Chapter 26
Strumming my acoustic guitar as I lay on my bed staring up at the ceiling, the soft tune of Nirvana’s Come As You Are fills the room and calms my thoughts. I barely have the time to play anymore, my days are filled with classes, studying and frat activities. Sin has devised a foolproof plan to spice up this college experience, to introduce these sheltered kids to our way of life. Full of pain and unhinged violence.
Tonight, the carefully planned, right to the last detail, event will unfold and put us down in the history books. No other frat has ever had the balls to hold such an event where the four houses get in the cage and fight until one frat wins.
“Chaser, you decent?”
“Yeah, man, come in.” I place my guitar on the bed and sit up.
Alistair enters and he looks excited for once. “Dude, this fight night is starting to pay off. Here’s the bets placed at football practice. I think Rome is collecting more as we speak. He came down to practice to scope out the crowd and I think Coach has convinced him to join the team.”
“Just place them on the desk. My boy, Rome, going back to his roots. I knew he wouldn’t be able to keep away from the field.” I grin and fist bump Alistair.
“Man, we need him on the team. I’ve watched his game plays, and that fucker is fast. Any chance you can persuade him to join?”
“I’ll try my best but after that incident in high school, he kind of gave it up.”
“What incident?”
“I’ll let him tell you that when he’s good and ready.”
“Fair call. So, what time is set up? And how many of my boys do you need?” Alistair looks around my room and pauses on the photo of my Nono with Rome and Sin’s Nonos outside the family villa in Sicily. “Fuck dude, you guys are like legit mafia.” He glances at me.
“Yeah, something like that.”
“I mean, I know you guys are connected but I had no fucking idea you guys are the top of the food chain.”
I laugh. “Never heard of it put that way.”
“Fucking cool. Let me know what time my boys need to show up. I’ll catch you later.” He stalks out of my room and closes the door after him.
There’s a timid knock on my door followed by. “Can I come in?” Charlotte’s voice filters through.
“Sure, keep the door open.” I don’t trust her at all. I have no fucking clue what Sin was thinking when he chose our queen.
“Quinn asked me to give you this. It’s the money he’s collected from the bets.” She tosses the envelope onto my bed.
“Is that it?” The awkward silence hangs in the air.
“No. Why do I get treated differently to the other queens? You know, we talk.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I play dumb. I know exactly what she’s referring to. The fact that not one of us, not even Sin, has touched her.
“Is it because that fucking bitch moved in here?”
“I wouldn’t keep going the way you are toward Monroe. As much as Sin pretends he hates her, she is his sister and he will protect her at all costs. We all will.”
Her frustration shows as she scowls at me. “She’s taken what’s rightfully mine.”
“And what’s that?” I muse.
She pauses and I can see she wishes she never opened her mouth.
“You mean us three?” I cock an eyebrow. “Baby, you could never compete with her, so stop whining.”
“This is fucked. I signed my rights away to be the Queen of Spades. Do you three fucking know who my father is?”
“We couldn’t give a fuck who your daddy is. He kisses the ground Sin’s dad walks on. Get off your fucking high horse before I dethrone you. Get out of my room.” I growl at her, my anger pulses through me.
The fucking audacity to challenge and threaten me with her stupid father. Of course we know who he is. He pays Raphael a pretty penny for protection. She should be so lucky we don’t treat her like the trash she is. My irritation fires up and the feeling of needing to punch someone is growing by the second. I need to get the fuck out of the house before I break through walls.
Me: Want to go for a run?
Rome: Meet you downstairs in five.
Me: Thanks bro
Rome always knows when I need an outlet and he always steps up and is ready to run with me at the drop of a hat. I place my guitar down on my bed and throw on a t-shirt, my jogging shoes, and head downstairs to unleash some energy before tonight.