Page 79 of The Vipers and Their Vendetta

“Yeah, they definitely did.”

Her laughter fades. “But be careful. They really are dangerous. I don’t want you putting yourself in any situation where they might hurt you.”

“I don’t think they’d actually hurt me.”

A vision of Zane and me in the mirror, a knife pricking my throat, jumps into my head. Do I really believe that?

“How do you know that for sure? Look at what happened to Reagan.”

I want to argue with her that we don’t know what happened—not even her dad really knows—but Angelica has made up her mind. I’d be wasting my breath.

For a second, I’m tempted to tell her about the notes I’ve been receiving, but I clamp my mouth shut again. Look at what happened the last time I tried to confide in her. While I appreciate that she thought she was doing the right thing, shestill went behind my back. She could have just asked me if I wanted to speak to Jarl, but she didn’t.

She has reminded me about my plan to get back at the Vipers, though. I refuse to be the kind of girl men think they can just walk all over without there being any consequences.

Some day soon, they’ll get a visit from me, and I think I’ll start with Saint.

CHAPTER 30

Saint

I wake up Monday morning,after a shit night’s sleep, feeling no better. The weird itching is back on my skin, and I’ve scratched my arm so much it looks like I’ve been dragged through a bramble bush.

We spent the remainder of Sunday arguing about what we’re going to do about our Vani problem.

No matter which way we looked at things, it felt like it was all going to go to shit, but it became clear that if we rushed into something, we’d probably lose Vani for good. Maybe we should want that, considering her betrayal, but none of us could stand to think about a future without her in it.

The last thing I want this morning is to see any of the others. If I can avoid a conversation with them, it’s less likely we’ll have to come to what feels like an inevitable conclusion of Vani being made to leave Verona Falls.

I decide I need some time alone. In nature.

It’s still early, and I don’t have classes for another two hours, so I grab a quick shower first.

As the water sloughs down on me, I notice scratches on my thighs, too. Jesus, what is causing me to itch so bad?

Not wanting to dwell on that, I focus on yesterday and our conversation.

We came close to admitting something seismic during our talk. I’m mortified that I almost cried in front of them. Lex had been shocked. He’d looked at me like I’d grown another head. It wasn’t only the idea of losing Vani, but the idea of losing it all. I saw a future I didn’t like, one where Zane was back in his life with his big Greek family, and it was just me and Lex again in our fucked up little world. Marseille is violent and harsh, and when we are back there, we will need to be as ruthless as fuck. There won’t be soft girls with dark curls and big brown eyes. There will be nothing but the need to stamp our mark on the territory the way our father will demand.

One day soon, our time here will be done, and Vani has come to represent so much more than just a girl. She’s the glue holding us together and keeping us here.

Christ, I need to get a grip.

After I dry off and apply some Hermes body lotion to my irritated skin, I dress and head out the main door of the college. A walk in the woods calls. As I exit the doors, a big, blond figure to my right has my head swiveling that way.

Kirill.

God, that asshole is the last person I want to see. He’s whistling something, but I can’t hear what over the Mozart playing in my ears. I turn the volume down, wanting all my senses about me when I’m around any of the Devils.

“Mattheo,” he says, using my real name.

He gives me a brief nod and carries on by me, whistling, seeming like he’s not got a fucking care in the world.

Asshole. No one calls me that.

It grates on me, anger bubbling up inside. What’s he got to be so happy about? He doesn’t deserve it.

I turn on my heel, and, catching him up, I push him in the center of his back. I’m itching for a fight, and why not him? He stumbles a couple of steps, corrects himself, and turns to me. His gaze is frigid now, reminding me of the otherworldly blue you see in icebergs.

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