Page 18 of Scarred Sacrifice (Savage Sisters MC #1)

I don’t wait for Nyx to open the door. I open it myself and storm ahead of him, making sure that with each stride I put an extra swing in my hips and keep my head held high.

I walk with confidence, my expression warning people to stay the fuck away.

I catch people glancing my way, the murmurs of what happened this afternoon the topic of their gossip.

I feel Nyx close beside me, still playing the part of dutiful boyfriend.

I spot Edna at the far end of the ridiculously long table with two empty seats beside her. I take my seat and Nyx sits beside me.

Edna looks at me, her mature and wise eyes assessing me. “My dear girl, what on earth happened?” she asks quietly.

“Nothing in particular,” I state.

She bristles. “Lies. After dinner, you are to come to my room for a night cap. There you will tell me, away from the prying ears of these nitwits,” she mutters with utter distaste. I can’t fight the urge to smile at her blatant disregard for those around us.

“Edna, can I ask you a question?” I ask.

She takes a sip of her champagne, her enormous diamond clinking with her glass. “Ask me anything.” She nods.

“If you hate these people so much, then why do you bother coming to these events?” I ask.

She gives me a tight smile. “Because I am old, and I am lonely. A rich old lady doesn’t exactly get a lot of company. So even company I dislike is still company,” she answers honestly.

I nod in understanding. “For what it’s worth Edna, I am grateful you came, because I got to meet you.

Although, in future, don’t waste your money or your time on this vile event.

” My words are dripping with malice. Edna arches her brow, noticing my change in tone.

“In future, we will make arrangements to meet regularly. I will introduce you to some decent people,” I tell her truthfully, and I will.

Once this is over and Henry is rotting six feet under, then I will make sure she isn’t lonely anymore. Edna smiles warmly and pats my hand.

“I would like that very much,” she beams. A chime of someone clinking their glass silences everyone’s chatter. Henry stands at the foot of the table, and his gloating smile feels like a red hot poker under my skin.

“My wonderful guests, I would like to start to say how pleased I am that Miss Fox has recovered from her funny turn this afternoon and is able to grace us with her utterly stunning presence,” he says, his eyes lingering on me for a moment too long.

I think I shall remove his eyes first, then chop off his hands, while I get one of the girls to slowly slide a knitting needle through the end of his penis. I grin, imagining that scenario.

“What has you smiling like that?” Nyx whispers in my ear as Henry continues his speech.

I look at Nyx square in the eye. “The promise of death,” I state with a smile. He blinks and I turn my attention back to Henry.

“I won’t keep you from your food a moment longer, but eat up and enjoy.

Tomorrow’s games will be magnificent.” He claps.

“Oh, one last thing, for those looking to join our masked event later tonight. That will be held in the blue room. Just ask your assistant to guide you,” he states, looking at me.

“What’s the masked event?” I mutter with confusion.

“An orgy,” Nyx answers.

I snap my gaze to his. “You’re not serious?” I ask in disbelief.

He nods. “I am, and clearly Henry wants you there.”

I shudder and fight the urge to gag. I couldn’t bring myself to sleep with Henry. One, it would be sickening, and two, I don’t think I could withhold the urge not to crush his dick in my hands.

We eat dinner and I chat with Edna, mainly ignoring Nyx. I hear him chatting with the man on his left about stocks and shares in something or other. All of it is rather boring. Once the dinner is over, a few go to the billiard room to continue their night, while I go with Edna up to her room.

I slip away without Nyx knowing where I’ve gone, not that he would care.

Walking into Edna’s room, I notice she has an entire small bar set up.

I’m guessing at her request. She instructs her assistant to make us both the cocktail; an old-fashioned, and I can’t help but grin as it’s one of my favourite drinks.

Once it’s made, Edna hands him a large wedge of money and whispers something before he disappears out of the room.

I lift my glass and smell the aroma of whiskey and the citrus in the drink.

“What did you tell him?” I ask, taking a sip of my drink and fighting the urge to moan at how delicious it is.

I wonder if the Savage Sisters could hire him, or if he would be interested in being a lap dog.

Wouldn’t need him for sex, but if he makes cocktails like this, then I will happily give him anything he wanted.

Edna doesn’t answer right away. Suddenly, there is a random pattern of knocking on the door. I look at Edna, then back at the door, wondering why she isn’t answering it.

She sighs and turns her attention to me. “Now we can really talk. Without being watched or listened to,” she states.

“You know they are watching?” I ask in disbelief.

She nods. “I know everything Henry does. I’m old, dear, not stupid. I know what you did just this afternoon,” she adds.

That gnawing guilt resurfaces, bubbling away in my stomach. I place my glass down and rest my head in my hands. “I, I, I...” I stutter, not sure what to say. I’m sorry doesn’t quite cut it.

“Enough of that.” she chastises. I look at her.

“We have all been made to do things in our lifetime that we are not proud of, things that will live with us until the day we take our very last breath. Henry knew exactly what he was doing today. He was testing you. Seeing if you would partake. Be one of them,” she states.

“I should have refused. I just...” I pause. What can I say? I couldn’t let him think I was anything other than who I am pretending to be. I couldn’t give the game away.

“If you had refused, you would be dead,” she cuts in.

My eyes go wide, looking at her. “I, what, why?” I stutter in confusion.

She sighs, taking a sip of her drink. “These people aren’t just wealthy, they are dangerous. All of them. By inviting you here, they are seeing if you are worthy of being part of their organisation,” she states.

Shit, Betsy and Eden didn’t know. The invite list isn’t just organised by his people.

It’s personally selected for this organisation.

Then that would mean he either knows I’m not who I say I am, or he at least knows I rigged the invite.

But if that was the case, then why still send a car for me?

Why still invite me here to witness everything?

I frown. Then that would also mean the same for Nyx?

Unless he is who he says he is, and they did invite him?

I hold my head in my hands again. This is all just one big mess.

Fuck. It’s then that it hits. Did Isabella set us up?

Did she know this? Did she do this on purpose?

Damn it, I wish I could contact Eden and ask her. Warn her.

“Ah, I see wangling your way onto the guest list has backfired.” Edna snorts.

I look at her. “I don’t know.” I pause, trying to process what exactly is happening.

“Please, I knew you weren’t one of us the moment you walked through those doors. Everyone else on the other end aren’t as smart as this old cookie. Well, I can’t speak about Henry, because he will know you fixed the invite for yourself.” She shrugs.

I grab my drink and knock it back. “Those people this afternoon, was that real?” I ask, wondering now if everything has just been one big set-up.

Edna sadly nods. “But there is something you should know. Those people were already dying. He selects people that either don’t have long to live, or they are so lost to the drugs, their body has no way of recovering.

He offers them a deal, sends their family money, promises to take care of their loved ones if they have any.

For those that don’t… Well, he just offers them the best drugs that will give them their best and last ever high,” she says sadly.

I get up, unable to sit and process everything she’s just told me.

I pace back and forth as my mind works overtime, rubbing at my temples.

None of this makes any sense. If Henry knows I’m a fake, or even if he thinks I’m some businesswoman just trying to further my career by coming here, then he would have known Nyx and I aren’t really a thing, right?

Then he must know Nyx isn’t Nyx, or Nyx is Nyx, and there is something else entirely going on that I just can’t figure out.

“Girl, will you sit down and stop wearing down the antique carpet?” Edna tuts.

I look at her, wondering if I tell her why I’m here, who I am, but I can’t risk it. For all that, Edna seems like a friend, a nice person, she’s still part of all this.

I sit back in the chair and knock back the rest of my drink, feeling the whiskey in it burning my throat. “What does Henry know?” I ask her.

She shrugs. “I don’t know, dear, but what I have heard through the assistants gossiping is that if you last the weekend, he’s going to enrol you.” She nods.

Okay, that’s good, right? That means he doesn’t know who I really am. Only that I forged my way onto this retreat.

Breathe, I’ve still got this. I am a rich and powerful businesswoman here to further my career and money.

Something suddenly occurs to me. “You said you’ve never seen Nyx at one of these events before,” I state. “Is that true?” I ask. The thought of him knowing about the various games that will be set too loud to ignore. Edna purses her lips. “Edna,” I press.

She sighs. “It’s the first time he’s attended, but not the first time he’s been to one.”

I frown, wondering what she means, when it clicks. “He was one of the staff,” I blurt out.

Edna nods. “He was Henry’s assistant at every single one of these events,” she divulges.

“How did he come into money to be one of you?” I ask.

“He hasn’t,” she answers simply.

“He’s still working for Henry,” I state, and Edna nods. “He’s there to spy on me?” I press. Edna nods again.

“I’m sorry for lying to you,” she adds.

The hatred I had for Nyx now grows tenfold. I turn to Edna. “One more question, then I promise I won’t ask anymore,” I state. “Why are you telling me all this?” I ask.

She smiles. “Because I like you, and whatever your reasons you have for being here, I hope you succeed and wipe that smug smile off of Henry’s face.” She grins.

My lips tip up slightly before I exhale a long breath. “Edna, fancy getting shitfaced to forget the day’s events?” I ask, desperately wanting to drown myself in a bottle of whiskey and shut my mind off.

“My girl, I thought you would never ask.” She laughs, pressing a button on the table, and her door suddenly opens and in walks her assistant. “Be a dear and make us another round. Doubles this time,” she orders.

“Yes, ma’am.” He nods with a small smile.

A few hours later, we are well into the early hours of the morning, and Edna and I are so drunk. She’s fallen out of her chair twice, and I am wearing one of her diamond encrusted tiaras.

“Oh, how do you do? I am Princess Bitch Face.” I snort.

“You would make a spectacular princess.” Edna laughs on a yawn. “Oh god, I need to go to bed. I’m an old lady.” She sighs.

I laugh as I remove her tiara and place it back in her huge jewellery box. “Well, it’s been fun. Thank you, Edna,” I say, leaning down to place a kiss on her cheek, but I stumble and fall past her lap and land on the floor with a thud. “Oh, shit!” I laugh.

Edna cackles, laughing with me. She clicks her fingers for her assistant to help me up. “Take her back to her room, and make sure she’s gets there safely. I don’t trust any of those old perverts,” Edna states firmly.

Her assistant helps me to my feet and walks me to the door. “Until tomorrow!” I yell over my shoulder as we leave.

Paul, her assistant, walks me back to my room. I stumble a couple of times, but thankfully, he manages to stop me from face-planting the floor.

“Tell me, Paul, do you know Nyx?” I ask him. He awkwardly looks away. I snort. “Fuck, you all think I’m the laughingstock.” We reach the room and before I can open it, the door is fiercely swung open by an angry, bare chested Nyx.

“Where the fuck have you been?” he snaps.

I frown. “Out. I should have known, with all those tattoos.” I look down and spot a glass of whiskey in his hand.

“Oh, drink!” I say, happily reaching forward and snatching it from his hand and knocking it back.

“Oooooh, that burns!” I wheeze. I push past Nyx and stumble into the room, ignoring whatever whispered words are being exchanged by Nyx and Paul and flop down face first on the bed.

“It’s rude to whisper,” I mumble into the covers.

I hear the door close and then I’m being hauled up to my feet. “Hey!” I protest.

“Shut up. I’m just putting you into bed properly,” he chastises.

My head flops against his chest. “I hate you, Nyx O’Connor,” I mumble.

“Thanks,” he answers, his deep voice vibrating under my ear. He lays me down and I roll onto my side, my eyes remaining closed.

“Asshole,” I sigh. Then darkness covers me as I black out.