Page 85 of Filthy Few

“Because that little witch you call sister needs to be taken down a peg and shown she is beneath us.” Before Ezekiel can respond, Vox pulls a gun from his waistband. The sight alone has me frozen in time and my breath hitching as I pray to anyone who is listening to let this be a trick but then Vox’s finger squeezes the trigger and Ezekiel is sent falling backward to the hard earth. “4221, motherfucker,” Vox snarls. It's the sound of those numbers coming out of his mouth that breaks through my haze and has me falling to my knees as sobs claw their way out of me. I bury my face in my hands and allow all the guilt and shame I feel wash over me. I pushed Ezekiel away and told him I never wanted anything to do with him because I was angry and hurt.

He died thinking I hated him!

My own fucking brother died and the last thing he did was leave a note for me using the code Waylen and I shared to tell each other that we would always be together to love one another. I sense more than seeing him crouch down in front of me, I don’t even have the energy to lift my head. The grief is swallowing me whole and I am beyond fighting against it so I give in and allow the pain to consume me.

“You shouldn’t have seen that, witch,” Vox whispers low enough for only me to hear. “Let me get rid of her then we can talk,” he says to Thomas, then gathers me in his arms and lifts me off the ground. I don’t even fight against him as he strolls away from the office. I allow his warmth to soak into me and nuzzle in closer to him. I fool myself into believing that this is my two horns, the guy who took what he wanted but always made sure I was safe. I let my weakness take control and wrap my armsaround his neck and burrow my face into his shoulder as sobs rock my body.

Before I can get too lost in the comfort his hard body and presence affords me, he places me on my feet. I keep my head down and refuse to untangle my arms from him. I expect him to push me away and be cruel but in a move so bold it robs me of air he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me flush against his hard chest. This boy just killed my brother and was the cause of my best friend's death and yet here I am finding comfort in the wrong place, not being strong enough to push him away or even let go because somehow two horns became my safe haven and then Vox came along and ruined everything.

“I told you not to let it break you and I meant it. I chose the winning side from the start and I stand by my vow, witch,” he murmurs into my hair.

“Why did you have to ruin everything by being you, why couldn’t you just behim,” I choke out. Vox untangles himself from me and shifts back, but cups my face between his hands.

“I’ve always been both those people, little witch, you just never wanted to see the truth.”

“Then show me,” I plead as tears continue to trek down my cheeks.

“Too little too late, witch. The game has begun and there is nothing you can do to stop it.” He releases me and stalks out of the room, leaving me standing here in confusion. I frown when I realize he didn’t bring me to Nexus’ room, he brought me back to my room. I drop down onto the edge of the bed and pull my knees up to my chest, burying my face in the top of them. I feel like a fraud sitting here mourning the loss of my brother.

My brother.

Just thinking about Ezekiel Tempest as my brother and not the guy who was mean to me is strange, but then I think back to the day in the cafeteria when he was the one who told Vox hewouldn’t stand by and watch Nexus bully me. Or the day when he told me to keep my head up and walked out of school with me. He had no idea I was his sister then and yet he still showed me kindness when he didn’t have to. I shift and reach into the drawer of my side table and pull out the phone Ezekiel gave me. I stashed it in here the other night. I scroll through the contact list, there are four numbers: Vox, Ezekiel, Hayze and Archer.

I click on Archer’s name and bring the phone to my ear. I wait for him to answer and try to remind myself that they need to know the truth. When he finally answers after the sixth ring I begin to clam up.

“Who is this?” The deep gravelly tone of his voice does nothing to ease my anxiety over being the one to share this horrible news with him.

“It’s Nova,” I whisper.

“Are you okay?” The fact that is his first question has the vice squeezing my chest loosening and my apprehension about calling him dwindles slightly.

“Archer, I have to tell you something.”

“Why do you sound like you’re crying?”

I close my eyes and try not to let his concern for my safety sway me from sharing this news. “Are you with Hayze and Vivi?” I ask instead of answering.

“Yeah, why?”

“Can you put me on speakerphone?”

He’s silent for a second, then Vivian’s voice comes through the phone. “We’re here Nova.”

“What I have to tell you is going to?—-”

Vivian cuts me off before I can finish. “You know what happened to Ez don’t you?” I remain silent trying to think of how to tell them. But I don’t get a chance to say more when a shadow appears in my doorway. I end the call quickly and try to act like I wasn’t just on the phone but when he steps inside my room apart of me is glad to see it’s Vox and not Thomas or Nexus, but another part of me is disgusted by the sight of him.

“I’m assuming Ezekiel made sure you had a burner before you walked your ass back in here?” he says as he closes my door then locks it. My breathing turns ragged, I can feel the phone in my hand vibrating but I ignore it as I continue to watch Vox stalk toward me. When he stands before me, he reaches out and pries the phone from my hand and tosses it inside the drawer. “You won’t be needing that.” I swallow audibly, as fear slowly unfurls inside me.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I mutter. I dart my gaze toward the door expecting Thomas to break through it any second.

“No one is coming to save you, witch, it’s just you and me.” I dart my gaze back to him and gape up at him. “Nexus is going to be out all night and Thomas has a meeting with the Saints so he can announce the death of a member.” The mention of death has me springing to my feet and shoving Vox out of the way so I can escape. He doesn’t try to stop me as I unlock the door and run. His laughter follows me down the hallway. I race down the stairs and just as I hit the landing the lights cut out and I’m bathed in darkness. My fear amps up and I dart my gaze around to see enough in the dark so I don’t bump into anything and give away my position. “You wantedhimto come back and now he has, run as fast as you can, witch, because two horns is hunting and there is nothing you can do to escape us. The cameras are looped and all the locks on the doors have been fitted with a fingerprint scanner so you are locked in here with me.” The fact his voice is distorted tells me he is wearing his mask.

My fear turns to anger. “Come get me, bitch,” I snarl into the darkness as I take off and pray I don’t fucking smack into a wall or something.

I’m sick in the head. He killed my brother and is part of the reason my best friend is dead, but my body is excited and getting turned on by the fact I am being hunted by two horns.

Chapter Forty-Six

---