Page 28 of Falling for A Lie
The laugh that leaves my chest could only be described as the laughter of a madman who has finally snapped. I switch to drive but don't press the gas out of curiosity to see what happens next. It takes five minutes before she attempts to lift herself up from the dirty asphalt, which looks slightly worse for wear.
In all honesty, she got lucky that I was the Lord she pissed off and not any of the other members; they would've put a bullet in her head already for being insubordinate and causing harm to a Lord. Even if the shoe didn't necessarily hurt me, it wouldn't have mattered to them, and it was just another excuse to spill blood and get away with it.
I pull up beside her and roll my window down, and she looks up at it with tears streaming down her bruised cheek. Sucking in shaky shallow breaths, she nods at me, mumbling about how I will pay for this…
“If you tell anyone about what happened here. I will fucking slit your boyfriend's throat while you sit and watch, just to slit yours right afterward. Do you understand me?“ I growl the words out, gripping the wheel tightly, making my knuckles turn white.
“I won't. Please leave Kevin alone. I won't say anything. I swear.” She looks at me with teary eyes as she pleads for his life like that would save him. It wouldn't be if she uttered oneword of this to anyone. I'd have them both tied up in our basement within the hour, ready to deliver on my promise to her.
“For your sake, I hope you're better at keeping a promise than staying faithful to Kevin,” I smirked, leaving without giving her a second to reply. The warning was issued. If she doesn't follow it, that's on her.
The Drive back home is peaceful, and the moon shines through the cloud breaks, illuminating the road as the wind whistles against the hard metal of my car as I push the gas harder, letting the speed climb higher and higher as I weave through the scarce traffic of Ashford Hollow.
The music blares through the surround system, making my heart feel like it's beating with the screams of “Artificial Suicide” by Bad Omens; my fingers white knuckle the steering wheel as I break the hundreds; I'm twenty minutes away from home, and barely paying attention when a blacked-out sedan is seen pulling into the vacated home beside ours.
Curiosity gets the best of me as I slow my speed drastically, almost causing me to flip the small muscle car on its nose.
A string of curses in Spanish and English leave my lips as I slam my fist into the steering wheel at my stupidity. I cut my lights and the radio, letting it slip me into the utter silence surrounding us.
No one should be out here at this house. The houses are only for the inner circle of The Lords and Ladies Of Ash. Scarlett owns this house and was where she lived when she was forced to stay here when she took me in. It's been vacant ever since she was allowed to move back to Hazelton.
No one should be here since we are the only main ones in the inner circle that would be allowed such privileges but here we are now, and the lights from the three-story glass-covered front shine like a beacon, calling me like a lover in the darkness. The engine purrs as I allow the car to idle as I reach the back, searching for something to help me blend into my surroundings. I grab my hoodie and black mask, which we adorn our faces with when we handle business for The Lords. I slip it on, covering my whole head, leaving only slits that reveal my eyes, and the hoodie covers my tattooed littered body, leaving no way to identify me if, for some reason, I'm spotted by a camera or someone.
The cold air of the night and crickets are the only sounds I can hear as I inch my way forward to see who could be here at this time of night and in this place.
The sound of women talking stops me in my tracks as familiarity niggles at the back of my mind and causes me to freeze in my steps.
The sight before me takes my breath away. In the darkness of the night stands, Soren, Scarlet, and Josephine are talking in hushed tones, scared to wake the wildlife near them. I inchcloser, praying to whatever higher being hides me from getting caught so I can hear the hushed conversation with these women and understand why the girl who was supposed to be hidden from us is standing before me now in the middle of the night, barely ten minutes away from where I sleep every night.
“So what am I supposed to do here? How am I supposed to keep my distance from the guys when we attend the same school and live a rock toss away?” Soren grumbles, sounding more exhausted than I've ever heard her before. She looks different. Tattoos litter her body, and her hair is black, blending into her surroundings, only visible when she shifts in front of the light that casts over the ground from inside the house.
Staying as still as the dead not to alert these women that I'm here, I continue spying, waiting to see what they have to reply to that statement.
Why would she need to avoid us? Is she attending AHU now, or do they have her sidelined and waiting like us? Why is she living in Scarlett's house when she is not part of the inner circle? Unless she is part of the inner circle, we are kept in the dark about it when we ask Scarlett, being told bits and pieces to appease our constant asking.
“You know why you must stay away from the guys, and it's not just to keep you off my brother's fucked up radar, Soren. You are here on orders of the council to attend college like the others to gain the knowledge to better your standing foryourself and The Lords and Ladies of Ash. A puppet, a soldier, and a leader.” Josephine snaps out as if the thread of her patience is worn thin, and Soren's tone has sent her over the edge.
“Because, little Nightingale, you are here for business, not pleasure. The mission comes before anything, or have I made a mistake giving you the power that I have? Letting you come here? Should I send you back to Hazelton? Because you can't handle being so close to those boys of mine?” Scarlett's voice sounds like razors slicing through my very soul.
She ordered Soren to stay away from us. But why and what power has she given to her? She can take it away easily and would have Soren listening to her like a puppet pulled by invisible strings.
The urge to step out and demand these questions to be answered and to snatch Soren into my arms and mold my body into hers so we can never be separated was something I fought with my whole body. That we would become one like I always knew we would be before she was forced away from me – from us.
Soren turns around and stares at Josephine, not in Scarlett’s direction. She speaks with such fragile restraint, “Listen, and listen to me very closely; do not threaten me again.” She steps up to Josephine, putting her chest to chest. “If it weren’t for me, the little dream team that the two of you thought of would still be that. A thought and nothing more.” As Soren pushesher chest into Josephine, her breasts are practically one small jump away from falling from the black leather fabric that covers them.
“I am the reason it has grown into something to be feared in such a short time; I am the reason we are making more movement in the cause than you ever have. So, if you ever think you can take that away from me, I’d like to see you try. My girls won’t follow you, my men won’t follow you, and you will have to start all over again. You’ll be up shits creek without a paddle, slowly sinking.” Soren pokes Josephine in the chest, “So before you say another fucking word to me, understand that I’ve proven what I would risk and I do to those who cross me. The only threat I haven’t found and wiped from the face of the Earth is that shriveled-up dick of a brother of yours that always seems to disappear when I get close to finding out where he is.”
Tilting her head to the side, she glared at Josephine as she could see into the woman’s soul. “It’s almost like he has inside information about my movements before I make them. Do I have an inner issue I must deal with, sweet Josie?” Moving her hand to the back of her waistband, like she’s reaching for a weapon, Soren growls, “Is that why you are trying to talk down on me right now in front of Scar?” I practically fall on my face trying to get a better view, not believing the balls on that sexy as fuck woman.
“Enough Nightingale! We just want you to stay focused and not get distracted. This is important. We need this to work for all of us.” Scarlett says, placing a small hand on Soren's shoulder, causing her to tense up at the contact. My brows furrow at the movement and the conversation, as I wish I could record it to show the guys.
She shoulders Josephine as she turns to face Scarlett, who is fully giving her attention to the older woman.
“I understand, but you should know that what or who I take pleasure in wouldn't affect my ability to do what needs to be done. It's not just my life on the line but the ones I love and the ones I've taken under my wing as a leader. I also don't take kindly to threats, so better tell your lap dog behind me, or next time, I will show her how much she isn't in control when it comes to me or mine.” Soren says softly, her hand retreating from whatever she had it on as she ignores Josie's protest behind her. The confidence in this little creature has truly grown since we last saw her. Interesting.
“Soren, be careful how you speak to me. Sounds like you're giving me orders instead of the other way around.” Scarlett levels her with a solid, unflinching look as she watches Soren open the house's front door.
“I'd never do such a thing. I'm not your soldier, Scarlett. I'm your partner in this. I feel like equal respect should be given if it's expected to be returned." Soren steps through the open front door, and I nearly miss seeing four others standing inbarely shrouded darkness, waiting. A male's voice greets her in a familiar and friendly tone: “Nice to see you home, Little Mama.”