Page 268 of Vile Boys

I already know.

I take a deep breath and walk toward them, getting in without a complaint. If I fought them off now, it wouldn’t end well for me anyway since I didn’t bring my guns or my knives to a fucking funeral.

Maybe I should have.

They truly waited for the most opportune moment to bring me in so I’d come quietly.

But when the doors close, there is only noise in my head.

Crystal

“Where’s Caleb?”I ask my mom, hoping she’s seen him.

I was just talking with someone and then all the boys suddenly vanished from my sight.

Mom points me into a corner where Blaine is sitting with him, and I immediately get off my seat and approach them.

“Hey,” I say as I sit in front of Caleb and grab his hand. “How are you holding up?”

He shrugs. “Fine.”

I pull him in for a tight hug.

“Seems you’re already getting used to his lies,” Blaine says.

“Shut up,” Caleb growls.

But instead of throwing out another rebuke, Blaine moves in for a hug from above, wrapping his arms around his neck. “We know you love us.”

“Love is a strong word,” Caleb mutters, but he still accepts it.

“Lucky for you I have plenty of time to force you to love me back,” Blaine says, nearly choking him out.

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Caleb says, pushing his arms away. “I won’t die from sorrow, but I will from your determination to suffocate me.” He rolls his eyes. “Ares sure left me in competent hands.”

“I’m just doing exactly what he told me,” Blaine says. “Being an annoying pest to keep you safe is my favorite thing in the world.”

“Wait, what do you mean ‘Ares left you’?” I ask, frowning. “Where did he go?”

Caleb shrugs. “He got some phone call that he didn’t want to tell me anything about. I don’t know.”

My blood suddenly feels icy cold, and I shiver in place.

Caleb continues, “He just seemed antsy. Hasty. Out of it.”

“Oh God,” I mutter, my eyes widening.

“What?” Blaine looks up at me.

“Caleb, open your phone. Do you have any way of tracking his location?”

“Yeah, why?” he responds, fishing it out of his pocket.

“That phone call … It was his father.”

Blaine frowns. “But why toda—” I can see it click in his eyes. “He’s going to punish him for all the murders at the Bonesmen auction.”

ARES

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