Page 63 of Burning Truths

The numbness wrapping around my bones vibrates through me, shoving the cold from my limbs. Waking up to an empty bed after the memory of us drifting to sleep together last night leaves a bitter taste lining my mouth. The pit of my stomach twists with the reminder that I let him touch me. The skin around my nails ache with the proof of my betrayal. The door swings open and G stands in the opening leaning his arm across the door with a smirk painted across his face. His tongue slips out to flick at his lip ring with a brow raised. Rolling my eyes I pull myself into a sitting position dragging my knees into my chest. If he notices the way my muscles shake with his presence he ignores it.

“Let’s go, Princess.” He orders.

His gaze doesn’t travel further than my face and it provides me a comfort I didn’t realize I needed. When I don’t make a move to follow his lead his arms cross over his broad chestflexing the tattoos that cover them. The dark grey shirt he’s wearing damn near screams with the way his form pulls at the fabric and I can’t help but let out a small soft laugh. There’s just something about him that will always give me the reassurance of being in a safe space. I think I’ve always known that Gio is family even when the Stone brothers were handing him orders to follow me. When my thoughts travel back to the brothers my muscles lock up and my expression must change because he makes a move to step into my room.

Pulling in a deep breath, my legs stretch across the bed, scooting to the foot of the bed I let them slide to the floor. My eyes fall to my feet, head hanging low, my chest pinches when his low voice rolls over me.

“Get dressed. You don’t need to think or do anything other than follow directions. Come on, it'll be fun to spend the day with me.” He jokes.

Tossing an outfit on the bed the fabric lands on my head and lap making us both laugh, softening the mood in the room. Sucking my teeth I nod yanking the black, what seems to be a sports bra, off my head and slapping it against the bed.

“I’ll be out in a minute.” I breathe.

It takes a few seconds, him peering at me for most of them, before he decides he’s okay with what he sees leaving me alone to change. I have no idea why he felt the need to dress me but from the looks of the outfit there are only a few options for what he has planned. Either we’re going on a run or he’s taking me to the fucking Basement. Part of me hopes it's the latter so I can disappear into the crowd to get away.

And where are you going?

Biting the inside of my cheek, frustration sparks in my belly, that fucking voice in my head is back again. I have no idea what to believe at this point yet all I know is something isn’t right. Even now I can’t pull his name forward to let it roll off my tonguebut I still want him near. Flashes of the wall spread with photos of their betrayal flickering in the back of my head and even still I fight against the lies mixed in with the truth. Shoving down everything I continue to change, pulling out a pair of shoes, my palms wipe down the workout shorts G tossed me.

The black on black workout gear hugs my form and holds everything into place. My hair is a mess from the braid yesterday and a faint smell of smoke still lingers in the strands but I don’t have time for a shower so I opt to twist it up into a messy bun on top of my head. Rubbing my hands down my face, a small part of me just wants to crawl back in bed, picking my fingers I sigh and turn towards the door. Stepping out of my room, the hallway is empty, so I head to the bathroom yelling out over my shoulder.

“Be right out.” My voice lacks emotion, even I can tell it’s flat.

Flipping on the bathroom light my gaze clashes with the splintered glass that still hangs over the sink in shards. My reflection is broken, a reflection of how I feel on the inside, dried blood still present. Swallowing past the lump in my throat I go through the motions of brushing my teeth and washing my hands after I go to the bathroom. I’ve zoned out when tapping once again pulls me back to the present. Toeing the door open G’s wandering gaze meets mine assessing me. The warm scent of power and wood wafts through my nose.

“Looks like someone got a little angry.” He quips, grinning at me.

Twisting my lips to the side, I rub my knuckles, “Something like that.” I huff.

He steps towards me until my hip is digging into the edge of the sink. Once again his tongue is licking at that damn ring drawing my eyes to the action. Gio is a handsome fucker that’s for damn sure, but he’s family. The only thing we lack is DNA but that doesn’t define us. He brings his hand to my face, pinchingmy chin with two fingers. Lifting my head, warm brown eyes meeting mine, his lips part.

“Step away from what you think is right and just feel. We’re all fighting the same battle with different scars. The only difference between your fight and theirs is they are fighting for you. Who are you fighting for?” His brow raises in question. Shifting his hold, his palm cups my cheek, a soft smile taking over his face. “Kingston. Stone. They’re just the names we’re born into, but what we do with those names is for us to choose.” His words are so firm and strong they coat my skin in false bravery.

“I don’t know if I can face him once he finds out-” I break off, turning away from his prying eyes.

He doesn’t have to guess what I mean, it’s written all over my face, shame. G yanks me into his chest, harsh and quick, pushing the air from my chest. Cradling my head into him he drops his mouth to my hair.

“Don’t you ever let me or him hear you fucking say that.” He snarls.

Rage spills from him in waves, but he keeps his hold on me steady. Sinking into his hug I let myself fall into the warmth he provides for a moment. The picture he paints is so strong my heart starts to beat harder with the hope that I might be able to breathe again. Plopping a kiss on the top of my head he pulls back with a wicked grin.

“Let’s go.” He says.

Releasing me, he spins on his heels, and heads towards the front of the dorm. I follow behind him a distracted participant to his scheme. Gio leads me out of the dorm building into a twin SUV of the brothers and off we go to the Basement.

Hoots and hollers bounce off the walls coming from down the stairs to the basement. Where the underground fighting ring got its name. The Basement is a place where the Stone brothers started to have fights planned out for people who needed a release, or a lesson to learn. You could come here on your own for a little fun or you could end up here when there was a price to pay to the brothers. Black and white memories start to play in the back of my head the closer we get to the staircase, but I shove them down knowing they’ll do me no good right now.

My legs shake a little with each step, the feeling of being too full still heavy, I make an effort to keep my feet on the ground. G opens the door and the sound grows louder making my eye squint with the onslaught of noise. When we cross the threshold onto the first step voices lower and we don’t need to hear their thoughts to know they’re all looking at me.

Look how skinny she is.

Where has she been?

What did they do to her?

Is she the one that made Cole kill himself?

That last one has G pulling me into his side when my knees buckle at the accusation. They don’t know Cole is alive… Wetting my lips, my fingers dig into my thighs, but I keep my face blank. We take the steps slowly allowing everyone in the open space to get a good look because they won’t get another any time soon. Once we reach the bottom G looks to the back left corner and calls someone over, but I can’t make out who. Faces and bodies blur into each other with so many people in such a tight area. The Basement has large bright lights hanging every few feet across the ceiling casting a blinding glow around us.

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