Page 139
Story: Princes of Chaos
“Good.” I squeeze out a glob of the white cream.
“He said something interesting.”
“Oh yeah?” I ask, my eyes flicking to the screen. One of the women dancing on the stage has on a pair of garters. My cock thickens, remembering ripping off those fishnets. I lean forward and skip to the next screen. Verity’s room.
My post-fuck gift for her is still sitting on her pillow, untouched.
“He thanked me for the tip,” he continues, flinching as I smooth the cream over the worst wound. “Said they’d be dealing with the ‘sire’ soon. Any idea what that’s about?”
Mouth ticking up, I confess, “I may have let it slip to the Barons that Daddy Oakfield’s been spreading rumors about Kayes.”
My gaze goes back to the screen. As far as I know, she’s been down in the solarium all day. There’s no camera down there, at Father’s insistence. Some bullshit about how he doesn’t want Michael’s resting place sullied by modern technology. “He needs to be dealt with, but I’m not sure we need to be the ones to do it. I figured whoever’s wearing that mask probably doesn’t want it out there either.”
One of the live screens on the second monitor catches movement. A SUV pulls up to the front door. Wicker, in a suit and unknotted tie, gets out. I don’t miss the time. 12:01. He missed his window. It’s Lex’s day.
“How many deposits did he make before he left?” Lex asks, reading my mind.
“Just the one.”
Lex cranes his neck, looking back at me. “You’re kidding?”
“Nope. I reviewed all the streams, and Verity even mentioned it earlier. You saw him last night downing all that whiskey after we left West End. He was fucked up and passed out—hard.”
He nods. “You were both gone when I woke up.”
“Coach made us jog up the trails to the cliffs. Six times.” My legs still ache. Aside from our drills and the resulting misery, Father sent Wicker out to an event at the botanical garden for the evening. “Father called on the way home about Wick needing to escort someone for a fundraiser. He showered and left.”
The camera follows Wicker into the foyer, and up the stairs.
“I bet he’s pissed his day got ruined,” Lex says, sighing.
“And about humping old ladies’ legs,” I scowl, smoothing a bit of cream over another angry looking wound. Sometimes I think Wicker has it worst of all of us, and this is one of them. Considering I’m staring at Lex’s back, that’s saying a lot.
I gently squeeze his shoulder. “Okay, all done.”
“Thanks.” He straightens, forehead wrinkled in worry. “Do you think he’s backed off for me? To keep his numbers lower?”
I consider it. “Maybe, but down to one? Unlikely. But…”
“But what?”
I choose my words carefully. “But it’s all the more reason to take him up on his offer. Let him help you out, fill a few vials. No one will know.”
“I’llknow.” He reaches for his shirt, frowning. “I can fix this.”
“How?” I ask, voice raising. “Nothing’s worked yet. Not porn. Not watching Wick fuck Verity six times a day. Not father beating you within an inch of your life. What’s the solution to this other than getting back on the Scratch?”
He opens his mouth, but from the doorway, Wicker speaks first.
“Over my dead fucking body.” My brothers share a look.Thelook. It’s the reminder that there’s shit they went through together while I was in lockup. “Don’t you even suggest it. You weren’t here when he went through withdrawals.”
“Insomnia. Nausea. Even some hallucinations.” Lex exhales, sweeping his hair back. “The nights were the worst. If I could sleep, I’d wake up in a pool of sweat, and if I couldn’t, I felt like my skin was on fire.”
“Irritable as fuck, too,” Wick says, then winks. “Like that’s any different.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here.” I should have been. If I were, Lex never would have gotten on the shit in the first place.
“You know,” Wicker says, eyes flashing, “there is another answer to this.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213