huffs annoyed. “I’m not uptight.”
“Honey, uptight is your middle name. Not saying it’s a bad thing, but neurotic is Kai’s first, middle, and last name. That combo is lethal.” I laugh at Stella’s reaction, which is to take a swig of the vodka bottle.
“Sweetie, vodka is a no, no,” I say, grabbing a bottle of whiskey from the dresser. “You need the good stuff, whiskey, bourbon. Any more of that vodka and you’ll be the neurotic one. ”
“Enough about me and my drink choices. Where are you heading tonight?” she asks.
“Ace asked me to meet him down by the beach house. Something about showing me something, I don’t know. Figured I’d skip tonight’s festivities either way…”
“You don’t have to justify why you’re going to see him, Scarlett. He’s your boyfriend. I totally get it,” Stella says.
“Yeah, so I’ll see you guys later tonight. I’m gonna head over before the guys show up. Not in the mood for that fallout.”
I step out of the Dahlia House and the chilly November air hits my face like an icy brick. It’s oddly cool for the West Coast this time of year, but you don’t hear me complaining.
The sun has set, leaving only the streetlamps and moonlight to illuminate the night sky. I head down the steps and see Jax, Kai, and Drake leaning on the railing below. I gasp, inhaling a breath of cool air as Drake’s eyes connect with mine. Instantly they darken, the scowl he’s mastered when I’m nearby making its appearance.
I descend toward them, and their demeanor shifts, their bodies straightening up as I approach. I’m about to walk past and ignore them when Drake reaches an arm out to me, placing it on my shoulder as I walk by. I slowly turn to look at him, his dark green eyes connecting with mine. I no longer see anger, but sorrow, resentment, and curiosity cloud them.
“Dragon,” I whisper softly where only he can hear. Jax and Kai step back giving us the space we need.
“We’ll head inside, see if the girls are ready,” Kai says, looking at me. Jax grunts mockingly as he turns away.
“Happy Birthday, Jaxon,” I say, and he freezes in place. He turns back to me, flipping me off as he heads into the house.
Drake scoffs but doesn’t tell his friend anything. Why would he, he’s probably wishing he could do the same? “Ignore him,” he says as I look back in his direction. “He’s acting like a douche. Like he’s the one who got dumped. ”
“Drake,” I say, but he reaches a hand up to me, placing his finger lightly on my lips in a shushing motion.
“See you later, Scar,” Kai says from beside me, as he follows Jax and heads inside.
“So, are you skipping out tonight?” Drake asks, unable to look me in the eye.
“Didn’t think you’d want me there. Well you, or Jax, or Ruby. Figured I’d spare everyone the drama.”
He chuckles lightly but doesn’t deny it, a shy smile taking over his earlier scowl and I almost want to grab him and kiss him. Ugh what’s wrong with me.
“So you’re going to him, huh?” he asks, but it’s almost as if he doesn’t want an answer back.
“I’m going out,” I reply nonchalantly, neither confirming nor denying his suspicions. I owe home nothing and keeping this from him is for his benefit.
“It’s okay, you can say it. I know you’re an item now. A couple. I can’t say I didn’t expect it. Wouldn’t be fair if I said I didn’t see it coming, but it is what it is.” His body hunches forward slightly, his hands nervously tucked into his jeans pockets. I break the awkward silence the only way I know how.
Avoiding the issue at hand. “So, no hot date tonight?” I ask, referring to his rendezvous the other night with none other than Carrington Prescott. According to Jade, he hasn’t spoken to her since Beck’s party, and that minor mishap she blames on his lack of brain cells from all the weed he’s smoked, and alcohol he’s consumed over his lifetime.
Drake chuckles slightly, rubbing his chin with his fingers.
“Carrington means nothing to me, and besides nothing happened. She was a distraction. Apparently, she was pissed about you and the Horseman,” he says, shrugging his shoulders.
And now once again I feel like a total bitch for even bringing it up. He was only in her arms because of what I did to him.
“Drake, I… ”
“Don’t, Scar. Don’t say you’re sorry, or that you never meant to hurt me. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t believe any of it. Not your apologies, or your reasons, hell, especially not your half-assed excuses. You forget I know you better than anyone else and I don’t buy it for one second. Sure, I can see why you’d like him. The power, the status, his reputation precedes him. He’s got that rich, bad boy thing going for him. Physically, I can understand the appeal. But I don’t believe that you’ve stopped wanting me.” He moves in closer to me, placing a hand on the small of my back and bringing his other behind my neck. His eyes are staring down at my lips as his tongue reaches out to lick them. “I won’t stop, Scarlett.” His hot breath burns my cheeks and ignites something deep within me. “I won’t give up until I know why you did it. You can’t fool me, Princess,” he says in a hushed, raspy voice. His scent fills my nostrils, a combination of sandalwood and smoke, and something completely him.
“Drake, please, don’t. You need to accept the fact that I chose him. I found in him something I never had with you.” My words burn my lips as they come out, but this needs to be said. He needs to back off and not go digging for answers and well, it’s not really a lie. Ace Servite awoke something within me I didn’t know existed. He fuels the raging fire within me, while Drake only lit a small spark.
A glimpse of hurt passes through Drake’s eyes but quickly fades away.
“Don’t waste your time looking for answers you won’t find. This isn’t some kind of mystery that needs to be solved. Accept it, you lost, he won. You never had me to begin with. You were my only lover, I didn’t know any better, but now, I do.”
“Keep telling yourself that, Scar. I know the truth. Your body betrays you,” he says as he looks down at my chest. My eyes follow his and I see my nipples poking through my thin sweater.
His eyes shift as he looks behind me.
“Looks like you have an admirer,” he says, smirking deviously. “ Like I said before, Horseman doesn’t seem to like me putting my hands on you,” he says, as I turn to look behind me.
I see Ace standing beneath a tall tree across the lawn, the streetlight above him illuminating his ravenous glare. He’s livid as he looks toward Drake and me in this compromising position and smiles wickedly and winks at me.
“I’d say let’s give him something to watch, but if I get kicked out, which will surely happen if I put my hands on his pretty little face, I won’t be able to find out what you’re trying to keep from me. So, I’ll keep my hands to myself from now on.” He steps back, releasing me, and my body instantly misses his touch. Without another word he heads inside leaving me standing at the steps alone, Ace glaring at me from a mere fifty feet away.
I reach Ace, where he stands angrily underneath the oak tree.
“Thought I was meeting you,” I say, disregarding the fact that I was just standing with Drake, his hands all over me.
“Had a feeling you’d bail. Decided I’d escort you myself. Glad I came and caught the show.”
“You saw, so I won’t even try to justify what happened. We talked, he left. Now are we going or not? I don’t have the energy to argue with you tonight. I won’t apologize for what just happened. I did nothing wrong, and if you haven’t noticed by now, I couldn't care less what you or anyone thinks of me,” I sneer, and his grin widens.
He’s wearing black jeans, a white V-neck shirt, and a black flannel on top. His hair is unruly, grown out and not combed perfectly in place, but still somehow looks perfectly put together.
“That’s my girl,” he says, as he drapes his arm around my shoulder, leading me toward the beach.
“So what is it you wanted to show me?” I ask, as we make our way up a steep trail past the beach houses to a spot at the edge of the water.
“This,” he says, moving out of the way and revealing a large cliff with a cascading waterfall leading down to the tidepools. It’s beautiful, the water slowly flowing and hitting the ocean beneath it.
“What is this place?” I ask, looking down at the rocks beneath us.
“Follow me,” he says, as he walks slowly toward the bottom.
“Are you insane, we’re going to fall. Those rocks look dangerous. I’m not trying to bust my head open.”
“Do you trust me?” he asks, looking at me with hopeful eyes. The last time he asked me I blurted out no, but this time, something about the way he looks at me has me answering the opposite.
“Yes,” I say, nodding and reaching out to the hand he extended toward me. He helps me down as he guides me, showing me where to step to make my way to the bottom. I lose my footing slightly but he’s right there to hold me up and make sure I don’t fall.
“I got you,” he says, as I step down steadying myself.
“Where are we?” I ask once we hit the bottom. The waves are roaring as they hit along the rocks beside us crashing against the sides of the cliff.
“Crimson Cove, but us locals call it Devil’s Point because of the sharp rocks and unpredictable tides.”
“What is your town’s obsession with the devil and all things evil?” I ask and he laughs.
“There’s a lot of evil hidden behind those steel gates. Malevolent forces that flow through our waters into the neighboring town.”
“The drugs?” He tenses at my words.
“For one…”
“He called it the Devil’s Kiss,” I say, referring to what Macallan said when he drugged me.
“The Devil’s Kiss is one of them. It’s synthetic, which means they created it in a lab. A combination of various highly addictive drugs put together to make the most lethal weapon.”
“But I…”
“When taken in small doses it provides an indescribable high. Makes you feel you’re invincible, satiates the mind, an aphrodisiac for the soul,” he says, sounding as if he’s witnessed firsthand its effects.
“And you make it?” I ask.
“It’s made here in Hillcrest, one of the many businesses my family is in charge of, but I’ve said too much, Red. I shouldn’t be saying any of this to you. If they find out. God, if my uncle finds out…” He pauses, bringing his hand up to caress my cheek as lowers his forehead to mine letting out a deep sigh. I can almost hear his heartbeat pounding in his chest. Being this close to each other affects both of us, it pains me to see him so scared. Makes me believe I should genuinely fear for my life, were his uncle to find out what he’s told me.
“He won’t. I won’t say anything. I just need to know how I fit into all this, Ace. Why am I here, why did he bring me?”
“I don’t know, Scarlett. Trust me, I’ve tried looking for answers, but when it comes to you, he doesn’t open up easily.” He runs a hand through his hair, like he really is desperately trying to understand what his uncle is hiding.
I can see a look of anguish in his eyes, and I feel the need to change the subject.
“The drug, when Macallan kissed me, I tasted something slightly minty. Then suddenly I wasn’t feeling myself,” I say, remembering what happened before someone drugged me.
“The drug comes in many forms, a pill, something to inhale, snort. But the fastest way it takes effect is through injection or in a kiss…given the name Devil’s Kiss, or KISS for short. It’s like a strip of sorts that dissolves when it hits the saliva on your tongue. Like those breath strips one uses and places on their tongue for minty fresh breath. They added spearmint extract for taste. It’s sweet, minty, exhilarating when inhaled.” He guides me over to a large rock at the edge of the tidepools and we sit as he continues to speak. “When Macallan kissed you,” he says, a scowl on his face. “He transferred the strip from his mouth to yours. ”
“You mean he was also high?”
“Macallan always is. He’s one of my uncle’s best customers. They use the academy to hide the large amounts of money that come through to them. The rich kids of Hillcrest Hills go into the destitute neighboring towns taking their extravagant and expensive drugs to sell. It’s the best kind of system.” He abruptly stands and turns away from me. “Fuck I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this, if he knew he’d…”
“He won’t find out. Who am I going to tell? You already warned me what would happen. Either way, who’d believe me?” I follow him, my hand upon his shoulder as he slowly turns to face me.
“How did I get so lucky to find you, my angel,” he says, cupping my cheek once again in his palm. “When I thought there was no saving my soul, that I was destined to burn in hellfire, you come into my life and make me believe there is more to this life. You’re my salvation, my guardian angel sent to watch over me but once he finds out, he’ll take you from me. The only way to make sure I never turn on him is to make sure there is nothing in this life I’d care more for. Having you here is dangerous to him.”
He cares. Ace Servite just admitted he cares for me. The empty hole in my stomach fills with warmth at his words, but also with dread at his warning.
“Then why is it he brought me here?”
“That’s the million-dollar question, my love. He’s the ringmaster in all this, like you said before, we’re all merely his puppets on strings doing his bidding. He has a plan, a reason for all of this. He always does. For our sake, I hope we don’t ruin it,” he whispers as he seals our fate with a kiss.