by Ruby Vincent
“After everything you’ve done,” she whispered. “You have the balls to sit there with a smile on your face and pretend like you’re the victim?”
“I am the victim,” he snapped. “You guys came after me for no reason.”
She raised her chin. “You have one more chance to admit what you’ve done, name the others, and apologize to her. The next thing out of your mouth better be the truth.”
“I didn’t do anything!”
Leighton didn’t reply. She walked over to Reagan and rifled through her bag.
I focused on Logan. “You can deny it all you want but I have you. The guy who came to the stand must have been a part of it. Plus, there’s what your buddy said that brought me to you in the first place.”
I closed the distance between me and the glowering piece of shit. Strength surged in me with each step.
His bleats of innocence won’t work. I have him.
“The jewelry you ripped from my ears didn’t give you a clue? I have the money to hire the most ruthless lawyers in the state. A whole fucking army of them. They’ll rip your ‘I was in my room all night’ alibi to shreds and then Hudson will testify that he hit you right where that bruise is conveniently located.”
A sickly pallor tainted his cheeks. It gave him away though the mocking smile hung on his lips.
“You’re scared, but not half as much as I was,” I taunted. “Not yet.”
“Reagan, step aside, please,” Leighton said.
Reagan released him just like that. Logan surged forward. “Bitch—”
Grabbing him by the hair, Leighton wrenched his head back. She raised a gloved hand and the steel glinted in the light.
Time slowed. My scream echoed in my ears as Leighton put the knife to his throat and slashed. Logan’s eyes popped. Surprise overcame the fury etched into his face.
He gazed at me—through me—as hot, red blood gushed from the wound.
“Val!”
Reality crashed in with the force of her shout.
“Stop screaming,” Leighton said. “Do you want someone to call the police?”
“What did you do?” I shrieked. “What did you do?”
Leighton released him and his head lolled forward. Her placid expression was a mirrored image of Patricia’s and Reagan’s.
“I did what I had to do,” she said. “You heard him. He was going to deny everything.”
“He wouldn’t have gotten away with it. I was—”
“Going to hire a bunch of lawyers, parade your witness, and say your statement with a stiff upper lip,” she rattled off, derision obvious in her tone. “That was supposed to work against masked attackers and no confession? With our trash justice system?”
“Yes! The police would have interrogated them. They would collect evidence and prove they were lying.”
She shook her head. “Even if that happened, he wouldn’t have received the punishment he deserved. This is the way it had to be.”
I couldn’t breathe. The band around my chest constricted tighter as my mind rebelled against the scene.
Logan was dead. Leighton killed him. The bloody knife dangled from her fingertips while she looked at me like she was disappointed.
Staggering back, I hit the dresser and slid down. “Why would you do this? I didn’t want this.”
“Val, I told you. It had to be done.” She crouched down, meeting me at eye level. That smile lit her face. “After the shock wears off, you’ll see that. A guy like that can’t be fixed. He can’t be rehabilitated. If he ever made it to a prison, it wouldn’t have done him any good. Now he’ll never hurt you, another woman, or Sofia again.”
She flung her name like a weapon and it solidly hit the target.
“You can’t identify all of them,” she said. “While you were rounding up lawyers, he and his friends could have tried to hurt Sofia again.”
“Don’t,” I forced through clenched teeth. “Don’t use Sofia to justify what you’ve done. This wasn’t self-defense. It was murder.”
Leighton’s smile faded. “I’m surprised you feel that way,” she said evenly. “I was sure you, of all people, would understand killing a monster to save innocent people.”
“What I understand doesn’t matter. When the police get here, I’m telling them the truth and...” I trailed off as the smile returned.
Leighton laughed. “The police aren’t on their way, Val. Reagan never called anyone. Just in case we had to take care of this ourselves.”
The hard lines of Reagan’s face reflected the truth.
“Your sisters are here for you,” said Leighton.
I pushed myself up. “You’re not my sisters,” I snarled. “And if you won’t call the police, I will.”
“Reagan. Patricia.”
The two ran at me as if they were waiting for the command.
Screaming, I raced to the door. I gripped the knob just as they grabbed me. Reagan clamped her hand over my mouth. They dragged me around, both of them held my wrists securely.
“I said to stop that screaming,” Leighton scolded. She crossed over to us. “First of all, let me apologize. Manhandling you after what you went through tonight is horrible, but you’ve left us no choice.”
She raised the knife.
No!
I flung myself back, screaming through her fingers. Burning, naked fear overwhelmed my senses.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Leighton cried. She instantly dropped the knife. “Valentina, calm down. No one is going to hurt you. I just need insurance.”
Insurance?
“Patricia.”
Once again, only one word and the girl sprang into action.
Patricia pried my fingers apart. She kept my hand immobile as Leighton pressed the hilt to my palm. She closed it tightly and the textured surface bit into my flesh.
“There.” Leighton retrieved the knife and stepped back. “You’re new and you don’t understand how it works.” She pointed over her shoulder. “He is no longer a concern of yours. We have friends who will dispose of the body and make it so Logan never existed.”
What? How—
My mind stalled. It couldn’t conceive of what she was telling me.
“But that doesn’t work if you go shouting about this to the police,” she continued. “We don’t need any more complications this year, so this is how it goes: if you tell anyone what happened here, his body will suddenly reappear with a murder weapon covered in your fingerprints.
“And I mean anyone. You don’t speak about this to Sofia, or your boyfriends, or even to your priest. Don’t think for a moment I won’t find out if you do. You know I have ways of digging up what I need to know. So, do we understand each other?”
She nodded at Reagan and she dropped her hand from my mouth. “Do we?”
I strained to pull moisture in my throat. “We do,” I rasped. “I won’t tell anyone.”
“Good. Let her go, sisters,” she said to Reagan and Patricia. “She won’t run.”
They dropped their hands. I swayed on my feet, but didn’t move. Leighton was correct. I couldn’t run.
“All right, there’s just one more thing,” Leighton said. “The pictures. We couldn’t find them but he flipped out when I touched his cell. At the very least we can use it to go through his contacts and—”
“No.” To my surprise, the denial came from me.
Leighton frowned. “No?”
“Yes, no. There is no we.” I straightened my back. “If there is something on that phone, I’ll find it myself.”
“Why? Because you’re afraid of what I’ll do to the others once I find them?” She cocked her head. “Are you intending to show them mercy?”
“I was attacked, not you. I’ve never needed someone else to take care of my problems and I’m not starting now.” My resolve hardened with every word. “I will find the rest of them and I will give them the punishments I see fit. But you can be sure, I will punish them.”
Leighton considered me for a long time.
What went on behind her copper eyes, I had no clue. It was clear to me that I never did.
“You’re right.”
I didn’t let the shock show on my face. She’s agreeing with me?
“This was done to you, and it’s not our place to take over.” She bent and picked up the phone. Leighton put it in my hand without a fight. “Tell us if you need our help.”
Patricia slipped her hand into mine. “We’re here for you, Valentina. Whatever you need.”
“Whatever we have to do,” echoed Reagan.
Leighton smiled. “It’s what sisters are for.”
Chapter Ten
Valentina
I eyed the three women strolling down the path. They chattered about their new classes like nothing happened.
Cult.
That had to be it. The strange pledging process, the barbaric initiation, their obsession with sisterhood and... tonight.
Ezra, Sofia, and I stumbled into a cult.
My gaze drifted down to Leighton’s bag and the bloody knife concealed within.
A very dangerous cult.
I didn’t speak the entire walk to the Sally house, and Leighton, Reagan, and Patricia didn’t pay me any mind.
They went inside and headed into the living room. I burst into a run as soon as the door shut.
“Sofia? Sofia!”
“Val?”
We collided at the top of the landing. Sofia squeezed me so hard my sore body protested.
“Where did you go?” Her voice was thick with unshed tears. “Hudson told me everything, but when I came down, you were gone.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Leighton and the girls took me to the emergency room to check me out.”
That much was true. They insisted on it and I didn’t know what would happen if I refused.
The nurses checked me for a concussion and then gave me an ice pack and pain pills for the lumps on my head. We didn’t make it back until three in the morning.
“Have you been up worrying all night?” I asked softly. “I told Reagan to text you that I was okay.”
“I couldn’t believe it until I saw y-you.” Her voice broke on a sob. “I’m so sorry, Val. It’s all my fault.”
“What? How can you say that?”
I led her down the hall to her bedroom. Together we sat on the bed, arms securely around each other.
“You wouldn’t have been there if it wasn’t for me,” she said. “I knew Hudson was working tonight and I wanted to finally introduce you. When I came back for the money, I noticed I got frosting on my clothes and got held up changing. If only I had been there! I never should have left you alone.”
“Hey, look at me.” I cupped her chin. “You have no idea how grateful I am that you weren’t there. I couldn’t stand it if anything happened to you. All that matters is you’re safe.”
And I’m going to keep you safe.
“Hudson said they knocked over the stand and then... took you into the shed.” She pressed the heel of her palms to her eyes, attempting to slow her tears. “He said they were after me too.”
“You’re the one at the stand at that time,” I said. “I was terrified they’d catch up to you walking back.”
“It’s my fault.”
“Please don’t say that.” I stroked her hair. “The people responsible are the bastards who attacked me.”
“I’m so happy Hudson found you. I hope that fucker he hit crawled into a hole and died!”
My stomach heaved. Thoughts of Logan, the knife, and the gushing red choker flooded my mind. I shoved them down and locked them away.
“For the record, I really like Hudson.”
“I really like him too.” She pressed our foreheads together. “Even more now.”
“Lock that one down. The accent is reason enough.”
“Don’t make me laugh right now,” she said. “It’s been a long, awful night. Just let me hug you for the next twenty minutes and then I’ll drive you home.”
“No.” It came out louder than I meant.
“No?”
“Sof, the guys can’t see me like this. Once they find out what happened, you know what they’ll do.”
She nodded. “They’ll find the fucker in the hole and kill him again.”
“And that’s if they’re feeling merciful.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Can I stay here? Just until I figure it out.”
She hugged me. “You know you don’t have to ask. I have clothes and a toothbrush for you. Stay as long as you need.”
“Thank you.”
I took what I needed to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Only when I was beneath the spray did I start crying.
I SKIPPED ALL OF MY Friday classes and hid out in Sofia’s room. That was an easy choice. What wasn’t easy was fending off the men I loved.
The four of them called me six separate times. Hudson rescued my sim card from the janitor shed and Sofia let me borrow one of her old phones. I was able to answer their calls, but I refused to. I couldn’t risk them picking up something in my voice.
Ezra: Why didn’t you come home last night?
Me: I slept over at Sofia’s.
Ezra: One of these days I’m going to get the note that you two ran away together.
In the midst of everything, I smiled.
Me: I could say the same about you and Cora.
Ezra: She keeps turning me down.
Me: Same for Sofia.
Ezra: Guess we’re stuck with each other. Good thing I love you.
Ezra: I’ll see you tonight. My dad is coming over for dinner. Chef is making something special.
My heart squeezed as I typed my reply.
Me: I won’t be there. The Sallys are throwing a movie night and tomorrow there is a barbeque. I’m going to do the sister-bonding thing this weekend.
Ezra: Why?
Me: It’ll be fun. I love you. Bye.
I threw the phone across Sofia’s bed.
“Everything okay?”
Sofia reclined on her couch, reading a book. I also made her skip classes and hide out in her room. She had no problem saying yes.
No, I’m not okay. Four of the guys who attacked me because I got in the way of their assault against you are still out there. What if they’re planning to go after you again? I believe I can identify two of them, but how do I find the others? I can’t trust that you’re safe until they’re gone.
“Everything is fine,” I replied. “Just hungry.”
“I’ll bring you some food.” She winked. “I promise not to cook it.”
I dropped my smile after she left the room.
What if I go to the police?
And tell them you were attacked by four men? another voice asked. If they mention Logan under interrogation, the police are bound to search for him. Leighton was very clear on how she’d feel about that.
But everyone else thinks the police are handling this—even Sofia. I could convince her to hire bodyguards to watch her back.
I tossed my head.
They would be trailing her forever until I solved the real problem. I had to find the men who did this and make sure they never think to touch her again. I know where to start. I just need backup. I can’t take the boys, and Leighton’s offer of help would never be cashed in.
All of a sudden it dawned on me. I snatched up my phone.
He didn’t answer on the first try, so I called again.
“Hello, Miss Moon?”
“Jacob,” I began. “I have to speak to you about something important. Can you come to the Zeta Rho Sigma house tomorrow? Don’t tell anyone.”
THE THUMPING BASS REACHED me across the lawn. The Zeta Rho Sigma pool party sounded like a hit, and by the buff shirtless men wandering around, they had a few party crashers.
I watched them from Sofia’s bay window. I couldn’t pick her out in the crowd, but I knew she was down there with Hudson. He came by to see how I was doing and I wheedled both of them into going b
y saying I could use some space.
Hudson didn’t want to go to a pool party at all. They argued about it while I hid a smile behind my book. But when Sofia came out in her bikini, he had a change of heart.
This is what I want for her. Pool parties, boyfriends, study groups, and normal. I’ll take care of this, so she can have everything she wants.
I thought of that while I waited for Caroline’s bodyguard/companion to arrive.
A knock sounded on my door at two p.m. on the dot. I set my book down to let him in.
“Miss Moon, how—” Jacob took one look at my split lip and bandaged forehead. His hand flew to his holster. “Who did that to you?”
He pushed past me and swept the space.
“They’re not in the room,” I said.
It didn’t stop him from ducking into the closet and bathroom.
“Jacob, please sit.” I sat on the window seat and motioned for him to do the same.
He planted himself in the middle of the room instead.
“What happened, Miss Moon?”
I told him. I shared the entire awful story, leaving out the part where Leighton, Patricia, Reagan, and I paid Logan a visit. I left Logan’s name out completely.
Jacob was infamous for his stoicism. He stood by Caroline’s side silent, devoted, and expressionless. This didn’t change. He listened to me without uttering a sound or so much as moving.
Jacob didn’t speak until I finished. “Did you contact the police?”
“No. I want to handle this myself.”
He didn’t ask how or why.
“What do you need from me?” Jacob asked.
“You’re always with Caroline, but I know there is a whole team of you,” I replied. “How does that work? Are you from a firm? Do I have to hire you guys?”
He shook his head. “We work for Shea Industries and the Shea family exclusively. Our services extend to you.”
I released the breath I’d been holding for more than a day. “That’s perfect, Jacob. It’s exactly what I need.”
“For us to track down the men who attacked you.”
“For you to protect Sofia and find the men who attacked me.” I pushed aside my book and rescued the paper hiding under it. “I want at least three guards on her at all times. Can you spare that many?”