Page 104 of Filthy Few

I berate myself for thinking about him!

I’ve done everything I can to keep all thoughts of him from playing out in my mind. It hurts too much. The first week sucked I missed him so much. I thought we were past hurting each other after confessing how we felt for the other, but I was wrong.

I straighten my hair and leave it loose, then choose to go with a two tone smokey eye to make my green eyes pop, my lips painted a deep red. I grab the heels that were left with the dress and begin strapping them on. They wrap around my calves and with the height of the heel and the dress matched with it, I appear taller than I am. I take in the sight of my reflection in the mirror on the back of the door and suck in a sharp intake of air.

I don’t look like Nova Quinlin.

No, tonight I am embodying Taylor Tempest and channeling all her feelings because if I channel Nova’s, I’ll crumble. I lock out all thoughts of my mom, Vox, the guys and Vivian. Tonight, I need to put my game face on and end this shit once and for all. Or, I need to at least try because it’s clear I’m on my own now and I need to save myself from this fucking nightmare.

“Watch over me, Way, I need you with me tonight,” I whisper as I open the closet door and step out, ready to walk straight into hell if I have to in order to be free of these fuckers.

Sitting next to Thomas in the back of a limo is not how I thought my first ride in one would go. Unlike me who is fighting not to tremble and crumble under the worry of what tonight holds, he sits there nursing a tumbler of Scotch. He’s been on the phone most of the drive which I am grateful for, it means he isn’t focused on me. I expect to head to the town hall where Vox told me they hold all their meetings, but we drive straight past. I want to ask where we are going but I don’t want to rouse suspicion from him so I remain silent and stare out the window.

When we finally pull up out front of a luxurious hotel in the city, I sit up straight and stare out in wonder at all the paparazzi and the many limos lined up to drop off their patrons who are led inside by a maître d. My face is practically pressed against the glass when I see the Governor exit a limo ahead of us.

“You keep your fucking mouth shut when we get in there. You try anything or say anything and I will make sure your friend’s death was a fairytale compared to what I will do to you.” The mention of Waylen has steel infusing in my veins. I shoot Thomas my best look of indifference.

I plaster a smile on my face and nod my head like a fucking idiot. “Of course. So, do I not mention the fact I am being forced to marry my stepbrother in just over a month?” His reply comes in the form of his hand wrapped around my throat. He’s crushing my windpipe, I claw at his suit-covered arm but hedoesn’t release his hold until black spots start dancing in the corners of my eyes.

When he drops his hold, I drag in lungfuls of air and cough, trying not to choke. “If anything happens to my son, you will be marrying me, you little cunt.”

Chapter Fifty-Four

Nova

Thomas steps out of the limo when the door is opened for him by one of the valets. I try to control my breathing when he reaches his fat snubby hand back inside for me. I glare at the fucking thing but when my guard grunts at me, I place my hand in his and allow him to drag me out of the car. Cameras flash and I try to shield my face but Thomas hisses at me to drop my arm and smile. I do as I’m told like a good little puppy and plaster a fake as fuck smile on my face, then allow him to lead me through the crowd of reporters and enter the hotel.

The pure opulence of this place is astounding. I have never been inside a hotel reeking of wealth on this magnitude. Chandeliers line the ceilings and servers walk around with silver trays balancing on one hand with flutes of champagne. Thomas snags one for himself and when I reach for one for myself heshoots me a scathing look, so I drop my hand back to my side and plaster my fake ass smile back on my face and allow him to drag me around the room. We stop numerous times so Thomas can speak to people. The men don’t take notice of me and that grates on my nerves, clearly they deem women to be beneath them. When Thomas is finally finished having his ass kissed by half the people here, he takes us into a ballroom of sorts.

The place is lined with red velvet chairs that are trimmed with gold, a stage with a raised dais sits at the front of the room. It doesn’t escape my notice that this room has no windows and only two points of entry.

“Tonight, you will be announced to the Saints as the future lordess and my son’s future bride,” he says when he releases me and stalks down the aisle in the middle of the chairs. I look around and take note that we are alone.

“Why?” I ask.

“Because tonight is the only night of the year where I can be challenged for my roll as lord. I have taken every precaution to make sure your masked freaks can’t come and ruin everything.”

“Why is tonight the only night?”

“It has been this way since The Brotherhood first began. On the thirtieth day of October each year on all Hallows Eve, but as we like to call it the Night Of The Saints, the lord will be subjected to the votes of his peers. I’ve worked too fucking hard to forge alliances with everyone and gathered enough blackmail material on each of these cunts for some schmuck to ruin it by throwing up red tape on my deals and my son being kidnapped.”

“You aren’t going to give into their demands are you?” I press. Thomas purses his lips and narrows his eyes. “That’s why Nexus hasn’t been returned, isn’t it?” He says nothing but I know I’m right. “They offered the safe return of your son in exchange for you stepping down, your role as the Lord of theHaven Saint’s means more to you than the life of your only child.”

“What makes you think he is my only child?” I reel back in shock.

“You have more children?” Thomas ignores my question as he steps onto the stage and stands behind the gold podium.

“My son made his choice, he chose to be ignorant and refused to grow up and fall into line. He was more concerned about burying his head in any pussy than he was about leading. I thought that would be obvious to you of all people.”

“What, why?” I ask incredulously.

“Because, you rejecting him and turning down every advance he made only to fuck his friend sent him over the edge and forced him to make a stupid error. That fucking error put me in the debt of Vox Hatchett.”

“You owe Vox?”

Anger clouds his features. “The bastard is the one who disposed of the body of your friend.” Hatred coils inside me at the way he speaks about Waylen like he was nothing.

“Why am I here tonight, Thomas? You say you want them to know I am your son’s future wife but you have no intention of ever getting your son back.”

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