Twenty-Nine
Rory
My sister was paranoid and scouring the territory line to find an excuse to seek out Axel and kill him.
The footage from the clubhouse showed a Crestview tag, but until we had proof Axel ordered the attack, she couldn’t hit him back.
Cinder believed in an eye-for-an-eye, and if she went after Hades, I needed to stop her.
One thing about Cinder, though; she didn’t hurt innocent people.
She would use Hades as a decoy to lure Axel out, and then kill Axel.
Fuck.
I was in the middle of a war I didn’t want to be in, but technically a war wasn’t started. Cinder knew how to control her people, but it seemed Axel couldn’t control his. I didn’t want to be a casualty in a feud I didn’t care for when I had a woman on enemy lines.
My phone chimed, and I smiled seeing Hades’s name.
HADES
I miss you
ME
You saw me three days ago.
HADES
I’m catching feelings. I’m obsessed. Do I need to send a picture of me on my knees for you to come back sooner? I will. I don’t beg, but for you I’ll pray.
ME
I think I could get used to you on your knees.
HADES
Come back and let me worship you.
I contemplated it, but I knew I needed to stay away for a few more days to not draw any suspicion.
Cinder knew something was up since I was smiling more and had my nose buried in my phone.
It was nice having someone to talk to who wasn’t scared of her.
Hades radiated badassery, and she didn’t take anyone's shit.
I knew that from our first night together when she punched that man in the face.
But with the attack, it was dangerous.
Someone from Crestview tried to kill me and my…
girlfriend was the daughter of the man who probably ordered it.
Damn, when I said I wanted a love story, I didn’t expect the gay version of Romeo and Juliet.
Talk about shitty fate. I needed to question her about it, but she already said the feud wasn’t her problem.
If someone wanted to hurt me to hurt my sister, she would be able to find out for me.
How did I casually bring it up into a conversation?
ME
Give me a few days and I will.
Until then…enjoy…
I snapped a picture of my boobs and sent the picture with a smiley and kissy face emoji in the text box.
Normally I wasn't one to share nudes, but I was feeling frisky today; Hades brought that out in me.
She was like a breath of fresh air after suffocating in an inferno for decades.
I would go visit her if I could, but Vesper was breathing down my neck.
It would be easy enough to distract her, except her curiosity was causing Cinder to focus on me, too.
Babs had messaged me this morning asking if we could have lunch together.
She would let me know if she finally told the potential father of her baby the news yet.
Two weeks have passed since I last saw her.
She said she would visit on the weekends, even if it meant studying in my bedroom with sweets scattered everywhere.
I was still in disbelief that my best friend had a tiny person inside her.
Actually, I believed that. It was still hard to believe that my shy bestie was pregnant, had a girlfriend, and maybe three boyfriends, if she could find them.
I was so damn proud of her for getting out of her comfort zone, and knew she would be the best mama.
If she was happy, that’s all that mattered to me—plus the fact that I’d get a little nibling to spoil.
The clubhouse was quiet as I walked out of my room. Most of the Vipers were gone or at work. Everyone had their own lives while balancing Viper life, but we were still a family here. My phone chimed once more as I skipped out to my bike, only it wasn’t Babs, Hades, or anyone else.
UNKNOWN
You’re beautiful
She doesn’t deserve you.
We are meant to be, forever and ever. You’re my princess.
Princess.
The world tilted, and I swore I could feel the chains digging into my skin.
Buzzing started in my ears and it grew louder and louder as my vision started to blur.
My lungs constricted and my breaths quickened.
I didn’t need to be pulled back there. It meant nothing.
It meant nothing. One fucking word, and my chest tightened, the world dimming in the corners of my vision as I squeezed my eyes shut.
Everyone I knew in Briarwood, knew I hated that word.
It wasn’t him. I tried telling myself to breathe, stumbling slightly until I felt the cold leather of my bike seat keeping me upright.
He is dead. I am safe.
Breathe. In and out, Rory.
I am safe.
The sounds of the world slowly filtered back in as the leather under my hands worked to ground me in the present.
My breathing slowed, controlled once more as the panic subsided.
I opened my eyes and immediately blocked the number, releasing a steady breath before I deleted the thread. This was not going to happen again.
Now it was time to get to my favorite girl. And boy, did I need to see her now.