Chapter Five
TOREN
I stare at Carnage in horror, I thought he left after he dropped me off this morning, but it appears I was wrong.
Now, he stands here, in the hallway of SU, with a gun pointed at the uncrowned king of this place.
I dart my gaze around the hall and worry begins to churn in my gut, the whole school is staring at the four of us!
Xaden’s grip on the front of my hoodie tightens, dragging me from my thoughts. Cas is using his own body as a shield to keep Xaden safe. I’m not deluded enough to think he is protecting me. He helped me one time to escape and that was the only form of kindness he has shown me since I arrived here.
“You must be lost,” Xaden says in a tone loaded with malice but to people who don’t know him, he sounds almost calm.
Carnage purses his lips and shrugs his shoulders.
“Nah, I think I’m right where I need to be,” he fires back without missing a beat and makes me shake with fear.
I knew it would be hard seeing Xaden for the first time but I didn’t expect him to try and murder me the moment he saw me.
I hate that the sight of him had me wanting to turn and flee.
I thought I had gotten over the fear I felt for him but I was wrong.
“How about we step outside and handle this like men, hmm?”
I balk at Carnage. Don’t get me wrong, he is just as ruthless as Xaden but he doesn’t hold the same dark edge. Where Carnage is able to be talked down and hear reason, Xaden isn’t. He is ruled by his instincts and acts first and still doesn’t worry about the consequences later.
Cas scoffs out a laugh then crosses his arms over his chest. “Coming from the pussy holding two unarmed men at gunpoint?” Carnage nods to Cas then to my horror he lowers his gun and tucks it back into the waistband of his black jeans.
He runs a hand through his jet black hair as if he isn’t standing against two of the most dangerous men on his own.
“Is that better, princess?” he asks Cas in a mocking tone.
When Cas attempts to take a step forward, I pull myself free of Xaden’s hold and push in front of Caspian, placing my hand against his chest. He glares down at me, so I quickly drop my hand back to my side and stare up at him with a pleading look.
“Get the fuck back here now, Tink,” Xaden snarls in a tone loaded with warning and I fight against my reaction to obey him. I’m too conditioned to always do as I’m told and that is a habit Carnage has told me I need to break in order to truly be free of all the men in my life who want to rule me.
I plan to start breaking that habit now!
I take a step backward and don’t miss the way Xaden’s eyes spark with malice at the sight of me defying him openly.
Cas gives me a subtle shake of his head, warning me not to go against him, but I ignore his warning.
I’m done being a doormat for all these fucking males in my life.
I will no longer allow any of them to use me.
I keep backing up until I’m standing shoulder to shoulder with Carnage. Xaden moves so he and Cas now stand beside each other. I feel the eyes of every student here on me.
“You’ve crossed a line,” Xaden grits out.
“You drew the line and made me cross it.” My throat is hoarse and sore but I refuse to show him that I’m in any discomfort.
“I won’t stop, Tink,” he vows.
I nod. “I expect nothing less.”
“Game fucking on, bitch, be ready to suffer my fucking wrath. You won’t get away from me twice.
Get the fuck out of my school and take that cunt with you.
” His callous words sting like salt being poured into an open wound.
I keep the hurt from playing across my face and hold his angry glare, not willing to back down.
“There you are!” At the sound of Maddison’s voice, I look away from Xaden to see her stalking toward me with a pissed off look on her face.
“I told you not to be late!” she snaps as she comes to stand in front of me cutting between the stare-off between Xaden and me, without knowing or not giving a shit.
“Get lost, Maddison,” Xaden snaps. She peers back at him over her shoulder undeterred by his angry tone.
“Screw you, X. This pain in my ass is late for her shift and I’m not covering for her again,” Maddison hisses.
“First period is about to start, she doesn’t have a shift,” Cas interjects with venom in his tone.
“She has a free period so she is rostered on, smartass.” Maddison doesn’t wait for a reply, she grips my arm and drags me out of the hallway with his gaze boring a hole in the back of my head.
I don’t protest or fight against her, allowing her to drag me outside with Carnage hot on our heels.
She doesn’t stop until we round the side of the building, then releases me with a slight shove.
Carn comes to stand beside me while Maddison places her hands on her hips and looks between the two of us.
I know she is trying to figure out what our dynamic is but she will never get it and I can never tell her.
“Why the fuck are you back here, Toren?”
I note the tone of concern in her voice and feel a sense of gratitude toward the girl. Her and I have never been close or even friends, but the fact she is trying to help me right now has my respect.
“The less you know, the better,” I answer. Her eyes narrow and I can see she wants to push me, but growing up in Stormsend has taught her not to ask questions.
She purses her lips and nods. “Next time, I won’t save you.”
“I know,” I answer honestly. Truth be told, I never expected her to come to my rescue just then.
“You have no idea what he is capable of, Toren. He has changed since taking over and it’s not a good thing. Xaden was ruthless before but now, he’s so much fucking worse.” I can hear the slight tremble in her voice and I know Maddison isn’t the type of girl who scares easily.
“How so?” I press. I know Carn is listening to every word and taking notes on our enemy.
“He doesn’t ask questions. If he thinks you wronged him…
” She clamps her mouth closed and shoots Carnage a distrusting look before focusing back on me.
“He eliminates the problem without remorse, put it that way. Stay away from him if you hope to live long enough to graduate. He isn’t the guy you knew him to be.
He changed after he lost Emery and that was bad, but this, this is so much fucking worse.
” She doesn’t wait for me to digest her words before she spins on her heel and marches back inside the building.
I reach up and rub my throat. That is the second time that asshole has tried to strangle me to death!
“How do you want to play this?” Carn asks, pulling me from my thoughts.
I look over at him and smirk. “He expects me to tuck tail and run like I would have before. I’m going to show Xaden Devlin that I’m not that weak bitch anymore.”
A vicious smirk touches the corner of his mouth. “What’s the plan, killer?”
“Time to beat him at his own game and seduce the motherfucker like he did me. But first, I think we should go pay my dear old dad a visit.”
“We going to his house?”
“Yeah, I want to surprise him and catch him off guard. It’s time to play this game and start tearing them down. I’m done being nice. I want this shit to end so I can get the fuck out of here and not look over my shoulder every single day.”
Carn reaches out and places a hand on my shoulder. “You have the Denver Kings on your side. If they want a fucking war, we’ll give it to them.”