Page 21 of Ruthless Legacy

I guess that’s the other part of why I’m feeling guilty. Finn, Pax and I have had our fair share of disagreements, but they’ve never lasted more than a day or two. Then again, we’ve never felt this level of betrayal before. At least I haven’t. Pax has always been the one person outside of my family, the only person I could depend on. Him not telling me about his conversation with Eloise hurts.

I don’t know if I’d have agreed to it, but I would have supported him and watched her. I would’ve seen the signs that she was going off script because I would have known to be looking for it.

Pax’s actions didn’t just put Thea at risk. He put Rho Beta Psi’s rank at risk. He putusat risk. The students are pushing back, the other organizations on campus are getting bolder.

I’m sure the Pride and the Lady Lions are making a play for the number one spot, and if they find out the truth behind Thea’s attack… then we need to just abdicate our position. There won’t be a need to tally any points or go through a challenge night. There’s no defense for sanctioning it, even though we didn’t. That’ll be the perception, especially since the perpetrators are still walking free.

We need to find out who was there that night and make an example of them. Short of torturing Eloise, she won’t give us any answers. She only knows how to be helpful when it benefits her. Hence her giving The League information to add to the dossier they have on Thea.

Eloise is definitely overstepping. That info should have come to us first. I got a kick out of Finn reminding her we’re always gonna play the game better than anyone else. I almost smiled when he asked about becoming a guardian, too. His question was only half facetious. He would do it just for the hell of it, but the underlying meaning was clear, and I’m in agreement. There’s no way I can let Thea join the guardians and be cut off from me. I just don’t knowhowI’m going to prevent it from happening. Yet.

I have my personal hang ups about guardian lines. I don’t trust them. Two guardians were supposed to be on duty the day someone almost kidnapped me. Their job was to screen everyone at the party and verify their identity, yet they missed the threat.

Thea would be vigilant. I know that just as sure as I know, I’m willing to break the no fraternization rules to be with her. I slip into the chair in front of my computer and bring up a map of campus, zooming in on the MISTIC compound. No time like the present to start formulating a plan for how to get to her in the middle of the night.

The longer I look at the map and satellite footage, the antsier I get. Once I find a way in, I’ll need to make sure she doesn’t rat me out. My loyalty is to The League, hers will be to The Guardians. Right now, she’s mad at us and with good reason, but I can’t risk her going through The Guardian reprogramming with things broken between us.

An alert comes in on my secure server. I click it and read the encrypted message before returning to my search for blind spots in MISTIC’s security. I scan satellite footage and run a search for the building schematics. If there’s a way in, I’ll find it, and if not, I’ll create it.

I stand, cracking my neck and stretching my back. I’ve been in front of the computer for hours, and have days of research ahead of me. I’ll probably skip most of my classes this week. I go to the bathroom and then to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. As I grind the beans, my thoughts drift back to Christmas break and how things were falling into place for us. Thea was receptive to Finn and I. For the first time, sharing a woman didn’t feel like a chore. I wasn’t bored. I’d allowed myself to think about it happening again. Pax didn’t join in, but he didn’t leave until we were done. Things were good.

Then, with one video, it all went to hell. I know we did the right thing showing it to Thea, but a part of me selfishly wishes we hadn’t. I rub at the tightness in my chest and rub the spot behind my elbow that itches.

It feels like ants are crawling on my skin. There’s only one solution for it and it’s not calamine lotion. I need to see her. I know she’s mad at us, and she has every right to be. Finn and I might not have been in on Pax’s plans, but we’re as guilty as he is. Thea spent months in limbo when pressing Pax a little harder would’ve revealed what he was up to with Eloise.

If we would’ve put our Trium status to the side and approached this situation objectively, we would have found answers for Thea sooner. I need to fix this. I return to my computer room, and step into the space between Thea’s room and mine, pushing through the closet door.

The spot in front of her bedroom door is empty. That’s a good sign. It means she’s not back to being hyper vigilant. I glance over at the bed, taking in Thea’s sleeping form, and walk further into the room.

I’ve given her enough space. I accept the part I played in what happened to her on Mayhem Night. I should’ve dragged her off somewhere to talk instead of chasing her through the woods. I should’ve caught her instead of holding back. If I had, Eloise and her punks would never have gotten their hands on her.

The footage is brutal. Thea’s a fighter, but the cowards held her down. I counted seven voices in the video. I don’t know who was there.Yet.Eloise stays completely out frame, and of course, Zeus has the dick injury. Everyone else stayed masked. That won’t protect them. When I find out who they are, every blow they gave her, I’ll issue out the same. Ten times worse.

Thea will be there when it happens, but first she’s gonna stop ignoring me. It’s strange that I feel this way. In the beginning, I felt unnerved by her attention. Now I need it more than I need my next breath.

The bottle of sleeping pills is on her nightstand. That explains why she’s able to sleep. I discard my clothes, crawl into bed beside her, and pull her into the cradle of my arms, placing my hand on top of hers where they rest on her pillow. I’m just gonna hold it here and finally sleep. It’s been so damn long since I have. Cuddled up to her body, my nerves settle. Darkness claims me right away.

I’m not sure how long I’m out when I feel something brush against me. I blink awake to see what it was. My hand rests on Thea’s thigh. Her hand is inside her panties, dragging through her folds, making a squelching noise. Whatever she’s dreaming about has her drenched. I pull her hand out, a groan falls from my lips, as I slide her fingers into my mouth.

“Your skin is so warm, and you taste so good, Rey.” I kiss the base of her neck. “Keep going, just like that,” I urge, moving my hand to her hip to hold her against me. Every buck of her hips slides her against my growing erection.

She lets out a sexy little whimper and squeezes her legs together, riding her hand. I clamp my teeth together. I’m being a good boy. I will not slide inside her tight walls. We need to clear the air first. But resisting the urge to do so is excruciatingly painful. She flips onto her stomach, raising her ass in the air, as she rides her fingers.

I grit out, “You are such a fucking tease, Rey.” My hand slides down her ass. Who am I kidding? There’s no way I’m gonna be able to just lie here and watch. “Okay, okay. You talked me into it.” I move closer, slipping my leg over hers, rubbing my hard cock against her ass. “You look so damn sexy chasing that bliss.”

I lean over, kissing down her spine, then back up to her neck again, before turning her face to the side so I can claim her mouth.

She stops moving. I watch as her eyes slowly open, hazy with lust and sleep. Her voice is thick when she says, “Holden? What? Go away.”

I need her to finish. I need her release. Freeing my cock, I rub it against the seam of her ass, and reach under her chin, taking hold of her throat. Her mouth falls open as I squeeze. I love that look on her face. Kissing her again, my tongue slides against hers in languid strokes. I moan as she gags for air, her nails biting into my forearm. I tilt her ass higher in the air, my other hand taking over for her, working her clit.

“I know you’re mad at us. Your mind is saying no, but this greedy pussy,mypussy, still wants me.” I give her a second to get some air before snatching it away again. “You’re lucky I didn’t bring a condom. You should thank me for not taking you raw, right now and pumping you full of my cum.”

She whimpers, trying to pull away from me.

“Iknow.I know how scared you are about that happening, which makes me want to do it, anyway.” I bite her neck, leaving a mark. “Soon, but not tonight.”

I rub her clit hard and fast, grinding against her ass as she rubs her pussy against my hand. “That’s it, Rey. Let go.”

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