Page 11

CHAPTER 10

I lift my head slowly, the weight of regret pressing down on me. I don’t dare look at him. I can’t stand to see the self-satisfied smirk on his face.

He won.

“Look at me,” he says, his voice drenched with surety.

“Fuck you.” I flip him my middle finger with my head down as I step around him.

I don’t make it far before he throws an arm out, pulling me right back to his side.

Two wet fingers press against my chin, tilting my face up until my eyes are forced to meet his.

Shame coils inside me as his fingers trail upward, brushing across my bottom lip and smearing my own arousal like a brand.

"Taste yourself, Little Devil." He pops the same fingers into his mouth, his tongue flicking over them with a low hum of satisfaction. A wicked grin spreads across his face. "You taste so fucking good. Sweet…like sin.”

"I truly hate you, Callan,” I grit out through clenched teeth. “I’m not just saying it to hurt you or make a point. I mean it. I. Fucking. Hate. You."

He smirks. He actually fucking smirks.

“Sure as hell doesn’t taste like it.” He sucks on his fingers again, provoking me. “Is this when you tell me what a big mistake this was and you ignore me for four more years?”

“It was a mistake,” I stammer, not holding back any of the anger and regret I feel.

“Why’s that? Because your enemy just made you come while your comatose ex-boyfriend was listening?”

Shit.

My gaze snaps to Evan, my pulse hammering. Is he aware enough to know what’s been happening around him?

No. Even if he can hear sounds and voices filtering through the fog of unconsciousness, there’s no way he could fully comprehend what just happened. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself.

I’m watching him, searching for any sign of life, when all of a sudden, his eyes flutter.

“Did you see that?” My breath catches as I rush to Evan’s bedside, pushing away everything that just happened. “He blinked.”

Callan is at my side in a sliver of a second. “Quit trying to distract me from the fact that you just came all over my fingers.”

I don’t even hear what he’s saying, nor do I care. My eyes are trained on Evan. Then, his eyes flutter again. “See! He’s waking up!” I turn my head to look at Callan, relishing the way the shit-eating grin he was wearing dropsinstantly.

His mouth falls open, disbelief flashing across his face. “No fucking way.”

“What was that you were saying about having all the power?” With a slow, deliberate click of my tongue, I drive the blade deeper. “Oh yeah. You don’t have any anymore.”

Before he can respond with some bullshit excuse, the door creaks open. My heart kicks against my ribs and when I turn around, I see a guy who looks almost identical to Evan, but with a year or two on him.

Callan’s hand presses against the small of my back, but I immediately sidestep away from him.

The guy who just entered wastes no time. In three long strides, he’s in front of us, his angry glare locked on to Callan.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he spits, eyes burning with something deeper than just irritation.

Unfazed, Callan smirks, casual and cocky. Typical. “Came with my girl to check on Evan,” he says smoothly. “You got a problem with that?”

The tension thickens, pressing in from all sides. It’s obvious these two have unresolved history. I’m just curious how much of it has to do with Evan.

"Actually, I do," he snaps, his voice razor sharp. "You have no fucking business being here. With your girl…" His eyes flick over me before cutting back to Callan. "…or without. Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if you and your fucking Lords are the reason my brother’s here in the first place."

His brother?

Callan steps up to him, his shoulders taut and his fists clenched at his sides. “Careful with your words, Liam. Wouldn’t want your accusations hitting the wrong ears.”

I open my mouth, ready to tell Liam that we saw Evan blink, but the air between them is too thick and the words die in my throat.

“Is that a threat?” Liam hisses. “Are you and your band of brothers gonna come for me now?” There is no terror in his words. If anything, he’s challenging Callan.

“You’re just sour because you didn’t make the Lords’ team, or any other team for that matter.”

“Bullshit,” Liam snaps. “I didn't join the team because I found out you’re a bunch of snakes with your little secret society bullshit. You cheat for your wins. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if one of your pussy-ass teammates pushed my brother off that cliff because he was rising to the top.”

Secret society? So that’s what Callan is part of. I don’t know much about those groups, but I know they’re loyal to a fucking T. That explains his tight bond with Aidric and Sebastian. I wonder why the whole team isn't as close as they are. Or maybe, I just haven’t seen them around anyone else.

“Once again, Liam,” Callan stresses his name, “might wanna be careful with your words.”

While these two argue over whatever it is they’re arguing about, I step closer to Evan. It physically hurts as I look down, barely recognizing him.

The scene tugs at something deep—something buried. My chest tightens, and suddenly, I’m back in those hospital rooms with my mom. Visit after visit before they finally admitted her. She was usually sedated, lying still and unreachable, just like Evan is now.

The rooms always felt the same. It was always too cold—too quiet. Like grief had already taken up residence there. I remember standing over her, just like this. Watching her chest rise and fall, wondering if she knew I was there. Wondering if she ever would again.

That same familiar dread coils around my throat. My vision blurs, my body remembering before my mind can catch up.

Neither of them deserved this.

Evan wasn’t mine, but he was a good person. Gentle in ways I didn’t know what to do with. He noticed things. Listened, even when I didn’t speak.

Just like her.

They’re both broken in ways that can’t be seen, but Evan’s pain is painted across his flesh.

His head is wrapped tightly in gauze, but his face is visible. Both eyes are painted in a hue of yellowish blue, and his pale skin blends in with the white sheet that’s draped over him. There’s a mess of wires connecting him to monitors and pumps, and a slow and steady beat is masked by all the shouting happening around me.

“What did they do to you, Evan?” I whisper.

Resting my hand over his, the eerie coolness of his skin sends a shiver through me.

Then…his finger lifts, causing my breath to catch in my throat.

“You guys.” My voice cracks before propelling forward. “You guys, he moved!”

And then, he does it again. Only this time, his whole hand lifts, fingers twitching before stretching outward like he’s reaching for something—like he’s reaching for me.

In an instant, Liam is at Evan’s side. I look at him, catching the glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“He moved,” I tell him again, my pulse racing. “And right before you came in, he blinked.”

Liam nudges me to the side and he takes Evan’s hand in his. “Evan,” he says softly. “Evan, are you with us? Wake up, bud. It’s me. It’s Liam.”

The worry and love in his tone make my heart ache, knowing the feeling all too well of holding a loved one's hand while wishing you could have them back.

Liam’s eyes go wide as if the weight in the room just shifted.

“He squeezed my hand,” he whispers, his voice thick with disbelief.

Before I can process what’s happening, I’m yanked backward, colliding with Callan’s chest. His fingers close tightly around mine, pulling me to the door. “We gotta go,” he mutters, his tone low and frantic.

“No!” I shout, shoving him away from me. “I need to be here when he wakes up!”

The shock of my actions is etched into his features, and when he tries to reach for me again, I slap his hand down. “Don’t touch me!”

I spin on my heel to go back to Evan, but I slam straight into Liam’s chest. He doesn’t push me off, doesn’t curse under his breath or shove me away. Instead, he tucks me into his side like his body is my shield.

Glowering at Callan, he jabs a stern finger at the door. “You need to go, right fucking now.” Callan moves to close the space between us, but Liam is faster and meets him halfway. “I said fucking go,” he shouts.

Callan’s nostrils flare, his fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles turn white. "Not without my girl, asshole!" he grinds out. “Let’s go, Avery.”

Liam snaps his head around, his quizzical gaze pinned to me. "Avery? As in Evan’s ex?"

I don’t respond, or even get the chance, before he turns back to Callan. "If you don’t get the hell out of this room right now, I’ll call the detective on my brother’s case and let him remove you."

Knowing this is going to explode if Callan doesn’t leave, I begin toward him, ready to diffuse the situation before it gets worse. But I’m stopped by Liam’s steady hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to go,” he says, his glare still on Callan. “ That fucker needs to go.”

“Give me a minute,” I tell Callan, hopeful he’ll just go outside and wait for me.

Callan bares his teeth, his eyes locked on to me.His jaw tightens, and his gaze goes darker. It’s clear that he’s worried if I stay, I might open my mouth and tell Liam something I shouldn’t. The best part is, he knows he can’t stop me right now.

“I need to get the nurse in here,” Liam seethes, his patience hanging on by a thread. “So get your punk ass out of this room right fucking now.”

Callan doesn’t move at first. But then I see aflicker of uncertainty in his eyes. Liam isn’t playing games. And for the first time, I think he’s worried he’s losing control.

Gritting his teeth, and with a sharp step forward, he bumps his chest against Liam’s in a last-ditch show of dominance. “I’ll go,” he growls. “But this isn’t over, asshole.” His gaze flicks to mine with a silent warning. “Let’s go. Now!”

“I’ll meet you in the hall,” I say firmly.

With a final glare, Callan spins on his heel and storms out. As soon as the door clicks shut behind him, I feel like I can finally breathe.

Looking over my shoulder, I see Liam standing beside Evan, his fingers wrapped gently around his brother’s hand. There’s something about the way he holds on to him, like he’s afraid to let go, that has me wanting to be here even more. I step closer, joining him.

"I pushed the call button. Someone should be here soon," he murmurs, his voice softer now.

I nod, my chest tight with emotion. "I can’t believe he’s waking up. I’m just so glad I was here to see it."

Liam lifts his head, his eyes knowing. “Why are you hanging around Callan? You do realize those guys are dangerous, right?"

I let out a slow sigh, the weight of everything pressing down on me. "I’m starting to realize that. It’s just…complicated."

His eyes narrow. "Complicated how?"

I have no doubt that if I told Liam the truth, he would do everything he could to protect me and his brother. It makes me feel comfortable, but I also don’t want to put him in that position. As much as I want to tell him everything I know, I don’t have the full story. Yet.

“It’s not important,” I tell him. It’s a lie, but I can’t tell this stranger the truth. Not with so much at stake. A heavy moment of silence passes between us before I finally say,“Do you think they did this to him?"

Liam’s jaw tightens, his answer immediate. "Oh, I know they did this to him." His voice is laced with certainty. "Now it’s just a matter of proving it. That fucking society they run is ironclad. They’ve got people everywhere, connections in every damn corner. From what I’ve heard, they get away with everything, even murder."

I don’t say anything because I don’t want Liam thinking I’m a part of this. Instead, I steal a quick glance at the clock. “I should go before Callan gets too pissed." I take a step back. “I’ll be waiting for an update on Evan. I’m sure the news will spread like wildfire."

Liam reaches into his jeans pocket and pulls out his phone. “Let me get your number so I can text you if there’s any news.”

I hesitate, but there really is no harm in Liam having my number. And I would love to hear if there are any updates on Evan’s condition. So I nod. “Sure. That’d be great.”

I rattle off the digits, and immediately after, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I glance down at the screen.

Liam:Now you’ve got me, too ;)

Before I can even register the nerves in my stomach, the door swings open and a nurse steps in. Liam shifts his attention to her, giving her every detail of Evan’s movements.

I slip my phone back into my cross-body purse and use the distraction to slip quietly out of the room, before Callan decides to make a scene.

The end is near, but this isn’t over yet.