Page 62 of Hayes
“Job? What job? What are you talking about?” I ask, looking from Titus to Hayes as I yank one of the discarded towels over my body.
Hayes is standing stark naked in the doorway, looking at Titus. He no longer has eyes for me.
“Thank you. I did my job as promised,” Hayes says.
What the fuck?
My eyes burn into the side of Hayes’s head, but no matter how I stare, he won’t look at me.
“Hayes? What is Titus talking about?” my voice trembles.
I know—deep down, I know. But I can’t accept the crazy thoughts spinning in my head. I must be wrong. There has to be an easy explanation for all of this. My world can’t be crumbling apart right now.
“I’m so sorry, Lilith. I’m so fucking sorry for everything you had to endure, but I had no choice. You’re the right woman for the job, and you had to go through a trial,” Titus says.
My head snaps in his direction as I narrow my eyes. I replay his words in my head, but they don’t make any sense. What is he talking about?
Titus takes a step toward me with his warm brown eyes, thick black hair, and kind smile.
I scramble to the top of the bed and scrunch my knees up to my chest, like prey cornered by a predator.
Titus stops when he sees the fear in my eyes.
“I’m sorry, I know you fear me. After everything you’ve endured, you have every right to. But I’m hoping with time, you’ll learn to trust me, like me, and maybe eventually love me.”
I shake my head. “If you want any of those things, you’ll walk out the door right now and let Hayes and I talk.”
Titus sighs as he looks to Hayes. “Do you want to explain or shall I?”
Hayes looks at me briefly out of the corner of his eyes. “You better do it.”
My mouth falls. Hayes won’t even talk to me.
“Hayes is the best we have in the Retribution Kings, the absolute best. And I trust him with my life,” Titus begins.
Hayes leans against the doorframe, looking bored with this conversation. If he’s feeling anything else, I can’t tell. So I turn to Titus, hoping to make some sense out of this.
“When I selected you, Lilith, I knew the rest of the Retribution Kings would want proof that you were the right choice. You would need to be tested. Your true loyalties would need to be revealed, especially after what happened to your father. They would want proof that you weren’t working with one of our enemies.”
What did Hayes tell him?
I glare at Hayes, but he still won’t look at me.
“And what did you find out, Hayes?” Titus asks.
“Lilith is loyal. She isn’t working for an enemy. She only cares about getting revenge for her father’s death,” Hayes answers.
While shooting daggers in Hayes’s direction, I grind my teeth together so hard I’m pretty sure I broke one. He won’t answer any of my questions, but he’ll answer Titus. Really?
I turn back to Titus, feeling the need to clarify my goals.
“I want revenge for my father. I want to take down the entire Retribution Kings for what happened to him. And since you’re the head of the Retribution Kings, that makes me the opposite of loyal.”
Titus chuckles. “You are a fiery one, just as Hayes said.”
I hold my gaze on Titus, glaring at him with everything I have. Hopefully, there’s a weapon nearby to threaten him with.
“I’m sorry Hayes had to seduce you and fuck you in order to get the information from you. We had to be sure you were telling the truth. But I’m sure fucking Hayes wasn’t a hardship. I’ve heard he’s a great lover.”
