Page 149 of Viper

We grew up hearing the rumors of the other school. Full of pretty girls who used their bodies to lure in their targets, then took them out quietly and efficiently, leaving no trace or evidence behind.

I never believed the rumors.

Until I was older.

Until I remembered.

“You sent the women to do it,” I say. “The girls from the other school.”

He turns away and unbuttons his vest, then loosens his pale blue tie. “I made you a promise when you were a boy, and I kept it. What that woman did to you was immoral, sick. She went to hell for what she did.”

“Fallon Byrns has morals?” I spit the words like venom. “You, Father, live by a strange set of morals.”

“They are what separate me from filth like Rune.” He rips at the button of his collar, yanking it open like it’s choking him. “From those sisters. From Caroline.”

“Bullshit,” I snarl, voice dropping dangerously low. “You sent 57 to Delilah knowing exactly what he was.”

“I sent my soldier to test her,” Father snaps.

“You sent a predator.” I step closer, invading his space. “How do you always miss it? The most evil ones slip past you. Makes me wonder if your ignorance is deliberate.”

Rage flashes in his eyes. He marches toward me, his pointer finger landing on my chest. “You may want to hold your tongue. Those are dangerous accusations.”

I grind my teeth, everything I want to say caught between my molars. How does he not see them for what they are? Why did he choose to ignore what was right in front of him? How many boys before me did he fail to protect? Did he blame?

How can he say he cares for us and then continue to hurt us?

My fingers twitch, itching to grab him by the throat. Watch his eyes bulge as I choke the lies from his mouth. But I tuck the urge away, knowing the only one who will hurt from my outburst will be the most innocent.

Delilah.

“What if she couldn’t defend herself? What if your fucking soldier had—” I can’t even say it, knowing firsthand what that violation feels like. “You would be responsible for what he did to her.”

His jaw pops as he peels off his vest with mechanical precision, folding it and placing it on the desk. “I’m not responsible for the actions of others. If Delilah had failed to protect herself, it would have proven she needed better training.”

“Jesus,” I mutter and stalk to the door, fighting the rage bubbling inside me. At him. At myself. I don’t know why I bother. He may care for us, even love us in some messed up way, but we all know that love is limited to what we can do for him. And that changes based on what he needs from day to day. Delilah is nothing but a means to an end. Our affection for her gets in his way. Any emotion, any weakness at all, gets in the way.

He tried to carve the heart out of Reaper. Out of all of us.

He failed.

We didn’t break. And now we’re stronger together because we survived him.

We love fiercely despite him.

“Viper.” His voice slices through the air. My hand freezes on the doorknob. “I didn’t know, son.”

My jaw clenches. I turn slowly and catch a flicker of something almost human in his eyes. “You didn’t want to know.”

Father shakes his head, sitting behind the desk. He opens his laptop and taps at the keyboard as if I never spoke.

“Get her prepared,” he orders. “She is strong-willed and defiant, but she has grit.”

Rolling my shoulders, I take a deep breath to center my thoughts. We still have to complete the mission. Get into Rune’s safe. Then we’re done.

I nod. “We’ll make sure she is ready.”

“She’s beautiful. Graceful. An absolutely terrible soldier,” he says. “But, Delilah is also intelligent, cunning, though her will outweighs her skill.” A faint smile touches his lips, making my stomach turn. “Watching her this past week, I regret not taking her when she was young. With the right training, she would have made a lovely ballerina.”