Page 194 of Vile Boys

“What are you sorry for?”

Tears well up in her eyes, and she leans into me, swallowing them away, refusing to let them fall. And I’m torn between loving her and hating him. Even though I was the one who wanted him to ruin her, destroy her … I never realized it was only because I wanted her so badly I couldn’t stand her.

But now all I feel is regret.

“I’m the one who should say sorry,” I mutter, gently caressing her back. “I was blinded by my own rage.”

“Everyone in this house is.”

I’d disagree, but I know she’s right.

Even she’s been corrupted, her heart poisoned with hatred.

All because of us.

Crystal

A noisedownstairs makes me look up, and I immediately run to the door before Caleb can stop me.

“Crystal, wait!” Caleb says, but I’ve already opened it up, and I peek through the gap.

A guy with flowy dark brown hair downstairs is yelling at Ares.

“What the fuck have you done, Ares?”

I clutch the door to get a better look at the guy. Something about him feels so familiar.

“Hello to you too,” Ares grits.

“Are you insane? That’s fucking Bonesmen territory you just barged into.”

Bonesmen?

“Why do you fucking care what I do?” Ares quips, casually drinking alcohol from a glass. “When have you ever cared?”

“I’ve always fucking cared, dammit.” The guy slams his fist onto the table next to the door. “This ain’t no fucking game, Ares. You murdered one of their men in cold fucking blood.”

Ares narrows his eyes. “And you know this … how?”

“Who the fuck do you think told me?” the guy replies, running his fingers through his dark hair. “You know he does business with the Bones Brotherhood.”

“Bones Brotherhood …” I mutter.

“Traffickers and drug dealers,” Caleb answers, scaring me a little because I didn’t even realize he’d creeped up on me.

The symbol of bones flashes across my mind again, and my stomach instantly squeezes together.

Only when I take a closer look at the guy yelling at Ares do I realize why he looks so familiar.

“Wait … is that Kai?” I whisper. “That’s Nathan’s friend from the Phantom Society.”

“Yes.” There’s a hint of disappointment in Caleb’s voice.

“You know both of them?” I ask.

Caleb sighs out loud. “Unfortunately.”

“I don’t fucking care,” Ares tells Kai, stoically drinking more alcohol.

---