Page 65 of The Devil We Know

Seamus leads the way, and the closer we get to the great hall, the louder the ruckus becomes. There’s shouting and some laughter, and general chaotic din of people intent on bloodshed.

Once we reach the doorway, the sound is almost deafening, but we only make it a few steps into the room before everything goes quiet, and then all we hear are whispers and the tittering of expectation.

I walk further into the room, but Seamus stops in front of me and says, “She should stay over here.”

I nod and turn to Jessica, who is already shaking her head. When she opens her mouth to argue, I interrupt, “Yes, sugar. This is the safest place for you. If somehow things go to complete shit before my friends have come for you, find Kaian or Seamus.”

She’s still shaking her head, and I see the panic in her eyes as she glances around the crowded room. I grip her face between my palms, forcing her to look at me as I say fervently, “You’re my answer. Don’t forget.”

She stares back at me, and I see that she’s fighting the panic, so I yank her closer, pressing my lips against hers firmly and then pulling back and saying, “Forgive me.”

Now, she frowns, continuing to shake her head as she processes my words, but I don’t give her time to ask any questions.

I turn, walking into the crowd, ready to fight.

28

Revelations

Jessica

I’m still standing there,contemplating Matt’s parting words, when I realize he has disappeared into the crowd.

Annoyed that I wasn’t quicker to question him, I step after him only to be blocked by Kaian. My hands come up, and I shove against his chest as I say, “Get out of my way.”

He raises his brows at me, shaking his head as he says calmly, “You know I can’t do that.”

I step back, crossing my arms over my chest as I scowl at him. “Yes, you can.”

He laughs and then sighs as he replies, “I have my orders. You’ll just have to deal with it.”

I huff in annoyance, contemplating giving him a hard time but knowing it’s pointless. I eye him, considering my next move, when finally, I say, “I just want to get closer so I can see.”

He nods, motioning for me to step back toward the wall. Then, he slowly leads me around until we’re standing off to the side of the stage. Poles and ropes have been added, so on three sides, it looks like a makeshift boxing ring, and I swallow down the bile in my throat at the implication of what’s about to come.

I turn to Kaian, leaning in and whispering, “How many do you think he’ll have to fight?”

He shrugs, his eyes on the stage as he replies, “Could be two. Could be two dozen. Hard to say.”

I frown, my stomach rolling at the idea that Matt may have to fight dozens of men. Then I ask, “Matt told me to forgive him. Do you know what that means?”

He turns his attention to me, his eyes blank as he shakes his head and says, “No fucking idea. And knowing Matt, it could mean anything.”

“Well, he’s your friend,” I reply exasperatedly. “Surely, you must have some clue.”

“Define friend,” Kaian retorts. “The only people who know Matt well are the men he’s known his whole life. Sure, he probably trusts me not to stab him in the back, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to make a habit of turning his back on me. That man has enough secrets to fill a vault. So, whatever it is, I’m going to find out the same time you do.”

I huff again, wishing there was a way for me to know what was going to happen. I step against the wall, leaning my back against the cold surface and turning my gaze back to the stage. Matt isjust stepping up there, where he turns in the middle of the ring, staring down at everyone surrounding him.

The crowd is in an uproar; what appears to be dozens upon dozens of angry men, obviously spoiling for a fight. Matt doesn’t seem bothered at all standing up there, looking relaxed with his hands in his fucking pockets.

I growl a little in my throat, and Kaian turns a questioning look on me, and I sputter, “You’d think that asshole was here as a spectator.”

Kaian chuckles, glancing back at Matt and then back to me as he says, “That’s called a lifetime of training his poker face.”

I gape at him and whisper-shout, “This isn’t fucking poker, Kaian.”

He shrugs, obviously not bothered by any of this, which makes me want to punch him in the face. I must be looking a certain way, standing there staring at him with my fists clenched, because he leans in closer and says, “You can hit me if it will make you feel better.”

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