by Caitlyn Dare
“Because I’m trying to figure out a way to survive this nightmare, and if Cade thinks we’re still…” I swallow the words. “I’m going to find a way out of this, Bexley. So I need for you to stop.”
I move to the door, but he snags my hand. “You can’t go against him, Mia. It isn’t safe… it isn’t—”
My chin lifts slightly, and I look him right in the eyes as I say, “Try and stop me.”
The house is quiet when I slip out of bed. Sasha never made it back to her room. She’s probably in another one of the guest rooms with her friend from last night.
I pull a Gravestone U hoodie over my tank top and shorts and make my way downstairs. Mulligan is already in the kitchen, preparing breakfast. “Ah, good morning, Miss Thompson,” he says. “Coffee?”
“Please.” I perch at the breakfast counter on one of the stools. All evidence from the night before is gone, and I wonder what time the housekeeper starts her shift.
“Here you go.” He slides a mug across the counter to me.
“Thank you.” I add sugar and creamer, stirring it together. “Am I the first one up?”
“Mr. Rexford is out jogging, but it’ll be a while until the rest surface.”
“Channing?”
He nods, and I’m hardly surprised. Alex was out of it last night.
“I’m going to take this up to my room,” I say. “Thanks again.”
“Breakfast will be served at nine.”
“Thanks, Mulligan.” I climb off the stool and grab the coffee mug. It’s still early, a little past seven-thirty. If Mulligan is right, I have time.
Checking the hall, I wait a second, and when I hear nothing, I slip into the part of the house I’ve yet to explore. All three of the doors are ajar, and I discover a small library and two smaller sitting rooms, but it’s the door at the end of the hall that piques my interest. It’s closed unlike the others, and when I try to open it, it won’t budge.
I try again, more forcefully this time, only to realize it’s locked.
My brows furrow. Why would only this door be locked? I try it again, willing it to open. Now it’s off-limits, my mind fills with possibilities as to why it’s locked. Obviously to keep people out. People like me. Which can mean only one thing.
Whoever locked it wants to keep the secrets it holds inside.
9
Bexley
The sound of raised voices stops me on my way to the kitchen the morning after the party. My head is pounding from the amount I drank after Mia walked away from me. I was already well on my way to drunk just from watching her dance with that fucker, but having her rejection playing on repeat in my head sent me straight to the bottom of the bottle of vodka that was still in my room.
I slow my steps, wincing as the sound of Cade's booming voice fills my ears. My fists curl at the possibility of it being Mia his anger is aimed at. Coming to a stop in the doorway, my chin drops when I find Cade and Channing squaring up to each other in the middle of the living room.
"For fuck’s sake Cade, be reasonable," Channing begs.
I only just about manage to smother my laugh. Cade reasonable. That'll be the fucking day.
"I am. This is where you belong. You're one of us," Cade grits out.
"I'm not, though. You have Alex now."
"I don't give a fuck. This is where you belong," Cade repeats, the muscles in his shoulders pulling tight with frustration. “With us.”
"What if it's not where I want to be?"
"What?" Cade bellows, getting right in Channing's face, his fists clenching as if he's about to take him out.
"I don't want to fucking be here, alright? This was never meant to be my life."
I stare at Channing as he confesses, and it's like the weight of the world is lifted from his shoulders. That relief only lasts a second though, because his back slams up against the wall while Cade's forearm presses against his throat.
They're nose to nose as Cade breathes in Channing's face. Channing's eyes are wide, but he doesn't look anywhere near as scared of Cade as most would in his position, I'm sure.
"You don't have a fucking choice," Cade growls.
"You don't fucking need me."
"Hey, how's it going?" I ask, walking into the room as if nothing is amiss.
Cade's anger only increases as his dark eyes turn on me. "What the fuck do you want, Easton?" he spits at me.
"Channing and I have something to do. Right, Rexford?"
Channing looks at me, his eyes narrowing in question before turning back to Cade. "Yeah, do you mind?" He tries to shove him off.
Cade's chin drops in shock. "Since when the fuck are you two friends?"
I panic, fighting to scramble for an answer, but Channing is faster.
"We're just going for a run together,” he says. “Don't get your panties in a twist."
Cade looks over at me, his eyes dropping to my gym shorts and sneakers. The last thing I want to do right now is go for a fucking run, but something tells me Channing needs an out, and let's be honest, I'm not one to pass up an opportunity to piss Cade off, hangover or no hangover.
With a growl, Cade releases Channing and marches into the middle of the room. "We're not done talking about this, Rexford."
"We've got a meeting with Q in the morning. How about we continue then?"
Cade pauses with his hand in his hair and spins toward us. "You want to talk to Q about this?"
"Yeah," Channing states.
"You actually want out?" Cade's eyes bore into Channing, disbelief filling them as if he really can't understand why everyone doesn't want this life.
"This bullshit doesn't run in all our blood, Kingsley," Channing scoffs before marching past me.
Not wanting to get stuck with Cade, I hightail it after him and out the front door. I have no idea if he was planning on going for a run, but he seems to be going anyway.
"Channing, wait," I call when he's already halfway down the driveway.
"You didn't need to do that," he mutters when I catch up with him and he begins walking again.
"I know."
Silence falls between us as we get to the end of the driveway, but before we pass through the gates, Channing takes a left and we walk along the perimeter edge.
"You really want out?"
"Don't you?"
"I never wanted in in the first place."
"I'm not the Rexford heir now Alex is here. They can let me go."
"You think it'll be that easy?"
He shrugs. "Probably not, but I want to try. I'll keep all their bullshit secrets, I just…" He trails off.
"You just?" I encourage.
Ever since he came and got us last weekend to ensure we didn't miss our own initiation ceremony, I've started to question exactly whose side Channing is actually on. This is just another thing that points toward the fact that he's not on Cade's.
"I can't have what I want while I'm part of this shit."
"What the fuck does—" Realization dawns. "You want Sasha." It's not a question. It doesn't need to be. I've seen the way he looks at her. The way he tries to protect her. "But Electi heirs aren't allowed to be with Electi siblings."
He blows out a long breath, neither confirming nor denying my assumptions, and remains silent as we approach the lake.
Fuck. That first night here with Mia feels like a lifetime ago now. Everything was so simple then. I was just a guy embarking on college and trying to figure out the rest of my life. Now, here I am, part of those I tried to stay away from and branded like fucking cattle for life.
Hadley was right when she compared this to a life sentence. But much like a life sentence, I'm starting to wonder if none of us—even Channing—will ever be able to get out of it.
We come to a stop at the water's edge and he glances over at me. "You noticed that, huh?"
His entire body sags in defeat before he drops to the ground, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. "Brandon and I have been friends for
ever. I used to think she was this annoying little brat that would never leave us alone. But…" He sighs. "She grew on me. Brandon and I went to summer camp one year, and when we came back and she…" He chuckles to himself as he remembers. "She was beautiful. She ran to Brandon and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and I wanted it to be me. But all she did was tilt her chin in greeting, turn her back on me and usher him into the house. She ruined me from that moment on."
"How old were you?"
"Fourteen."
I nod in understanding. I was about the same age when I first looked at Remi like that. When I suddenly realized she wasn't just my annoying best friend who'd make me brush her hair and play with her doll, but she was turning into a beautiful young woman.
"None of it matters. We can't be together."
"What does Sasha say about all this?"
"If we lived different lives, things would be different. But we don't, so what's the point in even dreaming?"
"But if Cade lets you out…"
He scoffs. "That's not going to happen. You heard him. He's on his own little mission, and apparently that requires both me and Alex."
"What's his game?"
"Fuck if I know. I don't even think Ashton is aware of the workings of Cade Kingsley's mind. We're all just along for the ride in this unknown game he's playing.
"It's not meant to be like this. Sure, Q has always been a little corrupt. With any group of men with more power and money than sense, things are bound to get a little out of control. But times were changing. The archaic traditions were being forgotten in favor of more modern ideas, but I don't think Cade wants that. I think in his mind it means losing control. He wants the heritage, the traditions, the power. The shit he pulled with you and Alex. Fuck, none of us had it that bad."
"You didn't do the vault?"
He laughs. "Oh yeah, we did that. And Caedes. But it wasn't like what you went through. Q set out tasks, not Cade."
"You really going to bring this up at tomorrow's meeting?"
"Yeah."
"Do you think they'll overrule Cade?"
"They might. It’s got to be worth a try, right?"
I think of Mia and all the things I'd be willing to do to protect her, to be able to make her mine. "Yeah, it is. And for what it's worth, I've got your back, man."
He looks at me, a silent agreement passing between us before he nods and looks back out at the lake. "That shit Cade pulled on you two the other night was bullshit," he eventually says after the long, silent minutes.
"So, it was him?"
"You thought it was someone else?” He cocks a brow at me. "When I tell you to watch your back, Bex, I really fucking mean it. He's gunning for you. The best way for both you and Mia to get through this is to do what you're told. He'll hang himself eventually."
"And if he doesn't?"
"Let's just assume he will. I'm not sure I like the alternative."
The second I descend the stairs the next morning, all eyes are on me.
Cade and his minions, and even Alex, are standing at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in head to toe black ready for our meeting with Quinctus, whereas I've just rocked up in jeans and a white shirt.
"Someone didn't get the memo about the dress code," Ashton remarks around an amused smirk.
"Like you actually have an invite to this bullshit," I retort, knowing full well he doesn't.
"Fuck you, Easton."
"Get changed. We need to leave."
My eyes find Cade standing front and center, exactly where he likes to be. "No."
His eyes widen in shock before his lips twist in anger. It must be weird, not having me immediately fall at his feet.
"I go like this, or I don't go." Lifting my hand, I brush my hair from my eyes and walk around them, out to the cars.
I can't help but laugh when I hear footfalls behind me. I have no idea if he's given approval or someone has decided that they can't be dealing with Cade's toddler tantrum right now.
Shooting a look over my shoulder, I find Alex and Channing following me with smirks playing on their lips. "You two want a ride?"
"Sure thing."
Alex pulls open my passenger door and drops down before Channing does the same to the backdoor.
"Yo, Kingsley. Might want to move. You don't want to be late." Before he responds, I climb into my car and jam my key in the ignition.
Revving the engine, I gun it out of the driveway, ensuring I shoot gravel out behind me in the hope it might hit him as he emerges from the house.
"Okay, that was fucking epic," Alex laughs in the passenger seat.
Ignoring him, I look in the mirror at Channing. "You ready for this?"
He cracks his neck as if he's about to step into the ring with Cade. "They can only say no, right?"
"What's going on?" Alex asks.
"You'll find out." I wink at him, knowing it'll drive him crazy.
The monthly Q meetings are held in the old church where we were brought the night our initiation started. Only, the meeting rooms are around the back of the building.
As predicted, we arrive before Cade, and I have no interest in waiting for the motherfucker. Hopping from the car, I waste no time in walking inside and allowing Channing to direct us to the room we need.
"It's been a while since I was here," he mutters as we make our way down the long hallway.
"I thought these meetings were monthly?"
"They are, but it's usually only Kingsley that gets the royal invite."
"So why are we all here?"
"I guess to welcome you two, but Q can be as unpredictable as Cade at times, so your guess is as good as mine."
10
Mia
Sasha finds me sitting out on the terrace, drinking my second coffee of the morning.
“They just left?” she asks me.
“Yeah.”
After discovering the locked room yesterday, I’d taken a quick shower then gone to join everyone for breakfast. But Cade and Channing’s raised voices had startled me, so I doubled back to her room and we’d stayed there most of the day, eating our body weight in Mulligan’s cookies and watching movies. Sasha had been quiet. Too quiet. But I hadn’t wanted to push her.
I hadn’t wanted to stay another night in the Electi house, but when she asked, I couldn’t refuse.
“I have something to tell you… but it’s kind of a big deal.” Sasha’s eyes dart around me.
“Is it about the guy you were with all night after the party?” My brow arches. “Who was he, anyway?”
“Channing,” she breathes. “I was with Channing.”
“What?”
She nods, a mix of lust and confusion swirling in her eyes. “He practically dragged me off Rhett and to his room. I wanted to tell you yesterday, I just didn’t know how…”
“What happened?”
“What do you think? We painted each other’s nails and talked.” A faint smirk traces her lips and I roll my eyes. “It was amazing. He was… oh my God, I’ve never come so hard before. It was like he didn’t care about anything but touching me…”
“I’m happy for you, I am. But what about Cade and your brother?”
“Why do you think he told Cade he wants out?”
“Oh my God, he’s leaving… for you.”
She nods again, a small smile tugging at her lips. “It’s crazy, right? I told him it won’t work, that Cade will never let him walk away, but he wants out, Mia. He chose me over all this.”
“Do you really think they’ll let him walk away?”
Concern pinches her brows. “He isn’t the Rexford heir. Alex is. It makes no sense for him to remain Electi.”
“But he knows things, Sash… he’s seen things…”
“It’ll be okay. It has to be.” Hope flickers across her face, but it’s snuffed out as her expression falls. “I love him, Mia. I’m in love with him.” Tears spring from her eyes.
“Shh.” I reach over and grab her hand. “I’m sure he
’ll figure it out. Maybe he can be like Ashton.” He isn’t true Electi. The same rules don’t apply to him the way they do the rest of them. “I’m sure Brandon will understand,” I add.
Sasha settles, draining the rest of her coffee. “What a pair we are, both lusting after guys we can’t have.”
“Yeah.” I swallow the ball of emotion lodged in my throat.
“You did good at the party,” she adds. “You almost had me convinced.”
I frown, and Sasha chuckles. “You’re learning to play the game.”
“Isn’t that what I need to do?”
“It is. Just be careful, Mia. I don’t know what you’re up to but—”
“You don’t need to worry about me,” I say. “I’m okay.”
I think back to Bexley pulling me into his room Friday night. It would have been so easy to give in to him, to my feelings for him. But I won’t be so reckless again.
“What does Cade’s mom think about all this?”
“Melanie Kingsley? She’s still the grieving wife.”
“But didn’t Gregory Kingsley die years ago?”
“Yeah, but she never got over it. Spends her days over at the Kingsley Estate off her face on a cocktail of Xanax and vodka. Why do you ask?”
“Just trying to understand Cade, I guess.”
She snorts. “Don’t try to find reasons where there are none. Cade is a misogynistic, power hungry, depraved asshole who thrives on using people and playing games. He’s sick, Mia.”
“Yeah, but what does he want?”
It’s the question I’ve been asking myself a lot. He’s on a power trip, there’s no doubting that. But he’s still human, driven by something. He wants to see Bexley fail, to give in. But I still don’t know where I fit into all of this. I was no one to him until my name was pulled from the calix.
“Where is your head right now?” Sasha eyes me with mild curiosity, but it’s the concern in her expression that makes my stomach sink.
“I’m just trying to… I don’t know. I just can’t willingly accept that this is how it has to be.”
