Page 26 of Fatal Vengeance

18

Griffin

Prudence doesn’t speak for hours. She’s been stiff on the couch between Creed and I, while Ash curses and stomps around like he’s ready to tear strips off one of us, and Genevieve just about has a panic attack. I guess she isn’t used to having heads dropped off at her door. Creed and I have each tried to pull Prudence into our bodies, tried to comfort her with gentle touches and soft words, but she’s just… gone.

Our Prudence is gone.

The only thing left behind is a beautiful shell of a tragically broken girl.

“We need a plan. No more running, she’s right. We have to go on the offensive and meet them where they stand,” Creed mutters to me over Prudence’s head. He’s sitting as close to her as she’d let him, and even then, I can tell he’s itching to lift her into his lap and try to carry her pain. Or maybe that’s just me.

I nod slowly, giving it some thought, but honestly? It makes me feel sick. I don’t want to fight The Celestials. I’ve been doing it my entire life, it feels like. I just want to run far, far fucking away and never have to think about those sick fucks ever again.

Is that really too much to ask?

Asher plops down on the armchair across from us, watching Prudence carefully, and a little manically. “If she won’t get her stubborn ass in my car, then I guess we have no choice.”

I roll my eyes, because a fight between Prudence and Asher right now is not my idea of a good time.

Asher sees my irritation, his emerald eyes searing into me, and then grits out, “I’m not trying to be a dick, okay? I think running is our best bet, but Prudence doesn’t. Fine.” He pauses, scrubbing a hand through his hair and leaving it in disarray. “But I also don’t think we’ll win this fight. I really don’t. So if she wants to stay here, then… she’s signing our death warrants. I hope you’re all prepared for that.”

The silence is uncomfortable, not one of us speaking against Asher. I don’t know what Creed’s deal is, but for me… Yeah, I gotta say I agree with Asher a hundred and ten percent. This is not a war we can win, no matter how badly we want to. We should have been planning for this, for the inevitable battle looming over us, but between fleeing campus, having to run from the hotel, and then dealing with Irene's belongings, we really haven't had a ton of free time to plot out our next moves and figure out how to beat The Celestials.

“I might be able to help,” Genevieve murmurs as she hesitantly walks into the living room, chewing her bottom lip while she flicks her eyes to the table. She looks pale and a little sweaty, and I know she's been in the bathroom puking more than once in the last couple hours. Guilt eats at me, because this is our doing. Genevieve left her normal life to help us hide in this cabin, and at the time, she had no idea just how bad things could get.

Thankfully, Asher dealt with the head, burying it outside with a makeshift cross in respect for Annie, but that doesn’t mean we’re all suddenly comfortable here. Or that we’ll ever forget the smell. Personally, I think this cabin needs to burn down, but as long as Prudence won’t leave, then I’ll put up with the lingering stench of death and rot.

Prudence looks up at her sister, the first real signs of life in her for the last two hours, but when Genevieve doesn’t rush to explain, Asher raises his brows and snaps, “Well, don’t keep us all waiting in suspense here. I’ve personally had enough of it for one day.”

Wringing her fingers together, looking like she’s about to puke again, Genevieve blurts out, “I have an ex who— Well… she hates my fucking guts, but she’s a reporter and I think she’d be willing to do a piece on The Celestials. No better way of getting a promotion than dragging rich, powerful people’s dirty secrets through the mud on national television.”

“How does that help keep us alive?” Creed asks while Asher just leans forward with his elbows on his knees and buries his face in his hands. Prudence is still silent, watching her sister carefully, but with an eerily blank face that tells me she’s still very much shut down.

I desperately want to curl her up in my arms and coax some life back into her.

Genevieve shrugs one shoulder, toying with the ends of her long hair nervously. “It would keep them all busy, wouldn’t it? If all these influential people are being ousted for their sins, they’d be scrambling to cover their shit up. It’s not a permanent fix, I know that, but…” She trails off, looking defeated as if we’ve all turned her down already. She looks at Prudence, brows furrowed in concern, and mumbles, “It’s the only way I can help. This cabin was supposed to be a safe place for you guys, and I feel like I’ve let you down… I’m sorry.”

Before she can walk away, I speak up. “Get in contact with your ex.” She blinks at me like maybe she misheard me, and Creed and Asher both shoot looks my way, but I can’t be bothered to try and decipher what they’re not saying. Holding Genevieve’s stare, I add, “It’s not enough to win, you’re right, but it’s a good first step. Our first move against them. Let’s get it in motion before any more heads show up.”

Some of the heavy tension in her shoulders deflates, and she gives me the barest nod and smile. “I’ll go call her, then. Hopefully, she’s, um, receptive. This only works if she actually answers the phone.” Then she turns to head down the hall toward her bedroom.

When Genevieve is gone, Asher sighs and pushes to his feet. “I’m going to sort out some security for the cabin. I won’t be able to sleep in this place until there are motion sensors and proper cameras on every goddamn inch of the property, ones that can't be hacked so easily.”

I watch as he stalks off, rage still radiating from his every muscle, and I’m torn. Do I stay with Prudence while she’s so totally broken? Or do I go after Asher and offer him my company and support?

Creed sees the indecision in my expression and he jerks his head after Asher, mumbling, “Go on, Griff. He needs you. I’ve got Prudence.”

I dart my eyes down to my girl, and she swallows roughly as she meets my gaze. She tries to give me a soft smile, but it looks more heartbroken than anything. “I’m fine, Griffin. Go,” she assures me in a soft whisper.

I hesitate, hating the thought of leaving her and also hating the thought of Asher being alone right now. But when Prudence sighs and finally, finally leans into Creed’s side, letting him wrap an arm around her and hold her tight, something in my chest eases.

She isn’t broken beyond repair. She’s not shutting us out. She’ll get through this, because she’s the strongest fucking woman I’ve ever met.

Testing my luck, I press a tender kiss to her forehead, aching when she closes her eyes and a single tear rolls down her cheek. I swipe it away with my thumb, give Creed a look that says take care of her, and then I stand and head off after Asher.

I find him pacing outside, one hand rubbing the back of his neck while he speaks to someone on the new burner phone he purchased after his dad texted the last one. There’s no reason The Celestials can’t somehow find this one too, but Asher refused to not have a phone in case of emergency. He glances at me, a deep frown marring his handsome face, and then turns away and paces some more.

I wait patiently, hands shoved in my pockets, while Asher talks. I’m not necessarily trying to eavesdrop, but I manage to hear enough snippets to gather he’s grilling someone about getting cameras out here today. Whoever he’s speaking to must be a security professional, someone not tied into The Celestials. Asher barks orders and makes pissy demands, and by the time he’s finished on the phone, I actually feel sorry for whoever he was talking to.

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