Page 27 of Sadistic Retribution (Rise of Phoenyxx #2)

Purge

A loud ding jolts me out of the nap I must have taken while waiting. I hurriedly click into my email, pleased to see a response from the person from the trafficking auction.

I scan the contents, frowning. How the hell am I going to pull this off?

I received your inquiry.

If you’re truly interested as you claim, you’ll agree to meet with someone from my organization at a neutral place of our choice.

You'll have to prove you are who you say you are, as well as proof of having the required monetary amounts.

If you can’t do this, contact ceases immediately.

Fucking fuck. There's no way I can do that. I gave them a fake name. Thinking; an idea sprouts. Maybe someone else can pose as me? I grab my phone, clicking on Harris’s name.

Me: I need your help. I heard from the Dark Web contact, and they need to verify. Can you help?

Harris: I have people I can call, yes. I'll make the call, and head over to talk to you.

If we can pull this off, it may be the ammo needed against our fathers. We might actually be able to bring them to their fucking knees.

Phoenyxx

I'm hiding in corners, following The Six around the grounds. Well, five of them, specifically. Minus Synn.

They’re huddled together, discussing something serious from the looks of it.

My lips thin tightly as that stupid friend of Destiny’s, Betsey something, rushes over to the guys. I can see tears rolling down her face. The guys listen, and Trikk pulls her into a one-armed hug.

I bet she told them about Destiny, but I. Don’t. Give. A. Fuck. She touched them. She is toast.

I follow her, and she turns into an empty hallway. Perfect.

My lips tip up into a fake smile, as I walk up to her.

“Oh! Phoenyxx! How... how are you?” Betsey stutters out, face paling. She's shit-scared.

I get nose-to-nose with her. “You touched The Six. Now, you get to pay for that.”

Before she can respond, I rear back and punch her square in the nose. The sound of breaking cartilage fuels the monster inside me.

Betsey screams, backing up. I laugh, surging forward to grab her by the neck. I lift her easily, then toss her into the hard wall. She slumps to the floor, crying.

I stalk over, standing above her. I viciously kick Betsey, over and over again. Once she’s flat on the floor, I straddle her chest and grab her head, banging it into the floor repeatedly. The sight of the blood spurs me on.

I punch her in the face, and I zone out—just keep hitting her.

Suddenly, I’m pulled off. I yell in rage, kicking and cursing.

Hunter's voice is in my ear. “You are out of control, Pretty Girl.”

I try to headbutt him backwards, but he holds fast. I hear him talking on his phone. “Come get her—sit on her if you have to. She just beat the shit out of the Zuman girl.”

“Damn straight I did! She crossed the line touching The Six!”

I see Synn walking up to us fast. “You sound just like Destiny,” he says, as Hunter hands me over. He throws me over his huge shoulder.

“Didn’t you get the memo? I am the new Destiny!” I scream. “Everyone answers to me now!”

Hunter curses, and Synn whirls, taking me away.

“Fuck you, rape boy!” I keep struggling, though it’s in vain.

He smacks my ass. “Behave, dammit!”

I open my mouth to ask where he’s taking me, but I recognize the part of the dorm Hunter’s apartment is in. He walks right in, dumping me on the sofa. I go to jump up, but he tuts, whipping his belt from his pants. Holding both my arms up in one hand, he ties my hands.

He sits next to me, grabbing my legs and putting them into his lap, holding them tight so I can’t pull away.

I try to jerk away anyway, but he’s too strong. “Fuck you, asshole!”

I hate him.

All of them.

Hunter

I’m in my office, having made my way here after leaving Pretty Girl with Synn in my apartment. I made a side-trip to call Jax. I think it’s time to fill the guys in about ZYGOS.

Jax picks up, and I catch him up on everything that’s happened. “I feel we should tell The Six about ZYGOS. It's completely out of control.”

“Not yet,” Jax says. “I'll handle the issue with Purge. I have the perfect person in mind to complete that task. As for the other issues, you need to get control of the girl. Once we have proof on the Director—and hopefully The Retreat—we can work on getting you all out of there.”

I curse, not liking that answer. “With all due respect—”

Jax cuts me off. “It’s not negotiable. You know the deal.”

“And my sister? How is that coming along?”

He lets out a frustrated breath. “Nothing yet. My guys are working overtime. I'll contact you once the plan regarding Purge’s information is in place.”

I hang up, anger spiking through me. I walk circles around my office, needing to talk to the guys.

Synn

Man, Pazessca is like a rabid animal. Snarling and spitting, she won’t stop struggling. I'm waiting for the others to get here so we can secure her in the bedroom, so we can all plan.

My phone buzzes in my hand, and I look down, seeing my father calling. Fuck. This is not good timing at all.

I can’t answer with her right here. I just let it ring out, exhaling when the others pile into the room.

Ghost takes one look, and beelines over to Pazessca. He sits, taking her legs from my lap. He strokes her hair, though she curses him out up and down. He mutters comforting words. I shake my head, knowing it’s not going to work.

This is the chance I needed, though—to call my father back. I summon Frost over, telling him what I need to do.

“Go, I’ll watch her,” Frost says, emotion dancing in his eyes.

“You good, brother?”

“I just need her back... I miss her.”

I clap him on the back, still a bit shocked he is so openly showing his feelings.

I head out into the hall, making sure no one else is around to listen in. I press on my father’s number. “Father? I apologize I couldn’t answer before.”

“Son, I have word that your fiancée has been badly injured. What is going on?”

Oh fuck. I can’t lie; there’s no way to hide it. He'll easily find out it was Pazessca, anyway.

I’m dying to ask him about my mother, but I don’t dare. Clueing him in to something being off could be catastrophic.

“She is dead, Father. The girl killed her.”

A deafening roar shrieks through the line. “Dead? This is absolutely unacceptable! I thought the girl was on ice!”

“She just returned, Father. She seems to be emotionless. She’s taken Destiny’s place as the go-to person in here. The students are confused and don’t know what end is up. Chaos needs to be stabilized.”

“Keep her subdued. I mean it, Son. She must be stopped. Get control back of the student body, and report back to me.”

He pauses, sucking in an audible breath. “You will remain there until that control has been put in place. Am I clear?”

“Yes, Father. I will inform the others.”

“Do that,” he snaps, disconnecting the call.

I pause before going back inside. The thought just hit that I’m free from that stupid bitch. I throw my head back and laugh. At least something has gone my way.

I head straight towards Frost once I’m inside. “They know about Destiny’s death,” I side-whisper. “We have orders to keep Pazessca out of the way, and gain control of this fucking place.”

His eyes widen. “Oh shit! Well, at least that buys us more time.”

I cut my eyes to Ghost. “Take her in the bedroom. Make sure she can’t get free.”

He stands, carrying her bridal-style, murmuring to her. He gets into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. After a moment, Ghost comes back out, rejoining us.

Pazessca shrieking from Harris’s bedroom is all the proof I need that we need more time.

Hunter

“Boys, we need to meet in your suite. Contact Purge and let him know.” I tell them over the phone, restless after talking to Jax.

Frost replies, “On our way.”

“We got damage on those bastards yet? I want to shed some blood!” Razor says with conviction from the background.

I quickly cross the short distance to the boys’ suite. The door is unlocked, so I let myself in.

Purge calls out, “In my room.”

I saunter in, the others piling through the door behind me—minus Ghost.

Purge smacks his hand onto his desk. “If we can pull this off, Harris, we'll bury our fathers.”

I blow out a frustrated breath. “I have a man on it. He will be you, for all intents and purposes. He has to meet with your contact. He’s trained to handle anything that may happen.”

“Huh?” A confused Trikk darts his eyes back and forth between Purge and me. “The hell is going on?”

Frost stays silent, but has his fists clenched. His internal battle is evident. He goes to say something, but just shakes his head, leaving to go back to my place and back to Pretty Girl. Synn makes to go after him, but I stop him. “Let him go. He's the calmest, so maybe it will help.”

Purge looks around at everyone. “I contacted ‘people’ involved in the human trafficking market. I made like I am interested in a young person to... eat...”

“The absolute fuck?” Razor screams. “Please tell me our families aren’t involved in that! Cannibalism?”

“I hope not, but there’s a good chance they are. This is how we’ll find out. If we get proof, we are free.”

“Please trust me, boys,” I plead with each of them. “My contacts are verified, and one hundred percent reliable and trustworthy.”

“Right, bro,” Trikk mutters.

“Better fucking come through for a change,” Synn snaps.

He's not wrong. I'm not stopping until Pretty Girl is free and out of danger. Even if working with these six is necessary.

“Let’s go back to my apartment. I want to make sure Phoenyxx isn’t able to get away.”

They all nod in agreement, so we leave the suite.