Page 55 of Fragile Facade
“Fuck you, Remi.” It’s definitely not because I got banged into oblivion last night, and it’s certainly not because I’m the caring type, so I have no idea why I offered. I’m all messed up, so I leave him to it, pick up my pace so I can’t turn around, and ball my fists before pushing open the con room door.
Everyone is just standing around listening to Kyd tell a story, but I watch all their heads turn in my direction when I close the door. Riot’s eyes most of all. I can practically feel his smug grin as I avoid looking at him, choosing to lock eyes with Monster instead. He stares back at me with a blank face, so I look at everyone else.
“What?”
Riot laughs, but Kyd breaks the tension. “Lil Baby Ghosty, I was just telling the boys about the progression of my love match with the good doctor. Basically, he’s having a really hard time resisting me, just like that psychic said he would. So, what do you think? Should I ask him out?”
“You haven’t already?”
“Not in so many words. I’m trying to be subtle.”
“Not a subtle bone in your body, Kyd.” Glitch laughs. “Pretty sure you asked him out when you held a knife to his femoral.”
Kyd sighs dreamily. “Yeah. Good times. I already wrote that part of our story.”
Since I don’t want Riot to think I’m being a chicken, I look right at him, daring him to say something. Knowing him, he’ll ask me how my ass is in front of all the guys, and then I’ll have to fight him just to keep my ego happy. But he doesn’t say anything. He bites his lip before running his tongue over it, eyes moving up and down my body. My fists ball harder, but my stomach flutters, too. Fuck, I don’t like that he has the ability to influence my physical reactions now. Maybe he always has… but not like this. Before, he riled me in a way that brought a challenge and a level of rage that felt motivating.
Now he riles me in a way that brings a challenge with the prospect of pleasure, and that pisses me off.A goddamn flutter?God…
The door bangs open. Director walks in, clearly in a mood, and I roll my eyes at the predictability of what’s about to happen next. Fucking rank. I’m about to get grounded by Daddy. I turn my back to him, but he won’t let me get away with it.
“Can’t even face your mistakes, can you?” Director snaps at my back. “Line the fuck up.”
My teeth clench hard enough to pop my jaw, but it brings me a level of pride to go stand in second position. I’ll probably lose it today, like Riot said, but whatever. It’s mine for now and I’ll hold it as long as I can. Because humiliation is eating me alive now that he’s confirmed that I’m being a coward by avoiding my mistakes. Yeah, I got the kid killed and that wasn’t the job, but fuck him. My needs were more important in the moment, and he should know me well enough by now to understand how selfish I am. Not my fault he tries to put me in a box I don’t belong in.
In the rank line, I shove my hands into my pants pockets like I have no shits to give. Seven nudges me to ask if I’m alright, but I shrug him off without a word. I’m sure he’s about to find out what happened, and I’m banking on Monster still being mute so he can’t shout about what I did with Riot. Still can’t believe I did that. Let him fuck me.
I was so convinced I won that round because I got exactly what I wanted, but as I lay in bed all morning, it got all churned up in my head. Because he accused me of begging.
Did I?
Not verbally, but maybe… no. Fuck that. I didn’t do shit other than push all his buttons and get him to crack. He’s the one who admitted how he felt by snapping Brady’s neck and taking what he wanted. He’s the one who kissed me. He’s the one who has wanted this for as long as we’ve been feuding, and he’s the one who took it to the final level.
Wordlessly, Director paces our line. He rubs at his temples, clearly sick of our bullshit, building the moment until he’s ready to snap. He doesn’t often lash out at us publicly, but we’re a bunch of degenerates with personality disorders who thrive on our egos and let embarrassment control us, so it’s in his best interest to humiliate us in front of one another. A lesson he learned a long time ago and hasn’t stopped utilizing since he first started offering up the rank line as an incentive to outdo each other.
Still looking at the floor, his arm snaps out and he points at Kyd. “You find your lion?”
He gasps and presses a hand to his chest in mock outrage. “Fabrizio is an ally. He helped us take down Reaper Corp that night. I leave steaks out for him. Only the best cuts.”
Director groans. His arm moves to point at Glitch. “You get the cameras at Misfit Hall back up and running?”
“Yeah, but Lockan keeps taking them down.”
Director groans again. “Fix it.” He points at Seven. “You have a plan for new initiates once we do the early Initiation Night?”
From beside me, at the head of the line, Seven says, “Training plans, yeah, but no plans for what to do with the existing initiates. The ones who have made it this far are set to move into the dorms soon, but none of them want to live with new initiates and have their identities revealed yet. We need a new house. Somewhere to put the new ones temporarily.”
“New ones can live at their houses like all new initiates do, can’t they?” Director asks.
“Yeah, most of them. But a lot of families have young kids, and people are trying to put separation between kids and danger, so there’s already an interest in a new boarding house.”
“Hallows house,” Riot offers, looking at his brother. “No point in it just sitting there empty. Use it.”
“Yeah?” Seven asks, looking at Krypt for his approval.
Everything that lives inside Krypt’s eyes rebels as he thinks about that house, but he blinks it away and nods at Seven.
“Make it happen. New recruits can move into the Hallows’ house if they need a place, and our loyal initiates can use the dorms here.” Director sighs and takes a few steps down the line. Pointing at Facts, he asks, “Security checkpoints set up for the music festival?”
