Page 104 of Saviors

“He disappeared. Poof. Gone. Because of them.”

The guys said the same thing. But I thought that meant he went underground. Not that he was dead. I saw the truth in my brother’s joyful eyes.

My head shook involuntarily as the horror washed over me. My legs trembled as I stumbled into the cage. Desperation had my fingers curling into the metal as I whimpered.

“No. No. No.” My chest ached. Not for Simon, but for me.

How could I have been so wrong about everyone? I was a fool. And alone.

53

Connor

Ishoved my cards across the table. They stuck to the felt before the dealer picked them up.

“I’m out.” I stood and nodded at the other players.

I should’ve left an hour ago when my luck had suddenly turned. You could know every odd and strategy, but luck still played a huge part in poker. I came up here when Violet hadn’t come down to Eros. I figured she got caught up with Maverick and he’d be pissed if I cock blocked him. But now I was ready to join in.

Members acknowledged me with a smile or head tips as I made my way through Tyche, the illegal gambling club we ran. Ice clinked in glasses. Shouts came from the roulette table. Familiar sounds I should be happy about since we had a packed house, but there was a tickle at the back of my neck, telling me something was wrong.

I’d ignored it through one bad hand after another until I’d lost too much to keep playing. Unlike some of the people here, I knew my limit. Gambling wasn’t an addiction for me; it was a way to make money. And I was damn good at it.

I pushed open the gold plated doors that blended in with the wallpaper. If Eros was dark and seductive; Ares was dim and violent; Tyche was shiny and alluring.

The atmosphere pulled you in. Enticed you to believe anything was possible. That’s why people kept going. Begged us for loans so they didn’t have to stop. And we fed their need. It made us rich. And we didn’t feel bad.

They would always find a way to satisfy their addiction. Their choices were their own. We never forced anyone.

But there was no joy in it tonight. I was missing Violet. And feeling guilty.

I wanted to bring her up to Tyche. Let her see what I’d built. Show her off in a gorgeous dress. But we’d concealed ourselves from her and I was worried time was running out to tell the truth.

I headed down the hidden spiral staircase into my office. It wasn’t the same one guests used. We had private entrances to all our clubs because we often needed to get in and out without being seen. After all, a lot of what we were doing was illegal.

Once I stepped through, the bookcase that hid it slid back into place. I rolled up the sleeves of my dress shirt as I moved towards the hall. The sound of glass shattering drew my attention to Maverick’s office.

What the hell? If he wasn’t with Violet, then I expected him to be at Ares. My heart jumped in my chest. Maybe she was with him and was having a panic attack. It was only a week ago that she’d had her last one.

Glass crunched under my feet as I walked inside. The tequila label held a larger piece together. When I looked up at him, he was standing in front of the little bar in his office, another half empty bottle in his hand. Violet was nowhere in sight.

“Mav? What’s going on?” He was shirtless, covered in blood and sweat, like he’d just come up from Ares. But he swayed on his feet as he lifted his head to look at me.

“It’s over.” He grunted as he brought the bottle to his lips again. My gut clenched as I watched him.

He wasn’t a drinker. He’d lived with too many alcoholics and knew what it did to you. What it could make you do to other people.

I slowly took a step towards him. “What are you talking about? What’s over?”

“Belladonna.” He missed his mouth, pouring the liquor down his face instead. He angrily swiped at his chin. “She went to grow somewhere else.”

My chest constricted with worry. It warred with panic in my veins. But I was sick of his non answers, especially because I had a feeling I knew exactly what he meant.

“Where’s Violet?”

“Aren’t you fucking listening? She left!” The liquid in the bottle sloshed as he gestured towards the bathroom and his private entrance to the fight club. “She found Ares, and she took off.”

The world crashed down around me. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.

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