Chapter 41 Indie #2
My smile is bashful, and I can feel the tinge of red creeping on my neck at my confession. “I feel like the missing piece of me has been slotted back in place.”
Despite everything that’s going on, being hours away from walking into what could quite possibly be the closest place to hell on earth, I feel at ease.
And it’s because of him.
“I’m glad, Indie. You deserve it,” Gina says, her hand reaching for mine in a reassuring squeeze.
I unwrap the bar. “Any updates on you and—”
“I don’t kiss and tell,” she cuts me off.
I scoff through a mouthful. “Uh, yes you do. That’s an unwritten rule of friendship! And you already told me you—”
“Later.” She smirks.
My eyes narrow into slits at her, and I can tell she feels the burn of my stare, because her fucking smile breaks into a grin.
I poke my finger into her ribs, causing her to yelp, and all eyes falling on us.
“Plan of action,” Rex says from up ahead, eyeing us both suspiciously. “Omnia event starts at 7pm tonight. Saint and Indie, when you arrive, you’ll head to Ross and be greeted at the door. Saint knows who he is, so there should be no problems there.”
My eyes shift over to where Saint leans against the wall, arms folded across his chest, and he throws me a wink.
He’s radiating an image of complete nonchalance, not a hint of worry about what lies ahead.
“Saint will have a discrete bodycam on; we need to catch faces of every single fucker that’s in that premises.” Rex bites out his last words with bitterness.
He’s relying on us too, and with everything Regina and Saint have mentioned about his feelings, I know he’s still haunted by the loss of Jenna.
It seems the four of us are laced with the same variations of vengeance.
“This is their big year-end event. Our opportunity to get information on who and what goes on behind those fucking doors.” Rex’s eyes land on me.
“Indie, I’m not gonna lie, some shit might be hard to see.
Expect the unexpected, then drag that image to hell.
You need to listen to everything Saint tells you.
This is our one and only shot at our target. ”
“What target?” I ask, slightly confused.
I’ve begun to get used to the way people speak around here, all macho and technical terms, but we haven’t spoken much about the ins and outs of this.
I assumed this was all simply to gather information on how the society works.
Find out who really runs in their circle, get the missing pieces of their structure, then take action.
The room falls eerily silent, until Saint’s deep voice cuts through it like a blade.
“We’re going to try and grab one of the Montgomerys. Not picky on which one.”
“I thought they went underground?” I ask, awareness prickling over my skin.
Regina and I had eyes on them for years, then they just…disappeared.
Saint holds my stare, walking towards me. “They have…but we have eyes on them. Always have.”
I flinch back at his admission.
How the hell have they managed that?
When my eyes glance around the room, reminding myself where we are, I suddenly understand.
Whilst Regina and I had a good setup for Egnever, it’s nothing compared to the operation Ultio has.
His dad gave him this kingdom; each individual that works under Saint has experience in either the military or intelligence.
All those alliances combined, they’ll have connections that can hand them illegal devices that blow ours out the water.
“Are you going to be okay with this?” Rex asks me softly, right at the moment Saint sits beside me on the sofa.
I nod, my answer firm. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”
Whilst I only saw Conrad and George once when we tried to report them, I haven’t seen them since.
Not in person, anyway.
It was hard then, but everything was still raw; my mind wasn’t as strong as it is now.
My persona wasn’t as dark as the night, and I wasn’t as familiar as I am now when it comes to dancing with death.
I didn’t have the urge to endlessly torture them, the same way that their rape did to my mind.
Saint’s hand brushes along my shoulder blades, resting behind me as he fans his arm across the back of my chair.
“You can back out, darling. No one would think anything of it. I wouldn’t think anything of it,” he says quietly, low enough that only I can hear his exact words.
My spine steels. “I’ve watched them before, Saint. I can handle this.”
My words come out as the verdict, but his eyes lack conviction. “Seeing them in the flesh might be different. Especially with what you know now.”
His gaze searches mine, looking for any hints that I’ve thrown on a mask, trying to peek for the peeling edges so he can rip it off.
He might think I’m willing to risk my own comfort to be there with him, but he couldn’t be further from the truth.
The reason I watched Conrad and George was for my own exposure therapy, continuing to push past the thoughts of what they did, so when the time came, it wouldn’t hit as hard.
I could unleash the coiled-up anger I’ve held especially for them.
“I know, but I’ll have you,” I whisper.
Having Saint by my side, I’d be able to weather any storm.
I learned that at a time it was too late to realise, and I won’t let this have the same outcome.
His hand curls around the side of my head, pulling me to him as he presses a kiss against my temple, whispering his devotion against my skin.
“I really do fucking love you, and your strength. I hope you now know that. No one will get close enough to even smell your perfume, I’ll make fucking sure of that.
But I need you to listen to every word I give you. ”
We break apart as his arms go back to fanning the sofa, looking every part of the terrifying hell-born creature he is. Those hushed words to me are a stark contrast to the storm brewing beneath him.
I look him dead in the eyes when I speak, no longer keeping my voice low.
“I will. They might never get their day in an official court, but they’re due one in mine.
I don’t fucking play nice either. I’m not the same girl they took advantage of.
” I wet my lips as his eyes darken on me.
“I’ll be patient and wait until we get back. ”
Saint’s heinous laugh rumbles around me, wrapping me in his cloak of darkness.
“That’s my fucking girl.”