Chapter 24
Rory
Ryven said he would meet us at the fountain in the center of town. It’s where the fakes like to throw their bodies out at for a show. But he still isn’t here yet. I run my hand along the gravel of the fountain, listening to the water trickle out the top.
“Are you sure he’s even going to show?” Jennifer mutters beside me.
I don’t answer. Of course he’ll show. He hasn’t let me down… yet.
I send a silent prayer skyward. Please don’t let this be the time he leaves me hanging.
This place is eary at night time. Everything feels too loud, too exposed. The trees sway in the distance, leaving the fountain in a lull as we wait.
Finally, headlights roll up the drive. I exhale hard. Thank fuck.
He barely has his door open as I slam into it with my hand. “Why are you late?” I growl.
He puts up his hands in surrender. “Whoa—calm down, Ro. Cedric caught me on my way out. He’s been extra attentive lately.”
I sigh and roll my eyes as a shiver runs down my spine. “A heads-up would’ve been nice. I’ve had to listen to Jennifer talk shit the entire time.”
He chuckles as he slams his truck door shut, pulls on his mask, and strolls past me toward the rest of the group.
When I move behind him, Jennifer’s eyebrow is raised at the sight of him. “Is the mask really necessary?” she asks him with her arms crossed.
He nods. “It is.” He doesn’t give her an explanation or plead his reasoning. He just moves on to his next argument.
“I don’t have time for small talk. I’m not being an asshole, and your time is valuable, but if you don't mind, I would love to just tell you my plan, and then you can tell me what you think about it.”
“You’re the one asking us for help, and that means you don’t control this,” Jennifer cuts in. “Try not being such a dick about it.”
Ryven shrugs. “Are you ready to hear what I have to say?”
I nudge him—just enough to remind him he’s not in charge here.
He tilts his head to the side. Then, his chest deflates and he starts again. “Okay, I’m sorry. Would you like me to continue?”
Jennifer nods.
We spend the next thirty minutes going over every aspect of his plan, focusing on how he is going to give us information to use in order to trap other cult members and take them out one by one.
Once he is done talking, Jennifer raises her brow. “What is your part in all of this?”
“I just told you the entire plan!” He throws his hands in the air.
“Yeah, you told us all about how we were going to be the ones doing all the hard work while you got to sit back and relax.” She shrugs. “I don’t see how that’s very fair.”
“I work beside these people. They track who’s assigned to what. If I step out of line, they’ll know. I can’t exactly take them out myself—but I can hand them to you gift-wrapped.”
Jennifer squints her eyes. “I’m sorry that I’m skeptical of a cult member being willing to off his own kind. You don’t find that repulsive?” she asks, turning to me.
I shake my head. “Not really. Who cares who he wants to kill as long as we get what we want?”
She thinks about that for a moment and then lets out a breath. “Fine. We will help you. When will we be getting our first set of instructions?”
Ryven stands up straight and walks toward his truck. When he returns, he is carrying a briefcase. He holds it out. “Right now. Full list of targets and who’s been assigned to each.”
Jennifer takes the briefcase and gives him a hard look.
“This isn’t small. This is war.” She looks at me as if to say we don’t know what we’re getting ourselves into, then back at Ryven.
“We’ll be in touch.” Then she leaves us by ourselves.
Two of the others linger near the edge of the park watching. Just in case.
“What the hell was all the attitude right off the bat?” I question him as soon as the coast is clear.
He shrugs and takes off his mask. “I’m just grouchy, I guess.”
I squint my eyes. “There has to be more. You’re the one who wanted this meeting and then you came to it with a terrible attitude. It doesn’t make sense.”
He stares at me for a moment and then lets out a breath. “Cedric invited me to a council meeting.” The air changes. That name always does it.
I gasp. “You’ll get to see the other members and know who’s a part of it?”
He shakes his head. “No. That’s the stupid part. I’m not allowed in. Just close enough to eavesdrop.”
I raise my brow. “Why would he invite you to a meeting you can’t even attend?”
He groans. “Beats me. I assume he wants me to hear something, so I’ll go, I guess.”
I place my hand on his arm. “Why would this information have you in a bad mood?”
He just stares at me. So many emotions cross his face in the span of a few seconds. Then his eyes soften. “You know where the orders to kill people originate, right?”
I bite my lip. Of course I do. I nod. “Yes. The council.”
He places both hands on my shoulders. “I’ll be just feet away from the people who killed your brother.”
I take a step back, but he grabs me and pulls me closer. Cupping my cheek he says, “I’m grumpy because I’ll be outside the door of those bastards, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
I close my eyes and let his words sink in.
All I’ve ever wanted was revenge. Proof that the council is corrupt and their cult members are bastards who follow a faceless leader didn’t matter to me.
However, I’ve never been able to get close enough to them to get the revenge I truly want. Their deaths.
When I open my eyes, Ryven looks over my shoulder toward the woods. His jaw ticks and I slowly turn to see what he sees, and I’m met with a group of cultists all wearing different colored masks. All different ranks just inside the tree line.
The group begins to move, and Ryven steps in front of me, gently pushing me behind his back.
“What is happening?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “Let me do the talking. Don’t say a fucking word.”
I don’t say anything as the crowd gets closer until they stand on the other side of the fountain.
“Ryven,” the one in the front says.
Ryven nods. “Westley.”
“Out late, aren’t you?” he asks.
Ryven shrugs. “Just catching up with a friend. You?”
Westley takes a step around the fountain, and Ryven matches him, so I’m still directly behind him.
I recognize that voice. I let out a breath and step around Ryven to come face to face with the man. I don’t like the cult members, and I’m afraid of them. But, I’m not some weak woman. If they want to play, I’ll show them what I’m made of.
Ryven growls deeply and grabs me by the back of my shirt to stop me from walking further. I glance over my shoulder at him and smirk. Then I turn my attention back to the man in front of me.
“Westley? Is that what your name is?” I cock my head to the side. This is such a bad idea.
His masked face nods in agreement.
I point at him. “You were the one who said your cum would look good on my face the other night.”
He tilts his head to the side and nods again.
“Do you say that to every lady? Is that, like, your pick up line or something?” I’m aware I’m poking the bear, but he needs to know he doesn’t scare me, even if it’s all a facade right now.
“Ro,” Ryven growls behind me in an attempt to get me to stop.
I wave him off. “Let the man speak. He wants to act all big and bad with his mask on his face.” I shrug. “Hell, why don’t you take it off so we can meet face to face?”
Westley strolls slowly toward me until he’s in front of me and then he lowers his face next to my ear. “Believe me, sweetheart. You’ll get to see my face soon enough, and you won't like what’s happening to you.”
I laugh. “Why? Because you’ll be coming on my face?”
He turns to walk away but before he gets too far he says, “Something like that.” Then, he and the rest of his group head back for the woods.
Once they’re out of sight, Ryven spins me around and grips my shoulders tightly. “Why did you need to taunt him like that?”
My eyes widen. “What? He can’t just go around being an asshole to every woman he meets.”
He shakes his head and lets out a breath.
“Rory, you do not understand what you’ve done.
” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Westley likes to masturbate on our victims. He doesn’t care if you are dead or alive.
It’s a weird fucking kink with him and they let him do it.
So, when he tells you that your face would look good with his cum on it, it’s not because he wants to fuck you.
Although he’s not above that either. Dead or alive.
But he means you will be targeted. And no one will stop him. ”
I let his words sink in. Eww gross. Because who the hell wants to fuck a dead person, or come on their face? Wait. I’ll be targeted now? I furrow my brow. “Aren’t I always targeted?”
He shakes his head.
“But they know I’m a part of the rebellion. You mean to tell me I’m not on their list?”
He gives me a small smile. “You were never on their radar, meaning the council isn’t targeting you. But I can guarantee you, they will now if Westley has anything to do with it.”
“So how do we stop it from happening?”
He scowls. “You have done enough, don’t you think? I’ll take care of Westley before he gets the chance.”
I huff and start walking toward my suv. Ryven quickly yanks my arm before spinning me back around to him and gripping my throat.
Then he snags the rabbit’s foot on my side.
“White.” He pushes the hair down to make it black.
“You were supposed to be a good girl. But nothing about tonight was you being good. I think you want to be treated like the filthy rabbit you are,” he growls.
My pulse spikes but I don’t pull away. Maybe that’s what I wanted all along.