Chapter Twenty-Three #3
“Yes,” Carnage confirms, his tone gentle but unflinching. “He will.”
“Why would Cas meet her?” I ask, my mind spinning. “He knows Xaden is teetering on the edge and he chose tonight to meet up with the cunt? Why?”
“Because Fiona obviously has leverage,” Carnage states.
My stomach twists violently.
“What happens now?” I force myself to ask, even though I'm terrified of the answer.
Carnage's expression hardens. “Now? We figure out how to keep Xaden from discovering the truth. Because if he finds out Cas betrayed him…” He doesn't finish the sentence.
He doesn't have to.
We all know what happens if Xaden finds out.
Blood. Violence. Death.
“He tries to harm him and I’ll be forced to become the person I swore to Tate I never would be again.” Alex’s statement sends ice flowing through my veins. I've heard the stories of the Butcher and what he is capable of.
“The rink,” I say suddenly, my voice strengthening with urgency. “Xaden wants me to meet him at the rink at five a.m. tomorrow. He wants all the intel I have on everyone—the Kings, the Filthy Few, you guys.”
“Why?” Alex asks, his eyes narrowing.
“Because he knows someone's been feeding Fiona information. He thinks the answer is in the files I have.” I swallow hard. “And if I show up with those files... if he sees Cas's name anywhere…”
“Then we don't give him the files,” Carnage says firmly.
“I have to,” I counter. “If I don't, he'll know I'm hiding something. He already suspects I am.”
The room falls silent as everyone processes this.
“He already knows!” Alex bellows, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “She was the distraction.” He flicks his gaze to me and keeps it there as he continues. “The smug little fuck knew.”
“Knew what?” I press.
Something akin to pride flashes across his face. “His men would have known he would be distracted by you. He chose the men he knew for sure weren’t the rat to watch the others. He used you as a distraction, knowing that whoever the rat was had a chance to get out tonight without being noticed.”
“He’s gonna know when his man doesn’t report,” Carn says. “I dumped the body but he’ll figure it out soon.”
I look at Carnage, then at Alex, then at each person in this room—people who have become my family despite everything.
“I have to lie,” I say quietly. “We give Xaden enough truth to satisfy him, but we keep Cas's name out of it. We protect him.” What I don’t say is keeping Cas alive means Alex won’t go after Xaden.
“And if Xaden finds out you lied?” Vatican asks.
I meet his gaze without flinching. “Then he finds out.”
“He'll kill you,” Harper whispers, horror written across her face.
“Maybe,” I acknowledge. “But I'm not letting him kill Cas. Not when I can prevent it.”
Carnage steps forward, closing the distance between us. “Tor—”
“Don't.” I hold up a hand, stopping him. “Don't try to talk me out of this. Cas doesn't deserve to die for being blackmailed. And I…” My voice breaks. “I owe him this. For what he did for me.”
For being Xaden's friend when Xaden had no one else.
For loving his best friend enough to want to protect him, even if he went about it the wrong way.
“This is suicide,” Pope says bluntly.
“Then I guess I'm suicidal,” I shoot back.
Carnage's hand cups my face, forcing me to look at him. “You're not doing this alone.”
“Carn—”
“I'm going with you tomorrow. To the rink. You're not facing him alone.”
“He'll know something's up if you're there,” I argue.
“I don't give a fuck what the prick knows.” Carnage's voice is steel wrapped in silk. “You're not walking into the lion's den without backup.”
I want to argue, want to insist I can handle this on my own.
But the truth is, I'm terrified.
And having Carnage there might be the only thing that keeps me from completely falling apart.
“Okay,” I whisper.
He presses his forehead against mine, and I feel the tremor in his hands.
“I'm sorry,” I breathe. “For tonight. For hurting you. For—”
“Stop,” he says gently. “My pain is not yours to carry.”
I nod, blinking back tears.
Alex clears his throat. “We need a plan. A real one. Because if this goes sideways tomorrow, we're all fucked.” Truer words haven’t been spoken.
“Tomorrow is the last hurdle. After that, whether or not Xaden is on board, we go after Fiona. I’m not waiting any longer.
I won’t risk the life of my brother. I lost one sibling and I will not lose another!
” Tate darts across the room and wraps her arms around her man, he instantly softens and holds her tight.
Everyone gathers around the table, and for the next several hours, we strategize.
We plan.
We prepare for war.
Because that's what tomorrow is going to be.
A war between love and loyalty.
Between truth and lies.
Between the family I've chosen and the man I can't stop loving.
And I have no idea which side is going to win.
All I know is that by tomorrow night, everything will have changed. Fiona’s days are numbered no matter how this meeting with Xaden goes.
One way or another.
For better or worse.
And I can only pray we all survive it.