Chapter Eight
TOREN
A smart person would have listened to him and stayed away, but I never promised to be smart or wise.
The new Toren Kellar is reckless and hungry for change, so tonight I decide to attend the bonfire with my new friends in tow.
Carnage, Halo, Vatican and Pope flank me as we stand in the parking lot looking down at all the people.
I see familiar faces and find myself being envious of their carefree smiles and how they dance freely without the weight of the world on their shoulders.
That used to be me.
“This is a bad idea.” I nod my head in agreement. Pope is right and all of us know it but that didn’t stop me from wanting to come here. He thinks he can order me around and I will listen. A couple of months ago that would have been the case, but not now.
“It’s the best one I got,” I reply.
“We stick to the plan. Tate will slaughter us if anything happens to you.” I look over at Vatican and smirk.
“And here I thought the great Denver Kings feared no one,” I tease.
Vatican’s face hardens as he meets my stare. “Tatum controls the beast inside our brother, Alex. Fuck with her and you will learn quickly why he is called The Butcher.” His ominous words send a chill down my spine.
“I swear, I’ll stick to the plan. Without being here tonight we won’t find out what their next move is.
In order to beat them I need to stay one step ahead of them and I can’t do that without being here.
” My tone is laced with annoyance. It’s none of their fault I’m in a bad mood, but they are the only ones I can take it out on, which is why they are currently dealing with my mini meltdown.
I refuse to admit that the reason I am so wound up is because I know who I will see down there.
Maddison and I may not be friends per se but she did me a solid and replied to my text when I asked if he would be here tonight.
“Get the intel you need from Kyle, then we leave. Don’t deviate from the plan, Toren.
We can’t protect you and help you otherwise.
” I nod my agreement and pat Carn on the chest. Out of the four of them he is the one I am closest to and we've formed a bond. I know he and his twin don’t get along.
Vatican and Pope seem to tolerate him but it’s clear, much like me, he is the black sheep of his family.
“Okay,” I answer, then head down to the beach to join the fray of drunk college students and pray I’m not killed on sight.
The sight of the four guys trailing behind me draws everyone’s attention.
The loud music becomes white noise as I fight to keep my composure and my face blank of all emotion.
I know the guys are good-looking and stand out in a crowd but they don’t set my blood ablaze and make me want to tear out of my skin just so I can be inside his.
I fight the urge to duck my head and avoid the stares of students from both Stormsend and Somerset.
I feel Carnage press in closer to me almost like he knows that I need his support and honestly, I do.
I never expected to form a close bond with any of them or even become friends with them, but here I am.
Carnage leans in closer and speaks loud enough to be heard over the music but low enough for only me to hear.
“Psychology says when a woman lives under constant stress and uncertainty, her body adapts by going into survival mode. She becomes tense, alert, and drained, always bracing for the next thing to go wrong. Even in moments of calm, her mind can’t fully relax.
It’s not that she’s overreacting. Her nervous system just doesn’t remember what it feels like to be safe. ”
I come to a stop and turn to look at him.
He stands there with a look of indifference on his face but I know him well enough now to know he is worried about me.
His pale blue eyes burn with a look I can’t decipher.
He tips his head down to me and his black hair flops forward, landing on his forehead.
“What does that mean?” I ask quietly, ignoring the stares of everyone around us as I get lost in him.
“It means, you are safe with me—with us. To them you look like a badass.” My brows raise at his compliment but I can sense a but coming.
“But—” There it is. “He will see through it. He will know this is an act. Relax and believe what you are selling or this will all fall apart before you have a chance to execute your plan, and believe me, darlin’, I don’t want to see you fail.
” Without hesitation I push forward and wrap my arms around him.
He encircles me with his and holds me close.
Just the feeling of his warmth and knowing that he has my back bolsters my strength and determination.
“You decided to fuck my other enemy, I see.” I pull back from Carnage with a sigh.
I was hoping to avoid running into him but I guess luck wasn’t on my side.
I turn and face my brother, noting he isn’t alone, Kellan stands beside him and a few of his team mates stand at his back.
I spot Darren Parker in the mix and shoot him a glare.
Bill Gordon and Chester Brock both snicker but I ignore those two idiots.
Darren is a prick, and the fact my brother even classes him as a friend shows you how much of a fool I was to think my brother was some saint.
I feel Halo, Vatican and Pope draw in closer and surround us.
The music may be blasting and loud as shit, but the tension simmering between all of us mutes it.
I wanted to blend in and not cause a scene, get the information I needed, catch a glimpse of Xaden and then leave, but now I am faced with my brother and any chance I had of flying under the radar is gone.
“Your tone is pissing me off,” Carnage says in a deathly calm tone that has me straightening.
Masen ignores my friend and keeps his focus on me. He and Kellan may know who he is but the others don’t. If my brother was smart he wouldn’t poke the bear, except I never claimed he was smart.
“You’re not welcome here and nor are they,” he says with a flick of his chin toward the guys.
I scoff. “You don’t own the beach. It’s free game, Masen,” I state. His stupid teammates all make ooohing sounds which aggravates him further, making him take a step forward. Halo pushes in closer to me and Carnage takes a half step forward, subtly blocking me from him.
“Get the fuck out of here, Toren. I warned you not to choose that bastard and you ignored my warning. Now you will learn what it’s truly like to have nothing and no one.”
I balk at the audacity of him. “Are you fucking kidding me?” I snap and push past Carnage to step into my brother.
“I don’t have anything and I don’t have anyone all because of you and your bullshit story!
I lost everything while you got to keep being the king and acting like you are holier than thou.
Newsflash, your shit doesn’t smell like roses and I will be your fucking reckoning.
Your days of being on top are numbered, Brother. ”
The look of hatred and disgust would have flayed me months ago but now, I feel nothing.
No hurt, no longing or even remorse, just anger.
I looked up to him. I based my life around him and made sure I was always there for him when he needed me.
He used my love against me and that is why I will never forgive him for what he did to me.
Masen reaches out and grips the side of my arms in a painful hold, but I don’t flinch.
Carnage attempts to come to me but his brothers hold him back.
I know his urge to protect me is strong but I don’t need anyone to save me, I am capable of saving myself.
I have to be. I won’t allow myself to rely on anyone ever again and risk being let down.
“Threaten me again and it will be the last thing you ever do, blood or not, Toren. I will fucking end you in order to make an example out of you for everyone to see.” I knew he was a monster and I’ve prepared myself as much as I can to see a different side of him, but knowing and seeing are two different things.
Shock ripples through me. Never in my life did I ever think my own brother would turn on me and treat me like shit under his boot.
The person before me now is a stranger, someone I don’t recognize or even want to.
“Mase—” Kellan clamps his mouth closed when Masen cuts him a look.
I shake my head. He’s still under my brother's thumb and no amount of files or truth he spills will change that. Kellan Kyle is a coward which is why I was forced to come here and get the intel I needed because he is worried his phone is bugged and can’t risk Masen finding out.
When Masen turns his focus back to me I hold his rageful stare and don’t cower under the pressure of it.
“Fuck as many of my enemies as you like, but it won’t change the fact I am still the one on top.
They may think fucking you will get to me and my father, but it won’t.
You may share our last name but you are nothing to us.
” He releases me with a shove and I stumble back a step.
“Toren is free game!” Masen yells. Pain erupts inside me.
Party goers all cheer and I don’t miss Darren grabbing his crotch and licking his lips. Disgust rolls through me.
“Shotgun first ride!” Chester hollers.
I shoot the pig a scowl. “Try it and I’ll slice your fucking dick off, you spineless prick.” Anger darkens his features.
“Let’s go,” Halo snaps, but I don’t move.
I’m not backing down from this. If I walk away now, Masen will see me as the same weak child he always saw and I refuse to let that be the case.
Feeling bold and clearly suicidal, Chester and Darren move around Masen in an attempt to come to me.
Panic rises inside me. I know Carnage and the others are here but I’ve been warned that they can’t intervene in any fights, which is why Carnage is beside himself right now, shouting at me to get my ass over to him so we can go.
I brace myself for them to grab me. I plan to fight and show everyone that I’m not weak and I’m not an easy target, but the second the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I feel an overwhelming amount of heat roll through my body, I know he’s near.
“Touch her and I’ll make what I did to your captain look like a warm up match.
” Xaden’s voice is like a caress to my battered soul.
He may hate me but he won’t allow anyone else to harm me.
I wish I could say it was because he cared, but he and I both know it’s only because he wants to be the one to break me.
Chester and Darren both freeze and look over my head.
I feel him drawing closer and I can’t fight my body’s reaction to his nearness.
Gooseflesh peppers my skin. I suddenly notice that Carn has fallen silent and everyone around us has taken a step back.
Fire burns in Masen’s eyes, Kellan looks ready to fight and I just know this is going to end badly.
The second he plasterers himself against my back a gasp escapes me.
I tense and pray he doesn’t touch me but God turned his back on me a long time ago.
He pushes his hands into the front pockets of my shorts and rests his chin atop my head. Masen’s upper lip pulls back in a snarl.
“The only enemy she is spreading her legs for is me, Kellar.” The dominance and malice in his tone sends a shiver of dread down my spine. To everyone else it would appear he’s here to defend me but I know the truth, he’s here to fuck with my brother and torment me.