Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
AUDREY
The Yates’ Estate following Trial Two
Prince
Did anyone else think that was weird AF?
Ice Boy
…
Queenie
You’re literally right fucking next to us.
Prince
I bet El is going crazy
Prince
Probably hating his decision to play it safe
Prince
…
“Dude. What the FUCK?” Rumbling laughter broke my stare-off with Lexington.
Worth had apparently hit the end of his tether as he chucked his water bottle at his brother’s head.
We were all sombre after the way Lilah had taken control earlier today, the brothers more so than me, but a sinking feeling had settled in my gut nonetheless as I truly considered the ramifications of what dirt she had on me.
“We. Are. Right. HERE! Are you a child?”
Unable to contain himself, Lexington bounced on his toes, his energy at odds with the subdued attitude shared between Worth and me.
I side-eyed him, wondering what had happened in the few hours since we left Lilah’s house to make him so…
exuberant. Except, no. That was a lie…he had been wrecked when I had walked out, unwilling to subject myself to more bullshit the little hacker in our group attempted to spew.
“I think I finally convinced him.” Glee filled his voice, as Worth and I traded looks. Neither of us had a clue where this was going yet, but we each would be along for the ride he no doubt would take us on. “He has finally seen the light!”
Amidst Lex’s crowing, I thought about what consequences his trauma would bring to the table. How likely it would be that he or his brother would spiral off the deep end.
That’s why they have you, solnyshka.
It worried me, the way he had bounced between volatile and this…
whatever this was or would become. Worth had begun to worry me more though; his silence had grown louder in the hours since they had shown up at my house.
Retreating into himself more than normal, almost to the point where the man was no more than a whisper of his usual self.
“I finally convinced him to leave her arse!” Sighing, I closed my eyes. Exasperation over today and over Lex already filled my cup to overflowing levels, took over, and I found I just could not handle him. “Guuuuyssss. I did it. Why are you not excited for me?”
“We have no idea what you’re on. What in the living fuck are you over there shouting about?
” I grinned. Apparently Worth was over his exuberance too.
Deciding to let the brothers duke it out, I moved my black knight into a better position.
Watching them was improving my mood, especially once I saw that my latest play had opened up possibilities for this game of chess I was in the middle of, one I played against myself, and might just become my best yet. “Please explain it to us.”
“Ellery. I convinced—”
“I don’t understand why you’re talking to him. He’s been through enough.” Shocked, I jerked my head up, not expecting Worth to cut off his brother like that, or to voice something I had thought about earlier.
Ellery’s tribulations so far had been a surprise to me, and it also meant that The Guilda likely had something damning on him.
Something that he or his family really did not want anyone to know, since I was unaware of anything that would have him being put through the wringer like this.
“And why text us? We’ve been sitting here in the same room watching Audrey play her never-ending game of chess all afternoon. ”
“It’s actually been all night, technically we didn’t show up to ruin her plans until after the ‘afternoo—OW! Motherfucker, why did you do that?”
“Lex, you’re annoying us. And I agree with Worth. Ellery doesn’t need you to pile on guilt, unnecessarily.
Prince
I’m watching you…
“Buu—” Dodging another water bottle, Lexington danced around the room. Worth and I once again sat back and let him tire himself out. Something that we had done hundreds, if not thousands, of times over the years, but even more since Calliope had ‘disappeared.’
“Let’s do something. Audrey, you have nothing going on later tonight, right?
” Lex grabbed my hand, pulling me up as he kicked Worth in the shin.
Harder than necessary, likely for ignoring that last text he had sent.
Or because they trade each other’s sins…
and you’re just along for the ride. “I need to do something before Lilah’s tomfoolery fucks me up the arse, hard and without lube to ease the r—”
“Damn it, Lex. Shut your fucking mouth for once.” Worth snapped his leg out, his foot landing square in his brother’s gut.
Pushing him back with enough force, he lost balance and toppled backwards, taking both me and my game of chess with him on the way down.
“Ahh, fuck. I’m sorry, Audrey. Fuck. I didn’t mean—”
“It’s fine. I wasn’t going to beat my best anyway…
” His lips twisted, not believing my lie as he saw the flash of despair flitter across my face.
Schooling my expression, I smiled, nodding to him as I mouthed let’s get him back, while Lex busied himself trying to straighten his clothes… and gather all my pieces off the floor.
“Audrey and I were just thinking about going out for a swim…”
“Maybe going diving off the cliffs?” I piggy-backed off Worth’s jump-scare.
Knowing this might be the one thing that would be an automatic ‘no’ for Lexington.
Being afraid of heights, he would never agree.
Especially after he had been accused of pushing Calliope off the same cliffs Worth and I used to dive off during our youth.
“Damn you both. But really…how are you not furious with what went on today?” He had long since given up on cleaning up my chess pieces.
Instead, he sat on the floor, inspecting the area where Worth’s foot had sucker punched him.
“I felt like…like if she could oust me like that, so calm and quiet like…” She could hurt us all even more.
“Like you don’t know who to trust anymore?
” Finishing his thought, I slunk over to him, wrapping my arm around his neck and taking a minute to breath him in, to surround myself in this moment—with them.
They had been few and far between, being able to sit here like this with them, brothers that I hated knowing I’d possibly have to betray.
Knowing a secret, they deserved to know—one I held close to my chest, knowing how it would ultimately play out in the end.
“That. I felt like seeing her do that to me…no words can explain how much seeing that newspaper investigation piece shattered me…” He shook his head, as if he was attempting to rid himself of the thoughts fighting for space in his mind.
“It’s been nearly six years, and I still swear I can see her…
dancing along the cliffs, all that curly angelic blond hair. ”
“She loved this town…” Worth’s tone was depressed compared to the reminiscent tone Lexington’s had been. “I miss her. I’ll miss her until her location is found…”
“Same…” Turning his head toward me, Lex rested his head on my shoulder. “Did you find it odd how tame her truth was compared to the rest of us? Almost like whatever she had turned in wasn’t what she wanted us to believe?”
Yes. And I had a horrible feeling I knew what and who she decided to betray…
Unable to form words, I nodded my head. My hand reflexively stroked through his dark auburn hair, offering what little comfort I could, knowing that it paled in comparison to what they both had to do…who they both had lost and been triggered by today.
“I wish we never went through with these games…ever since that first trial, I questioned if this would all be worth it. Just to claim a seat in a society that seems hell bent on sacrificing friendships and shredding our souls for sport.”
You and me both, Worth. You and me both.
I wished at times that I had been born into a family where I could be normal, one I didn’t have to pretend or act like nothing ever bothered me.
Except then, I would never have found each of them—Aleks, Lex and Worth, Cameron, Ellery, and Alistair…
even Calliope who had been like a sister before she vanished into the lore of Alabastor Cove, leaving no trace behind.
“I’m going to get you guys out of this. Ellery too, if he will let me…if he decides to push past his crush.”
“Audrey, you don’t need to protect us like this. She’s forcing you to do something awful, some may argue it's even worse than the scandal her unveiling ours will cause.” Stepping over the mess on the floor, Worth slumped down, joining us on the floor as we all stared into space.
Today’s trial had seemed easy, simple on paper, but awful while being completed. Especially since it had shown us that even those we called friends might choose themselves over the group as the stakes got higher and the rules became clear.
“If anything, today taught me that it will either be us…or her.” Wrapping my free arm around Worth’s back, I squeezed him in return, the minimal contact the only comfort he would allow.
I had already been shocked he permitted us this.
“After today, we need to be careful. With Kellan coming home we can have a second line of defence…a way to protect any secrets or skeletons from Lilah and anyone else trying to turn us against each other.”
“Ellery will be on board. I’m telling you…I finally have him convinced.”
A sharp slap echoed in the room as Worth smacked the back of his head.
Lex was like a dog with a bone at times and while I hoped Ellery would come to us on his own…
I wouldn’t argue with Lex if he wanted to use his wit and charms to push him towards the direction of moving past Lilah sooner. If not for him, then for us.
“He has to come to that realisation on his own. He has other things going on this summer. I’m surprised his parents aren’t being their normal cunt selves.”
“They are. He just doesn’t want to talk about it. He got caught at a sex club last week, and his mother ripped him a new arsehole when the media leaked it. I only know because I was at his house shooting pucks when she came home ranting about her son being the stain on the Remington name.”
The judgement in Worth’s tone had silence blanketing us. Even Lex was at a loss for words. “C’mon. Let’s cheer up. Atletico Napoli FC is playing tonight, and Audrey’s movie room is calling my name.”
We followed Lex out, shaking the day's events as best we could. The three of us found solace in the fact that even while it felt like the world was crumbling around us, we had each other. These two had been with me through thick and thin, and I hated keeping anything from them.
Soon…soon they’ll know and you won’t have to hide anything from them.
“Giuseppe Costello is on the verge of breaking records that predate his family’s mafioso legacy. The fucking irony.”
“He’s hot as shit. I heard he swings both ways. I wonder if Aleksandr ever crosses paths with him…”
Snorting, I passed Lex, opening the door to the Yates' home theatre and flipping through the channels until the pregame interviews showed. “His dick would rip you in two.”
“I heard he’s engaged anyway. Some French mafia princess chained his arse to her.
It hasn’t affected his game though, the dude’s been a beast.” Sinking into the couch, I stretched out, relaxing for the first time since I left Lilah’s.
Allowing my guard to come down just enough that Lex and Worth both noticed the change in me, I waited to watch something the three of us loved—Italian soccer, and the qualifiers for the Italian Cup.