Page 118 of Kingdom of Chaos
“It wasn’t like that,” I say, but even I can hear how weak it sounds.
Becks lets out a hollow laugh. “You know what the worst part is? I knew something was happening between you two. I felt it. And when you lied and told me there was nothing going on, I silenced that voice inside because I didn’t want to believe that there was.”
“Nothing happened before today,” I say quickly. “You have to know that. I didn’t mean to hurt you?—”
“Yeah, well, you did.”
The words land like a slap. He shakes his head, looking away again.
“I thought I mattered to you.”
“You do,” I say, stepping closer. “You’ve always mattered to me, Becks. You’re?—”
“Not enough,” he cuts in, the words soft but brutal. “At least not anymore.”
We stand there in silence for a few seconds. Me still catching my breath, him trying to hold himself together.
“So . . . what?” he finally asks, quieter now. “Are you choosing him?”
I open my mouth, but no words come out. Because the truth is I don’t know yet.
And maybe that silence is all the answer he needs.
He nods slowly, lips pressed in a tight line. “Got it.”
Then he turns and walks away. This time, I don’t chase him.
After Becks leaves,I can’t bring myself to go back to the warehouse and face Talon. What happened between us was amazing, but it also unearthed things I’m not sure I’m ready to deal with, and now I’m completely overwhelmed by the fallout.
So I walk.
Brooklyn buzzes around me as I keep my head down, weaving through streets I barely register until the city starts to quiet and the river comes into view. I follow the path along the edge, the water dark and choppy beside me. It probably isn’t smart to be out here alone, not with everything going on, but right now I need space more than safety. I need to breathe.
The wind stings my face. The world feels too loud and too still at the same time.
Then my phone rings.
I pull it from my pocket, expecting a message from Talon—or maybe Becks—but it’s neither. It’s Titus, and for some reason my stomach twists before I even answer.
“Hello?”
Titus’ voice is sharp. Panicked. “Locklyn. It’s Ensley. She’s gone. Someone took her.”
My heart stops.
“What do you mean she’sgone?” I ask, my voice shrill. “Gone where?” I’m already turning back the way I came, legs moving on instinct.
“We were scoping out the park and we were jumped. We fought, but there were just too many of them.”
“Tell me everything. Who took her? When did this happen?”
Not Ensley. Anyone but Ensley.
My pulse pounds in my ears, drowning out everything but the voice on the other end of the line. I can barely keep up as the words pour out. Something about more than a dozen attackers. All creatures. They’d ambushed them. Surrounded them. Titus fought back, but they managed to split him from Ensley. By the time he’d taken down enough of them, she was gone.
“Where are you now?” I ask.
“I’m still in the park. I can send you a pin.”
