20. Chapter 20 - Layrin
Chapter 20
I t felt like my mind shifted, bringing me to a different place. My stomach rolled at the feel of each cell in my body being transported by force even though I logically knew I was still in that chair.
All of those feelings drifted off as soon as my legs hit the ground. Light hit my lids, making me squint until I got used to the brightness. I blinked them open and looked up. Seemingly endless blue met my gaze, white fluffy clouds moving across the sky. A shadow caught my eye, and I flinched when a bird flew by. A longer look around told me that I was in the middle of a forest.
The smell of pine and dirt filled the air around me, and a creek babbled in the background. The setting felt so real I could taste it. I shifted around in my tennis shoes, wiggling my toes, and the leaves beneath them rolled and crinkled like they would in real life. Eyes catching on the nearest tree, every nook and cranny looked real. My feet controlled me, bringing me over to a tree so I could touch it. The rough bark scratched the pads of my fingers. I was awestruck by how immersive the experience was so far, and nothing had really happened yet! My head turned when a rustle in the bush to my right caught my attention, ripping me away from my fascination with the leaves.
Remembering the things Maria and Rion had told me, I knew this machine would pick somewhere I was familiar with as the setting of the first test. Looking around, I tried to put a name to where I was, but I couldn't put my finger on it. It felt like I knew the place, but it had a different aura that made it unrecognizable. I started walking in one direction until I saw something familiar in the distance. Picking up my pace, I ran forward, stopping short when a familiar crappy, broken down porch stared back at me.
Breathing heavily, I took a hesitant step forward, telling myself over and over that I wasn't afraid. I was an adult now. I wasn't going to be scared of the rickety old house that used to fill me with such dread. The orphanage was no longer my home.
I thought I was being strong, forcing myself to step closer and closer, but as my body shook harder, I realized that was a mistake. Even if my mind told me what I wanted to hear, my body still had a visceral reaction to this place.
“Layrin!”
Her voice was all around me. Whipping my head around, I tried to catch sight of her, but it seemed I was just too slow. Turning round and round, my name echoed like she was right next to me… but she wasn't.
As soon as I stopped, the whole area turned to nighttime. The vomit-yellow porch flared out, becoming the only source of light in the space around me. A howling wind whipped past me, and dread filled my veins. All of the alarm bells in my head were going off, telling me something bad was coming.
The crunch of heavy steps sounded before me. My eyes connected with a menacing shadow heading my way, and my feet started to move in the opposite direction. I told myself to wait, to see who it was, to face them, but the fear in my limbs took over as my pulse kicked into high gear.
“Layrin! You stupid girl. I’m going to whip you when I find you!”
Miss. Vaughn's voice wrapped around me like a rope, making it hard to breathe. I began to run when those footsteps moved faster, creating a steady beat behind me like a ticking time bomb. The forest warped in front of my face, shadows darting from side to side, and I covered my head as I tried to dodge them.
I tripped over a rock I didn't see, smacking my face into the forest floor. Pain exploded up my nose and into the side of my face. Groaning at the impact, I lifted myself up and saw three shapes coming out of the darkness. It was Lennon and two of his buddies that I’d fought with when the guys first came to the orphanage, but instead of them being the boys I remembered, they were now men, staring at me with bitter hostility.
“I told you this bitch would come back,” Lennon said to his buddies, pointing at me with a baseball bat he’d pulled from behind his back. “It's time to get our revenge, to teach this bitch who not to mess with.” He raised the bat, and my eyes went wide until it came crashing down. I rolled to the side, and the bat hit the ground with a heady thwack, narrowly missing me.
Popping up as fast as I could, I ran away while they yelled obscenities at me. My bruised nose felt terrible against the wind, but I didn't have a choice. I couldn't let those boys beat me up. Wiping at my nose, my fingers came away stained red, and I remembered Maria’s warning. If I died here, I’d die out in the real world. Fuck!
Pumping my arms as fast as I could, I yelled at myself, Think, Layrin! Fucking think!
I knew that I couldn't keep running from them forever. Thinking back to my training with Roux, I remembered a tip from him. He’d told me that if it was me against someone with a weapon, I only had two options—run away or take the weapon. Knowing that there was no escape, I thought quickly and headed to the clearing to make a stand.
With us being deeper in the woods, it was dark. The only light was the occasional moonlit ray that broke between the gaps in trees, so the clearing would give me greater ability to see.
As soon as I made it, I found the large boulder and hid behind it. Fingers digging into the rough stone, I waited for my moment when I could surprise Lennon and take the bat.
The seconds ticked by. Where the fuck were these guys? Last I knew, they were a couple yards behind me. Did they get lost?
Before I knew what was happening, pain sliced down my back. I arched at the pain as I cried out, and before I could turn to see who it was, someone grabbed a handful of my hair and dragged me into the center of the clearing.
“Always the troublesome one, Layrin. Such a stupid girl.” The blood in my veins froze when Miss Vaughn’s grouchy venomous voice came from above.
Shit! Panic took over my body, and I began wriggling and kicking as fast as I could to get out of her iron grip to no avail. She threw me on the ground, my back exploding with pain as I looked up at her. Her matted gray hair stuck up in different places, and her stained rose pink mumu matched her perpetual snarl with missing and rotted teeth. All of that was indeed horrifying, but what made my heart stop was the switch in her hand. It was the exact same one she’d used when she had me held down and whipped for stealing.
The scar on my back throbbed alongside the new mark she’d just made. From out of nowhere, Lennon and his two boys appeared behind her, malicious, hateful smiles shining down on me. They circled me like I was their prey, and dread stilled my thoughts.
What were they going to do to me? Why did they hate me so much? The air was thick with my fear, making it harder and harder for me to move, to do anything but stare at them like a deer in headlights. It was pathetic. I was pathetic.
Tears gathered in my eyes, and Miss Vaughn smiled wide. “Boys.”
Like a unified team, they pounced, grabbing me and turning me around before splaying me out on the hard ground. “No. No. Stop. Please.” My heart was beating out of my chest, tears spilling over as I begged them to not do this to me. Not again.
“Girls like you need a heavy hand, Layrin. You need to know your place in this world, and it's underneath my switch. You just never learn, you stupid girl.”
A sob broke from my lips as the boys’ fingers dug into me, holding down my limbs. She smacked her hand with the switch, making a loud thwack that rang in my ears. Her cackle was the only warning I got before the pain came.
My back felt like it was on fire, and my cries echoed in the woods, unanswered, as the beating continued. Not again. Not fucking again. I didn’t think I could handle this a second time.
That familiar dark voice in my head woke up. This time, it wasn’t a whisper like it used to be. It was more, like a whole new side of myself had emerged. Are you going to let this happen again? Its chuckle was cruel and lifeless. Don’t let this break you. Remember, it's a test. We promised we would get out .
The next slash came, but this time the pain wasn't so horrible. That's right. Don’t pay attention to that. Look around. What can you do?
I turned my face from one side to the next until I saw Lennon’s bat on the ground, right within reach. If I could get that, I might have a chance. I barely felt the next hit, focusing on the boys’ hold on me. The one at the bottom, holding my feet, was getting weaker, so if I waited, I might have my shot.
The darkness curled up inside me, waiting to be used. It needed me to survive this.
As soon as his grip loosened just a bit more, I yanked my foot from his grasp and gave a big donkey kick. Miss Vaughn yelped, and I heard a scuffle behind me before the second hand let go of me. I didn't waste any time. Taking advantage of the two other boys' shock, I swung up my leg and kicked Lennon in the head. His grip broke as he fell to the side, so I grabbed the bat and swung it at the other guy. Thankfully, he immediately released my arm.
Inky laughter filled my head. Yes, yes. Get them. Beat them. Show them who should be afraid now.
I stalked up to Lennon, channeling the rage and pain that had accumulated over the years, then smashed that bat down on his head. A sickening crack sounded and blood sprayed, but I didn't stop. I was on a warpath.
The other boys were weak without their leaders, so they ran off as soon as they saw me. I bet I looked crazy. Tear stained cheeks, blood matted hair and dirt all over the place, swinging a bat like I was an MLB pro.
Miss Vaughn’s voice broke through my glee.
“You dirty, horrible girl. You are nothing. I saved you, and this is how you repay me? I should’ve left you in the woods for the animals to eat.”
Lowering my bat, I slowly walked up to her. My limbs were jerky and my breathing ragged, but I made my way over, glancing down at the shin she was holding.
“Your parents cursed me with you. You're a curse, Layrin, a wicked, demon child that should’ve died long ago.” These weren’t words I hadn't heard before, words that would’ve crushed me as a child, but now I knew all of that wasn't true… at least not for me.
“You're right,” I said as I raised the bat. “You should’ve left me in the woods.” Using every ounce of strength I had left, I swung, hitting her head so hard I thought it would rip off and roll to the ground.
Her body smacked into the ground, and after she took her last breath, I closed my eyes and exhaled. A familiar pulling feeling happened, and I looked down to see Miss Vaughn and Lennon’s bodies were gone. The bat was no longer in my hands, and the woods I had been surrounded by melted away.
I was now standing in a dark alleyway.
A light breeze went by, bringing the sour scent of rotting food to my nose. A rat scurried across the pavement, and cars honked in the distance. This was a new location, so did that mean… Did I pass the first test? Or were they giving me a new one? I should’ve asked more questions when I was with Maria. Damn it! I had no idea what I was doing.
I shook my head and took a personal inventory, knowing there was no use getting upset about the past. Looking down, I realized I had the same clothes on, just a little dirtier than before. My back felt raw, which only reminded me of what I had gone through.
Looking up and down the alleyway, I didn't know what I was supposed to do. What kind of test was this? If it was anything like the last one, then the test would just thrust itself on me, right?
Taking a couple steps forward, I glanced at some of the doors. All of them were numbered except for one with a triangle on it. My hand lifted to my chest, tracing my pendant. That had to mean something.
Turning the knob, I opened the door and went through with caution. My steps resonated against the smooth cement floor of a large warehouse. Boxes lined the walls and center, making a maze of wood and steel shelving. I had pressed forward, trying to figure out where I was supposed to go, when I heard beeping sounds, like those machines at the hospital.
It took me a bit to find the right way through the maze, following those sounds until they got louder, and a bright light came into view. Turning the corner, there was a large space in the center of the room with three tall, clear boxes, hoses and wires hooked up to the bottom of each one.
Getting closer, I noticed that each box had a person crouched down at the bottom. What in the fresh hell is this? It looked like something an evil scientist would use to conduct human or clone experiments.
In eerie unison, three heads looked up at me, and I cried out, running to the first box, staring down at my beautiful dead friend. Lifting a shaky hand to the glass, I whispered, “Vivian?”
Her eyes had deep bruised bags beneath them, her hair was a knotted mess, and the outfit she had on was the one from her funeral. Her lips were chapped, and her nails were broken and bloody. What the hell happened to her?
Her lips cracked open. “Lay… Help…me.”
My hands immediately banged on the glass, thinking I might be strong enough to just smash it open, but this was no normal glass. “Let me look around.” I frantically circled her, trying to find a weak point in the contraption holding her, but a banging came from my other side.
“No, Lay! Help me !”
Another Vivian was there, but this time she looked the way I’d last seen her at the diner—jeans, t-shirt, and apron. Her pleading face begged for me to help her.
“I need you, Lay! I'm the real one!” The third clear box held yet another Vivian, but she was wearing her clubbing outfit. What the fuck?!
Without conscious thought, my legs moved, putting me in the center of the three boxes. I looked at each of them, listening to their pleas. They were all saying the same thing, claiming to be the real one. What the fuck was going on?
My eyes bounced between them, trying to figure out what I could do. How could I save my friend? Friends? How was I supposed to know which Vivian was the right one? Just as I thought my desperation was getting to me, the boxes made a ringing sound, then a light began to blink.
Club Vivian yelped, pulling up her leg, and I ran over to see what was going on. Below her feet was a pump that was bringing in water, lots and lots of water. Running around to each box, I realized every version of my friend was suffering the same fate. My brows furrowed. If it was filled with water, then…
My eyes widened in horror when I figured out that if I didn't save them, they would eventually drown right in front of me. My body shook with equal parts frustration and fear. I didn’t know if I could handle watching my friend die in front of me, let alone three of her.
Flashes of her dead body beneath the table crippled me, and my knees gave out. I crashed to the floor.
Their cries were becoming more panicked as the water rose. It was getting harder and harder to breathe, my throat closing up as I clawed at my neck. Sweat dripped down from my forehead and into my eyes. The sting caused me just enough pain that it kept my brain online.
That dark voice I used to fear filled my head, my body, once more, telling me what to do. Get up. We need to figure this out. Look around for a weapon, something that will allow us to open it.
Picking myself up, I dragged myself around the room. In this, I knew I could trust it. The voice was always about survival, and that was what I could always count on.
Shaking my head, I quickened my pace, circling the room and picking up whatever I could find. Finally, I noticed a table off to the side and gravitated toward it. On top of it was a clear lockbox with two cords coming out from either side. Closer inspection showed me it was two power cords hooked together.
Following both lines, I figured out that one power cord went to the water pump and the other to the power source. If I could separate them, the water would stop filling up the boxes, giving me more time to figure out how to smash them open.
There was only one problem: the lockbox had a three-digit number lock on it. Before letting the panic set back in, I took a deep breath. I was doing this for Vivian, so I needed to stay calm and think it through. I had to find some kind of numbered clue to open this.
When I checked on the Vivians, water had reached their hips, and all of them were still calling out for me in panic and fear. Needing to give them something to focus on, I yelled, “Vivian!” The three of them turned toward me. “Look for some numbers on the inside of your box.”
The Vivian who looked like she had come out of the grave started looking around right away, the diner Vivian’s face was confused, and the club Vivian began stomping her feet and spewing curses. Unable to focus on all of that, I started my own search from the outside.
Finding a few numbers on boxes, I tried them, but they didn't open the lock. Having found nothing, the Vivians had gone silent. The water was up to their necks now.
The ache in my heart grew, my eyes shifting around in panic. I wasn't good enough to save her. I was never good enough to save her. It was my fault back then, and it was my fault now. Vivian was going to die because of me.
I was staring down at my hands, about to give up, when I noticed a small red light pulsing on the ground. Something in my head clicked, and I remembered the pattern recognition Rion had taught me when we were going over computer code.
The light above each clear box was also red. The first one pulsed twice, paused, then did it again. The second one issued five short pulses before the pattern restarted, and the third was just blinking.
Two, five, one.
I ran to the box, quickly turned the numbers, and the lock clicked open. Pride filled my heart as I tore the box open and pulled apart the power cords. The water pumping machine stopped with each of the Vivians just a breath away from being put in an underwater grave.
“Thank you, Lay,” the Vivians said, and tears filled my eyes. I didn't care if this wasn't real. This time, I had saved my friend.
Closing my eyes, I called back, “Welcome, Viv,” thinking about all the treasured moments we had shared. When she would bust into the door full of life, when she and Mel were the only ones that celebrated my birthday, and the way she would never let me wallow in my loneliness. For once, her death was unable to darken the beauty of the friendship we’d had.
A familiar tug pulled at me, making my stomach churn and my eyes fly open.
“Finally!” I was pulled into a hug, my mind trying to catch up with what was going on around me. Somehow, I was back in the room Maria had walked me into for the test.
Pulling away from the body hugging me, I caught a flash of those familiar swirling hazel eyes. My heart skipped a beat. “Rion?”
The sides of his face pulled up, his wide smile shining down on me as he cupped my cheek. “Yes. You did it, Rin. You passed. It's over.”
Looking around, I saw the helmet on the floor. The chair was still in the reclining position, but I could see Maria and the tech talking on the other side of the glass.
“H-h-how?” I didn't know what else to say. It was all so sudden, so jarring.
He pulled me back into his arms, hugging me tightly as he explained that the test had ended so Maria let him come wake me. He helped me up off the chair and walked me through the room.
Maria smiled, but something was off about it. “You did so well. We are all so proud of you.” With directions to be on the lookout for details about the naming ceremony, she dismissed us.
You didn't need to tell us twice. We bolted out of the room, so focused on getting out of there that I didn’t even notice what we passed on the way out.
We got into the car, and I turned toward him, ready to tell him everything that happened. I was a little surprised when he just started the car instead of asking about the test.
Oh, yeah, I bet he doesn’t want to talk about it until we get home to the others. Of course. That makes total sense.
“Buckle up, Rin. We always want to keep you safe.” He winked at me, and I smiled, getting the seat belt and clicking it into place.
We were quiet the entire drive, and while that wasn't abnormal, it felt… weird. The vibe between us was awkward, and I wanted to figure out what it was about. “Did Maria say something to you?”
“About what?”
I shrugged. “I don't know. About the test? About your uncle? About… me?” I was fishing, I knew it, but I was grasping at straws. I’d finally accomplished this huge feat, and his reaction felt a little lackluster.
“No, she didn't. I would tell you, Rin. We trust each other.”
I nodded because of course we did. Maybe I was just experiencing some residual effects of the test, and it had left me in a funk. I let it go, not wanting to cause trouble when there wasn't any.
We drove up the driveway, and I was excited to see Ravi and Roux. I needed to feel that brand of love-me-no-matter-what that I always got from those two. We parked, and I flung open my door, climbed out, and looked at the house. It felt like I was home.
Rion’s hand landed on the small of my back as he whispered, “Go on in. They're waiting for you.”
My chest expanded, taking a long breath before I ran to the door and threw it open. A tornado of green, red, orange, yellow, and blue tissue paper swirled around me, and Ravi ran forward wearing a party hat, a kazoo in his hand. “Welcome back, love! You did it!”
Smiling wide, I launched myself into his arms, enjoying the attention and adoration I had come to know and love from Ravi. He gave me a kiss on the side of my head and squeezed me for a second before letting go. He let go far too soon in my opinion, but I was probably just being greedy because of what I had gone through.
Roux gave me a soft hug, telling me he was proud, then he stood back, smiling. Seeing Roux this nice was actually a cute change.
Rion complained about the mess but quickly changed the subject to dinner. I looked out the window, and it was, in fact, nighttime. Man, time flew by. My stomach gurgled, and the boys doubled down on their efforts to make dinner delicious and fast.
They made a chicken parmigiana feast with angel hair pasta, juicy chicken, and crescent rolls that were so light and fluffy I ate three.
In the middle of dinner, I told them what happened, but their responses were weird. I had expected some anger about what I went through with Miss Vaughn, maybe some clenched fists or at least a few disappointed glances, but all I saw was pity… and it hurt.
“Now that we’ve gotten past the test, we can finalize our plan to take over Foedus.” Rion began to talk, then Ravi and Roux joined in. I stayed silent, observing everything.
Rion didn't have his tablet, which was always next to him even if he wasn't using it. Roux frowned in all the right places and kept silent like normal, but his body seemed relaxed, and Ravi, he said and did all the right things, but his eyes didn't twinkle with mirth.
A thought hit me. Am I still in the test?
Staring at the table, I started to put the pieces together. I had seen Rion first, but there was no way that Maria would’ve allowed that without her being there as well. Then his reaction in the car. The fact that Ravi and Roux weren’t waiting outside the house for me.
All the little things didn't add up.
They were still talking in the background about taking over Foedus, and even that was strange. They had said they wouldn't think about that until after taking care of their uncle. All of this felt wrong.
If I was still in the test, then what were they trying to assess? My eyes lifted to the boys, and it finally clicked. Even with me being the heir to the Rose family, they knew I hadn't trained to be part of Foedus all my life. They knew that I was an orphan. They didn’t know my character, and if it boiled down to others versus them, they needed to know who I would pick.
This was a loyalty test.
My mind had shown the computer that the boys were who I was most loyal to and used them as a means to test me.
With my mind made up, I told them I was going to the bathroom, where I pulled out my phone and messaged Maria, telling her that R. Ambros was a traitor who was planning a coup against the council.
As soon as I pressed send, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Had I done the right thing? What if this wasn't the test? Had I just betrayed the men I loved?
Opening my eyes, I saw the whole world around me melt, almost like a candle beneath the heat of its flame. Everything that was fake was slowly dripping away. It was starting to make me dizzy, so I closed my eyes and smiled, waiting for the next test or whatever so I could get back to them like I’d promised.
“You did well, Miss Rose.”
Maria’s voice had me opening my eyes. I was looking up at the ceiling of the metal room I was in. My arms and legs were strapped into the chair, and when panic set in, I started yanking on the restraints.
“Calm down, Layrin Rose. I’ll get you out. Those are put on as a safety measure once the tester is knocked out. We don’t want you accidentally hurting yourself, do we?”
Her calm, soothing voice helped, but what helped even more was when I felt her fingers untying one side, then moving to the other. “Let me take this all off because you’re going to be quite disoriented.” I nodded, feeling nauseous as she said it. She lifted up the helmet and smiled. “You definitely gave all of us a scare for a bit. Your vitals went off the charts. Poor Ambros was a worried wreck, although he tried to keep it together for my sake.” She winked at me, and I knew why he wasn't by my side. He needed to not make it blatantly obvious that he loved me.
“Come, you have people waiting for you, Miss Rose.” She held out her hand, and I grabbed it, putting all my weight into her grasp.
“How long was I out for?” In there, it felt like days… I really hoped it wasn't for days.
“Eight hours, twenty-six minutes, and thirty-nine seconds. You have made a record for the longest tester who came out unharmed. Congratulations!” Her exuberance didn't do anything for my shock.
Standing straight, tingles ran up and down my legs, making those first movements hard, more a shuffle than a step.
“Don’t worry. It won’t last longer than ten minutes.”
Her voice reminded me to ask something while no one was around. “So… what now?”
She stopped, facing me as said, “You will have today and most of tomorrow to celebrate, then we will have the gala tomorrow night. You will formally meet the other families and have a chance to make connections. After that, we have the naming ceremony, which is where you and R. Ambros will be named the heads of each of your families. Finally, once that’s done, I will meet with you to talk about your inheritance, estates, and your position on the council.”
Inheritance? Estate? What the hell? I was so tired that it didn't feel imperative to figure it out right now. What I really wanted to do was see the triplets. To hug them, to say sorry for betraying them.
“Got it. Thanks.”
She laughed, and this time it felt real, even coming from her. “I think you’re going to be just what we need to shake things up. All of us have been molded for these positions, so you will have a different perspective. It could be detrimental for you or liberating for us. Either way, it will be fun to watch.”
I let out a laugh of my own. Now, that was the Maria I knew.
She opened the door, and a flash of black and pink streaked across my face before Cin barreled into me. “Oh, thank all the gods!” She pulled me away by the shoulders, then inspected me, her face lined with worry. “No, seriously. I prayed to all of them! I went to the library, which you know I’m allergic to, and I wrote down all of their names. I had time to do a séance, light some incense, and do all the things to ensure you made it out alive.” She hugged me again, but this time it wasn't so strangling.
“Back off, sister. She needs to breathe.” Luca came up to Cin’s side, smiling at me like a perfect male statue. “And she’s serious about all that. It was exhausting.” He took my hand, lifted it to his lips, and gave it a small kiss. “We’re so happy you passed.”
Someone cleared their throat, and we all turned to see Rion leaning up against the wall, glaring daggers at Luca.
The whole world disappeared as I looked at him. His body was tense, his mouth set in his normal frown, but as soon as our eyes met, it lifted. It was just a smidgen, but I saw it. His eyes flashed a cool blue at the others, but when he looked back at me, it was with a warm mixture of green and brown.
He kicked off the wall and walked up to me, stopping short when he glanced at the others. “Congratulations. All your hard work and training paid off. I’m glad to see my mentee had no issues.”
I almost wanted to laugh. How could I ever expect anything else from my logical prince?
Taking his hand, I bowed, lifting it to my forehead as I said, “Thank you. Your training was the only reason I got through that.”
Rising up, I saw his eyes widen and his ears get red, so I turned around to smile at Cin. “Thank you so much for being here for me, but I am definitely drained and hungry.”
“Hey! I got snacks!” Elio came around the corner, saw me, and dropped everything in his hands. He ran up to me, lifting me into his arms. “I knew you could do it, you little psycho!”
Rion ripped me from his arms, setting me down next to him as he clenched his teeth. “She just said she needs food and rest. We are leaving.” Elio stuck out his lip in a pout as he raised his hands and pretended to grab at me.
Rolling my lips in and biting down to keep the laugh from coming out, I nodded, not wanting Elio to die, and thanked everyone for being here for me. I really didn’t expect the Ricci entourage, but it was kind of nice to feel loved by people besides my boys.
“Wait!” Cin jogged up to me, pulling me away from Rion. “We need to do a girls’ day! You need a dress for the gala and to get your hair and nails done. Maybe we can go to a spa for some massages!”
“She already has a dress,” Rion cut in, and Cin and I looked at him. I commended him for keeping a straight face, and I was definitely intrigued to see what they’d picked for me, but I hadn’t hung out with Cin in so long. Girl time sounded amazing, and I did want to put my best foot forward with the other families.
I blurted, “Of course! Let's do that! We can still do the nails and hair stuff. Maybe lunch?”
Cin nodded and smiled. “Hells yes! Let's make an oath in blood!” She had raised a pocket knife that she’d gotten from who knew where and was about to cut her palm when Rion grabbed her hand.
“Rin will not be making a girls’ day commitment in blood.” He leaned in, glaring at her like he was a hair's breadth away from killing her in this hallway.
My hand rested on his, tugging his hand back as I smiled wide at Cin. “I will definitely do it. Let's text later about the details.” I hoped they let it go with that.
She threw her chin out, sending him a challenging stare. “There should be no pushback from you about this. If so…” Her voice got lower. “I will spend every dime of my family's fortune to find her. I’ve narrowed down your little hideout to a ten-mile radius. It wouldn't take long to hire a whole army full of thugs to weed you out.” Like a flip of a switch, she smiled, her voice going up an octave. “If I don’t see her tomorrow, I’m coming for her.”
Rion’s nostrils flared, and he took a measured step toward her like she was a threat. Placing my hand on his chest, I stopped him. “I want to go. Hungry. Food. Sleep time. Please?”
He glared at me for a second before his unyielding eyes softened. “Fine. We’ll talk about it after we eat.” I knew that was the best I was going to get, so I waved at Cin, telling her I was excited for tomorrow, and we left the building like our feet were on fire.