Page 146 of Vile Boys

“I’m prepared for the consequences. Don’t worry, darling. Were you, though?”

“Could you guys take this outside, please?” the people in the back ask.

A sudden knock on the door makes us all stop and stare.

It’s a Tartarus guy, one of our own, but even with his mask on, I recognize him as one of Ares’s close confidants. Arlo.

“Sorry for the intrusion,” he says. “Ares requested that you three come downstairs.”

“Requested? Or demanded?” she asks.

He tilts his head as he glares at her. “Is there a difference?”

I take in a deep breath, and Caleb puts on his mask again.

Arlo’s jaw tightens. “Whatever you’re doing up here in this room … it’s over.”

Crystal grabs my hand and squeezes.

“Now,” Arlo adds in a low tone.

“Fine,” I say, releasing her fingers.

I know I have it coming for me. News here travels like fire. Hemust know by now what I’ve done with her. But I still don’t regret it, even if I know it’ll probably cost me my life.

I pick up my mask off the floor and put it back on. “I’m ready to face him.”

Crystal

“Let’s go,”Arlo says.

We all stroll through the hallway under Arlo’s watchful eye and the gun in his pocket itching to shoot its load.

All while I’m still glowing from Blaine making me feel so damn good, I almost forgot where I was and with who. I let myself go in the moment, and lust won over common sense. Blaine so easily swayed me to part my legs that I almost feel guilty.

But then he glances at me over his shoulder, and I instantly forget why I was regretful to begin with. He really knows how to toy with people’s hearts.

We make our way downstairs and through the crowd to the common room.

On top of the raised plateau in the back, behind a giant table, sits a guy with a golden demonic mask on his face, a shiny black and gold jacket on top of a black shirt and black pants, his legs leisurely thrown over the armrests. He watches us enter the room like a king on a throne.

When his bright gray eyes settle on mine, I gulp down the ball forming in my throat.

Slowly, he begins to clap his hands, and within a minute, everyone around us has stopped dancing and fucking around to focus solely on us.

“I’m impressed,” Ares says from his seat on top of the plateau, looking down on us with disdain. “I was almost convinced by both of your false promises.” His eyes darken. “But now the charade is over.”

He snaps his fingers, and Arlo shoves me to my knees.

Blaine grabs his hand and twists it. “Donottouch her without my permission.”

“Please,” Arlo groans, rolling his eyes.

“I may have let you escort us downstairs, but you are still my lesser. Do not forget,” Blaine warns.

Ares snaps his fingers, and Blaine releases him. Arlo backs away, but I’m still on my knees.

“You took her upstairs to the sex rooms,” Ares says.

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