Page 79 of The Vipers' Vow

I glance at the pill bottle. “I won’t take them.”

“You’ll have no choice,” Angelica says. “We’re going to tie you up, put you in the bath, cut your wrists and stuff these things down your fucking fat neck, whether you help or not. It will look like you killed yourself in the bath here, and even better, Saint will have to be with me, or we’ll destroy any chance he has at a future. Two dead girls in his life? Come on. I can make it look like he did it, or … I can tell everyone how sad you were about your sister, your mother, and how you told me you didn’t want to live. You doing this will give me Saint. So, I suppose I should thank you.”

My stomach churns and sweat beads across my forehead. She’s insane, and so is Jarena. I glance again at the door. I have to do something, so I walk slowly toward the table, where a heavy, porcelain milk jug sits. I had thought about how nice it would look with flowers in it, but now I think how nice it will look smashing Angelica’s skull.

Still, Jarena first. She’s the one holding the knife. I lean my hands on the table and look at Angelica. “You need to know that Saint really loves my big, fat, tits, and he’s not going to appreciate a lifetime of your B cups. I can recommend a great surgeon for you to have them improved, if you like.”

“You fucking bitch,” she explodes, the way I hoped she would. She throws a chair to one side and comes at me around the table.

Jarena turns her way, watching with wide, excited, almost manic eyes, and I take that moment, that split second opportunity, to raise the milk jug. With a scream of fury, I swing it at the side of Jarena’s head.

She reacts instinctively and jerks away, so it mostly misses, glancing off her cheekbone, but she lets out a screech of pain and fury, and lashes out at me with the knife.

“You bitch!” Jarena screams, her face bloodied from the gash the jug has caused.

I’ve still got the jug in one hand, and I’m aware of Angelica coming at me from behind. Her shock at me hitting her friend had her pausing for only a second. I swing again, this time putting my whole body into it as I spin on my heels.

The jug shatters this time, connecting with Angelica’s shoulder. I hear something else crack, and I’m pretty sure it’s not porcelain.

Angelica flies sideways and hits the floor. The shriek of agony coming from her mouth is deafening, and she clutches her broken clavicle, wailing and rocking with the pain.

Something white and hot slices into my back, and I whirl to face Jarena, waving the glinting blade at me. She’s still got a knife, and all I have in my hand is a jug handle. But growing up in an MC meant I learned to defend myself from an early age.

Hot wetness on my back from where she cut me fills me with panic, but I don’t think it’s too deep.

She lunges again, and this time I block her, raising the arm still holding the jug handle to smack underneath the hand that’s holding the knife. It flies from her grip. Then I take a step in and punch her in the stomach hard enough to wind her. She sucks in a strangled breath and folds in half.

“That was for my sister, bitch,” I spit at her.

I drop the jug handle and run for it. I pull open the door and escape outside. It’s getting dark now, and I turn, expecting to see Faith, but there’s no one here. I don’t wait for her to show herself and instead run blindly into the woods.

I glance over my shoulder to check if I’m being followed and slam into something hard and big. I scream and my hands come up, clawed in self-defense, as I scratch with all my might.

“Vani,” a familiar voice says. “Hey, Vani, it’s me. Stop.”

Lex?

“Where are they?” a deep voice commands.

I turn to see Jarl standing beside him.

Behind him is Saint, Zane, and … Faith. Her eyes are red rimmed, and she sniffs as she looks away from me, unable to hold my gaze.

“Faith came to find us,” Lex says. “She’s told us everything.”

“In return for her honesty, she will not have to come with me.” Jarl shoots Faith a glance. “She will be leaving the college, though, and her parents are aware of what she’s done. The war she almost started.”

I shake my head, frantic. “Faith didn’t do it. It was Angelica and Jarena. They confessed.”

Faith sniffs, her chin trembling. “I didn’t stop them. I’ve been a coward, and it ends now.”

Angelica runs out of the building clutching her broken clavicle, and the minute she sees Jarl, she halts. Her eyes widen. Her face pales. Her mouth drops open, and she simply stares for a beat then tries to run. The stupid girl tries to flee. Jarl and two of his men take off after her and they have her on the ground and cuffed within moments. Considering her broken bone, she must be in agony, but I have no sympathy for her.

Jarl leaves her with his men and goes inside the mansion. He returns a few minutes later with Jarena, also in cuffs. Her cheek is bleeding, and a huge bruise is developing. She’s going to be a mess.

I don’t feel guilty. These girls would have killed me. The reality of it hits, and I start to shake. I’m cold, and my teeth are chattering. My back is wet with blood, but I don’t think any of the guys have noticed I’m hurt yet. Good. I don’t want or need their attention right now. I need to get my head straight.

“You won’t be seeing these two again,” Jarl says heavily. “They won’t cause any more trouble.”

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