Page 125 of Fragile Facade

“You love me?” I ask.

“Yes,” he breathes against my neck. “And now I’m gonna fuck you bloody.”

+++RANK+++

DIRECTOR

My temples have been throbbingfor months, a low-grade headache pounding with all the stress I’m under. Reaper Corp coming to take over Moros is second in the stress line to having Ghost and Riot finally combust. I’m still not convinced they won’t kill one another in some lover’s quarrel or a sex game neither of them will be willing to lose, but the boys are on it. The rest of them know to keep an eye out.

“Trust them,” Ransom says to me outside the con room. Everyone else is already inside, waiting for me to start the meeting. “They’re sick and twisted, but they’re smart, too. You brought them into Vile House for a reason.”

He has a point…

“Plus, you should have been more worried about Krypt accidentally killing Remi instead.”

“Remi is rational.”

Ransom snorts. “Is he?”

I hate it when he has two points in a row. “Get in there so we can start this meeting.” But before he does, I touch his elbow to stop him. “How’s Monster?”

Ransom and Monster are my two child experiences. They both came to me young, too young to know what Vile House was or what it meant to grow up in this house. Ransom has lived here since he was an infant, and Monster came when he was eight, which meant they were the only two young people around and spent a lot of time together growing up, despite their age difference. I thought they’d have a brotherly bond, and they do, but I’m also more in the know about their odd relationship than any of the other Vile Boys.

“Just going through it right now,” Ransom answers.

“Anything set him off?”

Ransom glances into the room, watching Monster sit with Kyd at the table. Monster listens while Kyd rambles, barely reacting, but I know the two of them have a good relationship, too. Kyd has done a lot to teach Monster how to enjoy things, be a person, and understand the world he doesn’t otherwise understand.

“Nightmares.”

“You let me know if there’s anything we can do.”

“I’ve got him.”

“I know you do, but I’m here for you. I know he won’t accept help, but ifyouneed it, let me know.”

Ransom purses his lips, but he nods and heads into the room.

I’ve got nothing but bad news for the boys today, so I wait, listening to them laugh and bicker and banter. Most of them are goading Ghost and Riot into spilling who the top and bottom are, or if they flip fuck, whatever that is, but it’s lighthearted and fun. There won’t be much fun around here for a while, and I want to grant them this moment. This breath of time to enjoy the new relationship and their bond as a family. Most of them don’t understand the concept of family, but whatever Vile House and the other members have become to them, it’s what they consider familial bonds to be, and I’d like to think I had a part in encouraging that.

“Director.” I turn, seeing Media coming my way. “Bad news got worse.” She shows me the tablet and as soon as I see who the video message is from, my blood runs cold.

“Thanks. Keep it quiet for a few more minutes. I want to assess how they’re all doing before I show them this.”

She hands me the tablet and gives a weak smile. “I’ll let you do it. Good luck.”

Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose and feel defeated, but I still morph into the Director role as soon as I step through the door. “Rank! Line up!”

It’s still strange for me to see Ransom so close to the end of the line, but I try to ignore it as they line up. Ghost and Riot shove each other, fighting over the second to last position, and Kyd is still rambling uselessly about something Monster doesn’t give a shit about as they get into rank.

In my opinion, rank is so stupid. It means nothing, but when this group of ten formed and became a unit, I couldn’t figure out how to get them to cooperate unless they were challenging one another.

Seven might be the most responsible with the initiates, but he absolutely does not deserve to be at the head of the line. He’s more of a shit disturber than half of them, but he’s not the bragging type, so he gets away with a lot more. Still, I step up in front of him, a brow raised and the sternest expression I can muster on my face.

“How’d the meeting end last night?”

He looks down the line at the rest of the Vile Boys, shaking his head. “Town’s all fucked up. Manhunt for Ghost. Well, Soren. Ransom calmed them down a bit, but…”