Page 36 of Lethal Truths

It feels as though I’ve been skinned alive, flayed open in every sense of the word as I watch him storm away. When the door slams shut and the thud of the locks echo around the room, I feel as helpless and empty as ever.

24

Asher

When Creed storms through the front door with a scowl and a murderous aura, I know that we’ve hit yet another dead end. We’ve been checking all the properties that I found in my dad’s office for almost two days, and nothing. Creed and I have been all over Black Creek to each of the locations around the city with fucking nothing to show for it, and Griffin has been going over Blackwood University with a fine-tooth comb. We know there’s a Celestial property below campus somewhere, but actually finding it is proving nearly impossible. And with each of the other locations striking out, I’m getting more confident that Prudence is being held here somewhere.

But again, where?

Creed doesn’t speak to me or Griffin, doesn’t even glance our way as he heads for the stairs and takes them two at a time. Freddy, a sophomore in the frat, is coming down at the same time. He waves casually, opening his mouth to greet Creed, but the poor guy almost gets bowled down the stairs instead.

When he catches his footing, he looks to me for a brief, embarrassed moment, his deep brown eyes wide. I shrug, saying, “He’s had a rough day, man.” Freddy blows out a strained laugh, and then practically speed walks into the kitchen where some of the other brothers are making dinner.

Once we’re alone again, I turn to Griffin with a racing mind. “What the fuck do we do? That was the last place Creed had to check. She has to be on campus somewhere,” I mutter, trying to keep my voice down.

Everyone else in this house is blissfully unaware of the shitstorm that hit a few days ago. Most of them aren’t affiliated with The Celestials anyway, so they’re always generally clueless. The few freshman and sophomores that will initiate in a year or two aren’t kept in the loop yet, so even though some of them saw my dad here days ago, none of them bothered raising any questions.

Griffin rakes his hand down his face, the dark circles beneath his eyes more prominent with each day that passes. He glances at me helplessly, and even without signing a word, I know he’s struggling. His eyes, once bright and oceanic, look dead and flat. A moment later, he pushes off the couch and follows Creed upstairs.

I watch him go until the very last second, and then I lean forward with my elbows on my knees and drop my face into my hands. What a goddamn mess. What a truly spectacular fucking mess we’ve been thrust into. I’m going against everything I was ever taught, all because Prudence stormed into my life and pulled on a loose thread. It took a while, and she was so slow and meticulous about it, but now that the curtain is in tatters and the truth beyond is glaring at me, I have to do something to even the scales. I have to bring her back before Creed and Griffin spiral too far… I have to find her so I can absolve myself of at least some of my guilt.

A couple hours later, after I’ve practically banged my head against a wall while thinking over all the little nooks and crannies around campus that could lead to Prudence, I’m at my wit’s end.

I hate her and miss her all at once. Even if what we were told about her was a lie, it doesn’t dissipate the simmering rage that she’s stoked in me over the last few months. For as hard as I’ve hit, she’s come back at me just as fiercely, and my god, it’s been the most exciting challenge of my life. I want her back under my thumb so I can do it all over again, only this time, I won’t be acting for anyone else. I’ll be myself, whoever that is. Maybe she can help me figure that out. All I know is when I push her, when she looks at me with such vitriol and spite, when I call her pet and she teases about not having a collar… Those times, despite how fucked up it may be, I’ve truly enjoyed myself. So I guess the truth is that I don’t hate her at all. I crave her anger and her tears, I want her to fight me, but it’s because I’ve somehow fallen into her trap, just like Creed and Griffin.

I want her, plain and simple. It might be sick or twisted or down right damnable, but I can’t find it in me to care.

Now I just have to find her so I can buy her that damn collar and make sure she knows, Celestials or not, I still own her. Griffin and Creed as well, considering Creed would likely murder me slowly and with great joy if I tried to say otherwise.

So what… we share? Even as my mind tries to reject the idea, my cock stands to attention. I won’t deny that watching Griffin and Prudence together wouldn’t be a wet fucking dream. I urge myself to stay focused, though. That can’t happen if I don’t find her.

There’s no way I’ll be sleeping tonight, so I quickly get dressed in dark jeans and a black hoodie and set to canvas the entire campus if I need to. When I swing my bedroom door open, though, ready to head out, Griffin is pacing the hall.

His fist is tight in his loose, curly hair, his brows crouched low with whatever thoughts are plaguing him. He doesn’t even notice me standing here, which is concerning since he’s always extra alert and aware of his surroundings.

“Griffin,” I hedge, taking a step toward him, hands out so I don’t spook him.

He stops and spins on his feet, looking at me with such heavy, sad eyes. It breaks my heart into a million deadly shards.

“Hey, don’t worry, okay? We’ll find her,” I tell him softly.

He shakes his head, blowing out a heavy breath. And then what? She hates me. Rightfully so, he signs angrily.

I lick my lips as I consider that. “If she hates you, she despises me,” I counter with a joking smile. “Creed was on her shit list once too, and look at him now. She trusts him… She cares for him. Talk to her, Griff. She’ll forgive you, eventually.”

Griffin stares at me incredulously. I hurt her, he replies.

Shrugging, I say, “We all have. But maybe, for us… you can’t have love without pain.” I sit on that for a moment, feeling the truth of those words ringing loud and clear. “The world we grew up in, the lies we just obliterated through, it’s all shaped us into these fucked up people. But Prudence is just as wounded, and if she’s proven anything since we met her, it’s that she can handle the likes of us. She’s not one to be beaten down.”

I don’t deserve anything from her. She trusted me. I blew it because I was scared, he argues, his eyes welling with tears. That’s Griffin, though. He might be guarded, but once he cares, he cares deeply. He feels deeply, and that’s something nobody can strip from him. One threat from my parents, and I forced her to knees in the middle of a party. It was a violation, he adds.

I sigh, hating the way we’re all so mangled by what The Celestials did or made us do. I didn’t know exactly what had gone down between them, but now that I’ve got the whole picture, his silent anguish lately makes a lot more sense. “You fucked up, yeah. I’m sure you could have done a million things differently that night. But you can’t always be the hero, Griff. It’s okay to admit that you folded under the constant pressure, just once. She’ll forgive you because I’m fairly sure she loves you. That’s why it hurt her so much.”

Griffin blinks at me, his face creased. Love?

I blow out a laugh. “How could she not? Griffin, you’re the best fucking person I know.”

One second, we’re inches apart, the next he’s fisting my shirt and slamming my back against the wall. It takes me by such a surprise that I don’t react, just stand there and let it happen. Then he’s kissing me. Griffin’s lips are rough and punishing against mine, his hand still wrapped tightly in my shirt. I’m hard in seconds, and that snaps me out of my shock.

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