Chapter 18
Eighteen
Brooks
Tonight was the night I’d been waiting for since Cory had tried to steal Daphne from me.
I could finally beat the shit out of him.
His Initiation.
As far as I knew, I was the first Son to walk into one, hoping the Prospect didn’t walk back out.
Normally, every Son voted yes before a Prospect ever reached Initiation. I’d voted for Cory before he got stupid, and there were no take-backs.
If I wanted him gone now, he’d have to fail.
Or die trying.
Either worked for me.
Part of me wanted to tell Cory I’d killed his brother. I wanted his rage to take over, but I couldn’t let that secret slip.
I cracked my neck inside Locker Hall. We had enough weapons stashed behind the lockers to start a fucking war.
No names were on the lockers, just our Son symbols. If anyone ever found the tunnels, good fucking luck figuring out who belonged here.
Initiations had two parts. First, fight a Son.
Lucky Cory. He got me.
Then kill someone.
I’d never forget my Initiation. My target had been a child molester. We didn’t kill innocent people. Every target had earned their place in that cage.
I’d spent an hour on mine. A rusted pair of pliers still lived in my memory more clearly than his face.
I’d never felt stronger at that moment.
Never felt more certain that this was where I belonged.
A locker slammed behind me.
“You ready for this?” Emeri asked, rubbing a scar across his jaw.
I nodded. Coming from Emeri, the question meant something.
Tape covered my knuckles. I bounced on my toes. I was more than fucking ready. If I had it my way, Cory wouldn’t survive the Initiation.
No Son had ever killed a Prospect during Initiation. Maybe I’d be the first.
I grabbed my mask from my locker and headed into the tunnels. My mask had my symbol—a saint’s halo.
Emeri went straight to the Initiation Chamber with the other Sons to watch from the sidelines. I entered a separate room, where I’d wait until it was time for me.
Waiting was the hardest part. I flicked a penny across the table until the Obie Trice song finally started. The first beat hit, and I lowered my mask and stepped into the Initiation Chamber.
Darkness swallowed everything, except the concrete slab under a single spotlight and the neon masks glowing from the tiers above. Those were the Elders.
Every Son wore a neon mask for Initiation. Mine had blue eyes and a jagged blue grin.
Cory stood alone in the middle of the slab, the only man without a mask.
If he was smart, he’d figure out what came next. If not, he’d understand after I knocked him the fuck out.
I stalked toward him as the music thundered through the chamber, already itching to hit Cory. I couldn’t wait to stand over his body and watch his blood stain the concrete.
Cory never took his eyes off me. The second my boots hit the concrete that made up the fighting ring, I ripped off my mask and tossed it aside. I wanted him to know exactly who was about to beat the shit out of him.
I gave him one second to recognize me before charging. He caught on instantly, and the Initiation began. My pulse exploded. No drug matched the rush of this violence.
I hit first.
My fist cracked against his cheek. I grinned at the sound of bones cracking. Cory answered with a shot to my temple hard enough to rattle my skull.
Then we fucking went at it.
My elbow drove into his ribs. My knee into his face. His shoulder slammed into my stomach hard enough to nearly put me on my ass.
I caught him in a headlock. The bastard fucking hit me.
“Motherfucker!” I screamed before headbutting him.
Stars burst across my vision like a fucking cartoon. It was worth it.
We raised our fists for round two. I clenched my teeth and lunged back at him.
We went blow for blow.
Kick for kick.
Blood for blood.
Our movements slowed this time, exhaustion clawing at us, but neither of us was willing to give up.
My body begged me to stop.
Too fucking bad.
Cory still needed to pay for thinking he could have Daphne.
For believing he could take what was mine.
Blood dripped from our noses, lips, and knuckles. I’d wear evidence of this fight on my body for the next month.
The light above us went off, telling us the fight was over.
Fuck the rules.
Cory was on the ground. I punched him one more time before stepping back.
He dragged himself up. “Just because you got her now doesn’t mean you get her forever.”
I spat in his face before punching him again.
He wiped the spit from his face. “Daphne will be mine.”
Fuck spitting.
I slammed my forehead into his nose. Cory crashed onto the concrete.
The light over the killing cage across the room flashed.
Another warning to stop.
I ignored that one too.
I drove my boot into his ribs before dropping beside him.
“You may become a Son, but you’ll never be my brother.” I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and drove one last punch into his face. “Touch my Fawn, and you’ll fucking die for it.”
Someone pulled me backward before I could hit him again.
Cassian stepped between us in a horned mask.
“Get the fuck out of here,” Enzo snapped behind me. “Shit will hit the fan if you don’t stop.”
They dragged me back into the waiting room and dumped me into a chair.
Enzo ripped off his mask. “You fucking move, and I’m stabbing you.”
“You know that’s not how Initiations work,” Cedric said.
I shrugged. “I got carried away. All of us are guilty of that.”
Now that the adrenaline was fading, every place Cory had landed a hit fucking throbbed.
My ribs. My temple. My fucking hand where he’d bitten me.
“Take him back to the Locker Hall and bandage him up,” Enzo instructed Cedric. “Don’t let him do anything stupid.”
“Got it.” Cedric started to grab my arm.
I knocked his hand away and stood on my own.
Enzo stormed back into the chamber, and Cassian followed him.
I left the room, feeling sluggish with each step.
“This is why I don’t want a Fawn,” Cedric said, walking alongside me.
I peered over at him, my view limited since one of my eyes was starting to swell. “I didn’t want one either. Blame all of this on Enzo.”
Cedric ran a hand through his dark hair while holding his mask with the other. “He wasn’t the only one who wanted you to choose Daphne. You’re my brother. None of us were about to let Cory have Daphne.” He snorted. “We’d all end up cleaning up your crimes.”
I shook my head. “You guys have me all wrong.”
“You love her, man.”
I stopped in my tracks. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“Sure.”
“Have you ever been in love?”
“Fuck no.”
“Then shut your fucking mouth.”
He smacked away the finger I jabbed at his chest. “I have eyes, asshole. I’ve watched my parents live it every day.”
I scoffed and kept walking.
“Keep trying to fight it,” he called to my back. “It’ll only make things worse.”
“Bullshit.”
He hung back as we headed toward Locker Hall. Halfway there, my vision tilted, and I caught myself against the wall.
Cedric caught up and helped me without saying, Told you so, fucker. Probably the nicest thing he’d ever done for me. He stayed at my side without a word.
We stumbled into Locker Hall. He dropped me onto the cold metal bench, and I rubbed my throbbing temples.
“For that little speech in the corridor”—I pointed at him—“I’m voting you get a Fawn next.”
He opened his locker, tossed in his mask, and traded the robe for a black turtleneck. “If I ever lose my mind over a girl, please do.”
“You Marchettis don’t have feelings.” I leaned forward, forearms on my thighs. “How do I get rid of mine?”
“That’s where you’re wrong. We don’t give a fuck about our enemies.” He slammed his locker shut. “People we love are a different story. You want my advice?”
“Fuck no.”
“Too bad. Either burn the fucking world down for Daphne or let her go when her year is over.”
I wiped blood from the corner of my mouth, then spit some on the floor. “Words of wisdom from a killer.”
“Words of wisdom from someone with a goddamn brain.”
I forced myself off the bench.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Either help me get to Daphne’s dorm, or I’m going back in there to finish Cory.”
“Jesus, fuck.” He sighed and slung my arm over his shoulders. “Come on. If you pass out on the way there, I’m leaving your ass.”