Page 44 of Unspoken Lies

“The Kings Society was pissed that you broke rank,” Jared says. “They decided that you needed to take the fall whether she died or not for your actions. Heroes never win in their eyes, people who break the rules just because they can have the real power.”

“So even if Rachelle managed to survive what you did to her, you’d take me from her and Lili?” I ask, brow raised.

“Not us, man,” Theo says, swallowing hard. “We may have sold our souls to them, but so did you. There are reprisals for not fulfilling their terms.”

“Is your club being funded by them?” I ask, cracking my knuckles.

“Nah, we’re trying to distance ourselves,” Jared says.

“Son hipócritas,” I scoff. They wince as I call them hypocrites, but I’m not done yet. “You’re always going to owe them something. They’re never going to let you go.”

“We’re aware,” Elijah says. “There are a lot of steps involved in this, and it’s a delicate dance to get space from them. One day, they may ask for a favor we can’t deny. Hopefully, we’re no longer in need of their protection by then and can get free.”

“Good luck,” I mutter. “I don’t?—”

“We didn’t come to fight,” Jared says, interrupting me. “We wanted to clear the air when Lili was hopefully still sleeping.”

I know for a fact that this entire area has cameras because that’s how I saw them, but I don’t know if they’re wired for sound. If they are, either Lili or her father will be listening to this conversation at some point. I have nothing to hide from either of them. The guys have to realize this.

“Were you afraid she’d shoot you?” I ask, barking out a laugh when they pale a little. “You saw her torture session, after all.Liliana isn’t the girl we went to high school with. Even if you didn’t directly send me to jail, you’re responsible for what she is now.”

“We did say something to the Kings Society, specifically Roan Baird,” Theo discloses. Roan is on the Council for the Kings Society, and a major mover and shaker in adventure capitalism.

He has an almost uncanny ability to know what businesses are going to do well, and then puts himself in the position to make money from it.

“Roan told us there was no other way,” Theo adds. “We all know that was bullshit. Rachelle’s hospital visit could have been easily swept under the rug, but they chose to use you as a reminder of what happens to those who don’t fall in line.”

“Fucking wonderful,” I sigh. “I just want to live my life, guys. Expecting me to kill Rachelle after we finally clicked was never in the cards.”

“How were we supposed to know?!” Elijah asks, finally snapping at me. “You stopped coming around, speaking to us, or responding to our messages. You left us!”

His chest heaves from emotion as he glares at me. He’s right, I did leave them.

“You three were my everything for a really long time,” I rasp. “It only became them or you because of the bet. I know that I played a role in that, it became a train that couldn’t be stopped, but you seemed to find joy in breaking her.”

“Hey, it’s how I’m built,” Theo says. “I can’t change that. I didn’t like seeing her in the coffin. It… did things to me that I’ve never experienced before. Even throwing her in the river, or shearing off her hair, none of that shit touched me until that.”

“You knew she wasn’t supposed to come back from it so you couldn’t break her any more,” I grunt. “That doesn’t help your case, man. I can’t be around you without ending up back in prison.”

“So you’re going to be Lili’s bitch now and play house?” Jared asks, looking angry. Did any of them think we had a chance of being together again? No thanks. I’d rather stab myself in the eyes with a nail gun. “Maybe pop out some kids and kill a bunch of people with her?”

“Why not?” I ask. “I’ve killed people in prison. Besides, my hands have never been clean. I just don’t pretend the way you all do.”

With that, I firmly shut the door and lock it, making sure that I reactivate the alarm. I have nothing left to say. At this moment, I’m more tired than angry with them.

It’s a soul deep type of exhaustion, and I know only one person alive who can ease it. My feet take me back to Liliana, who curls into me as I drop my pants and rejoin her.

“It’s bad luck that we’ll have to coexist with them until after I’m done with school,” she mutters.

“I’m not getting run out of town, Baby Girl. I hope they taste the bitter tang of defeat every time they see us,” I murmur, breathing in the scent of her hair. “The best revenge is living our lives. Fuck them.”

Three Weeks Later

RACHELLE

I’m startingmy first job today, and I’m so nervous. I didn’t think I’d be able to leave the house ever again due to my panic attacks, but it’s slowly getting better. I can’t tell anyone I’m alive, and I have nightmares about Lili, my mom, and Ignacio.

So many lives ruined, all under the guise of a bet tied to four boys’ futures.