Page 136 of Heartless Legacy

“I would never fu-” My mouth clamps shut, seconds before Holden slams his fit into it.

“What did you do the day Thea disappeared?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing.” Finn repeats. “Finally, an answer that makes sense. I guessnothingincludes not going to the lawyer’s office like you said you would.” He lashes out, dragging his blade across my side.

Holden looks at me with so much contempt. “You know how this works, Pax. You lie, you get punished.”

I haven’t lied. I haven’t answered any of their questions at all. Reading me like only he can, Holden says, “You lied when you said nothing. We know you went to the lawyer’s office that day. Did you forget we talked before you went up for your meeting?”

Yes, I forgot. I’ve intentionally blocked out the beginning of that day, not wanting to think about all the hope and promise it held, right up until the time my father waltzed into the conference room.

“I’ll ask again. What did you do the day Thea disappeared?”

My tongue feels thick, and I taste blood in the back of my throat. “Noth-thing.” I rasp out. “I didn’t doanything.”

Finn fists my hair, forcing my head back. He lets out a curse, then releases his grip. My head drops forward. “We’re not getting anywhere with him.”

Holden doesn’t seem to care. “Who did you see at the lawyer’s office?”

“The lawyer.”

“Whose lawyer?” He asks, ramming another fist into my stomach.

“Not my lawyer.” I mumble.

The next hit is directly across my temple. My head snaps around. Holden’s voice drifts in and out. I can barely make out his latest question. “Who else did you see that day?”

Who did I see? I saw the devil.

“Nem!” I twist my head, frantically trying to pull my arms free from the men holding me. “Nem!”

My body jerks around, but I can’t get free. Slowly, the grip of the nightmare recedes and my vision clears as I remember where I am. It’s not men holding me, it’s the chains wrapped around my wrists, suspending me from the ceiling. My toes barely touch the floor. And Thea’s not here. This isn’t Rockridge, although I’m in a similar kind of hell. I’m in the bunker under the watchful eyes of my friends who are torturing me for answers.

My chest and ribs ache with each breath I take. How long have I been out? How many days have I been here? One day is a day too long. I have to be free. I have to watch Thea to make sure he doesn’t get his hands on her.

“Welcome back.” Finn says, stepping from the shadows to my left. “Our preliminary round of questioning is over. Now we get to the good part.” He smiles up at me. “I’m very excited for this part, but Holden, he’s reluctant about subjecting you to it. He feels like this is taking away your free will or something, which is bonkers, considering he stalks Thea and slips into her bed, doing all kinds of freaky shit to her when she’s unconscious.” Finn shrugs. “But whatever. He’s worried about you. I guess your bond with him has always been stronger than the one we have.”

That’s not true, and I hate to think he believes that it is.

He says, “I used to be jealous of how close you were. I used to think I’d never fully belong and tried to figure out ways to make up for it. To show that I belonged next to the two of you.” He sighs. “I know my propensity for cutting people has made everyone wary of me. I know the high council thinks I’m a wild card and I’ve tried to rein it in.”

He looks pensive. Almost sad as he says it. Then his face brightens. “But you know what? You know who doesn’t flinch? Who never bats an eye at what I do? You know who totally accepts me?Thea. She doesn’t care that I’m a stab first, second, and third and ask questions, never kind of guy. She doesn’t carethat I break into her room or prowl around rooftops, following her. She doesn’t have to force herself not to move or be scared. Her first reaction isn’t fear. It’s never fear. It’s amusement. She likes me just the way I am, and that means I don’t need your approval anymore, Pax. I don’t need to fit in. I have her, so I. Don’t. Need.You.”

He’s never needed me and I never knew he felt like he had something to prove to me.

“I don’t even give a shit about whatever secrets and plans to rule your fucked up little kingdom you and Eloise have. I just need to make sure they don’t include hurting my girl.” He pats my cheek with the flat end of his blade.

“I- I would never hurt. Thea.”

“You’ve said that before, and yet you’re prancing around campus with Eloise. The person whose sole existence in her miserable life is finding ways to hurt her, either directly or indirectly. You betrayed us, your Trium, for Thea’s number one rival.”

I turn my head to the right, bringing Holden into focus. Once again, he’s sitting on the floor, his back to the wall. My gaze bounces between him and Finn. “Guys, you gotta know I never wanted it to be like this. I never meant to betray you, but, but things happened. I didn’t have a choice.”

Finn taps my cheek with his blade again. “We always have a choice.” This time, he jabs the needle straight into my neck. “And you chose this.”

We’ve moved on to another level of questioning. Finn douses me with water after placing electrodes on my exposed chest. I don’t dare look at it. I’m sure it’s a mottled mixture of cuts and bruises. The nerve blocker is wearing off, and there’s a tightness in my chest and side. I’m pretty sure Holden cracked a rib.

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