Page 207
Story: Princes of Chaos
“You did what you had to,” he says stiffly. “Just like we do. We all play our roles, and you were the only one with the clarity to plant that bug.” He looks at Wicker. “To keep us safe.”
“If anyone’s to blame, it’s me,” Wicker says, his mouth forming a tight, grim line. “One good night with her, and I let down my guard like some pussy-whipped little…” He pauses, like he’s trying to find the right word, his face screwing up when he does. “Prince.”
“She’s really fucking good at that,” Lex mutters.
“Or,” Wicker’s lip curves, “we’re all just super deprived and seeking the kind of attention a woman like Verity has to give.”
“Shut the fuck up with this bullshit.” I glare at Wick, thrusting a finger in his direction. “She’s the one at fault here. We did what we had to. She and the Dukes needed to understand the sensitivity of the information they have. There was no other way to do it.”
Over at the bar, a puckslut wearing a jersey with my name on the back winks at me. For a moment, I wish I could walk over there and take it all out on her, but the covenants are still in place. I hold her gaze for a long moment before turning away.
“Neither of us are blaming you.” Lex shreds a napkin in his fingers. “We all knew this would be a shit-show the second Father gave us the title.”
“The Valentine’s Day party is tomorrow.” Wicker leans back, throwing his arm over the back of the booth. “We’ll be expected to play the part.”
“We play the part every fucking day,” I reply. “How is this any different?”
But even I know that’s bullshit. We didn’t just destroy Verity, we annihilated her. That cleansing wasn’t just a ritual. It wasn’t even what we do in the dungeon.
It was personal.
Lex sleepsin our hotel room.
He doesn’t need to–the sports medicine director puts the medics up in far calmer accommodations. But since Wicker and I are bunking together, it just makes sense that he fights through the celebration happening in the hallway and pushes through our door with a scowl.
“Fucking hate frat boys,” he mutters, passing me as he enters.
I point out, “You are a frat boy.”
Lex takes his shirt off with sharp, angry motions. “I don’t see why I had to come to this thing. I’m beyond patching up split lips and talking babies through their boo-boos.”
Wicker, who’s just waltzing out of the steamy bathroom, towel slung low on his hips, scoffs. “Would you rather be home?”
We all share a look.
Fuck no.
If it weren’t for the fact that Effie is alone in that godforsaken place, I’d say sayonara to the whole fucking island. But she is. All alone. In her cage.
“Whatever,” Lex says, stalking into the bathroom.
I flop onto the bed, sighing, and grab my phone from the nightstand. Navigating my app to the webcam in her cage, I only let myself relax when I see her wing twitch. “How long will this last?” I ask Wicker, keeping half of my attention on the screen.
He’s standing in front of the mirror above the little kitchenette, rubbing lotion onto his face. He stops to inspect one of the yellowing bruises. “You’re referring to our sweet brother’s glowing mood?” He prods the bruise, blue eyes narrowing. “Should be gone soon. It’s not like he went on a bender. It was only a couple bumps.”
“You think he wants more?”
“No.” Wicker twists to meet my eye. “Iknowhe wants more.”
On the screen, Effie is preening her feathers. “Should we worry?”
“Yes,” he says, and then, putting down the lotion, “No.” He pauses, propping his palms on the counter. His shoulders curl into a dejected line. “Fuck, I don’t know. It seems like that’s all we do, anyway.” Twisting, he eyes my phone, dropping his towel. “You tracking her?”
“No. Effie,” I clarify, but as soon as Wicker flops onto the bed beside me, I pull up the tracking app, showing him the screen. “She still hasn’t left the island.”
He watches Verity’s little dot for a long moment, jaw hardening. “Show me.”
I falter. Mostly because I know it’ll just piss him off to see her face, but also because I haven’t been able to bring myself to look at her yet, and I’m not sure why. Because I want to hold the image of her, defeated and cum-soaked, at the forefront of my mind? Or is it because of this displeasure I feel, deep down in my gut, at the memory of it?
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