Page 134 of Loving the Tormentor

Wren huffs, done with beating around the bush. "He killed an Aphrodite he was having sex with. Choked her to death. And when he got in touch with our contacts in the police to cover for him, he was arrested instead."

I cock an eyebrow at my dad. "You need to control your Shadows if you want your little circle to survive."

"Chester's dead," Chris interjects before my dad can reply. "The Circle killed him while he was in jail awaiting bail last night. Officially, he hung himself in his cell. He can't talk about us."

"Thoughts and prayers," I deadpan. "Now, why am I having this conversation?"

"Because Hermes is coming after everything I worked so hard for," my father hisses, losing his cool. "And whoever they are, they run their shitty account from your college. I want them found and exposed."

"Aw." I pout. "Feeling threatened by a student account, Dad? Come on, you're better than that."

He stands up, looking at all of us. "If that account isn't gone by the time we conduct the next initiations, hell will break loose for you three. Believe me."

I shrug casually, pretending not to care about his threats. But the truth is, every time he threatens me, I think of Sophie, and what would happen if I disappeared, or worse, if he found her.

"I'm not initiated. I don't care whether the Circle lives or dies or if you all get exposed."

"You think," he scoffs. "Trulythink that if we all get exposed that you won't be linked to us? Are you that stupid, Son?"

His hand clamps down on my shoulder, and my jaw tightens.I can't stand his touch.

"Do any of you know who that account is?" he asks in a low voice.

My eyes flick to the other two men, and we all stay silent. Yet more proof that they might be pains in the ass sometimes, but they're people I can trust. Because my entire group of friends is sure that my girlfriend is Hermes.

"We don't," I say, nostrils flaring as I try not to cringe away from him. "But don't worry, if we learn anything, you'll be the first to know."

"I sure hope so." He taps my shoulder one last time. "Because I've extended enough kindness to all of you. No more."

Chris is the one who gets up once my dad is gone. He slowly walks to the window and checks that the car has left before turning to us.

His eyes dig into mine when he says, "You need to stop Nyx from posting anything else about the Circle."

I roll my eyes, throwing my head back. "How many times do I have to tell you, Nyx isn't Hermes."

"The proofs are adding up, Achilles," he says impatiently.

It's unlike him to show this much emotion. Chris is the kind of man who scolds you patiently, almost like everyone around is his kid. Tonight, he's out of shits to give, and that can only mean one thing: he's scared.

"Why are you taking my father's threats seriously? The man has regretted anything he's forced on us before. He should be on his knees begging for our help, not aimlessly threatening us."

They eye each other, and I know there's something I'm missing here.

I huff. "Alright, spill."

And to think that a week ago I was fucking the reason out of Nyx so badly she admitted she was in love with me. It truly felt like things were finally heading in the right direction. Today, the people closest to me are turning against her. There's no respite in the things working against us. Putting her in my car and disappearing with her sounds more and more like a great idea.

"Ella was threatened."

I try not to show my shock, but shit is truly going to hit the fan if Ella’s in danger. There's no protecting anyone from Christopher Murray if he's worried about his girl.

"By the Circle?"

"By the mafia."

I cock an eyebrow at him. "So by the Circle, through the mafia. They're using the big guns."

"Correct. They grabbed her in Stoneview, after the dance classes she teaches there." His face hardens as he carries on. "They shoved her into a car and drove her home. They didn't hurt her, but they told her to pass on a message to me."