Page 57 of Rebellion of a Kingdom

The corner of Lincs mouth tips up. “If you didn’t do it, I would have.” Even with the ghost of a smile tugging at his features, I can still hear the seriousness of that threat.

She smiles big at him. “That's why you're my favorite.” She pushes away from Jace and links her arm with Lincoln instead.

“Ouch, Queenie,” Jace says at the same time as I say, “What about me?”

She just laughs and they both turn and walk away. I look to Jace and he shrugs and moves to follow them. I turn and look at Cherry. She is crying in a ball on the floor, and I feel zero sympathy for her.

I use my foot to roll her on her back, and then bend down as she looks up at me. “Come for my family again and I’ll finish what she started. Are we clear?”

She nods, and, feeling semi-satisfied, I get up. Cherry may have been just another fucking pawn in the Donovan’s weaponry, but she took it too far. Her mistakes need to be paid for. Elle may have started it, but I’m not afraid to finish it if I have to.

I turn and head off into school, leaving her in the dirt where she belongs.

Chapter 34

ELLE

Considering how the week back at school started, the rest of it has been quiet in comparison. I haven’t seen Cherry since I delivered my less than obvious message on Monday, and I have no doubt the Donovan’s are aware of my return to school. I’m still awaiting their retaliation. Not for what I did to Cherry, I know they don’t give two fucks about her or her wellbeing, nobody does. She’s lucky she landed the role of spy and not ‘whore for sale’. No, I await retribution for all my other crimes. The ones I haven’t stopped committing against them ever since I got back to town.

I am simply waiting. I know they’ll be planning something, it’s not like they will have suddenly grown morals and decide to let me be. That was never going to happen. I know too much, have done too much. The price they will want me to pay is astronomical, which is why I have to fight harder than ever. If they get me again, I won’t survive.

I know they’ll be pissed that we got into the estate and got Cassie back. Well, at least Elliot will be. Greg probably got off on it. He thinks we are playing a game of cat and mouse, just toying with each other until I’m his again. That’s just how his sick, twisted mind works. But I’m not playing, not anymore. I want their deaths and nothing less, which is why, while they continue to hold back, I’m pushing on. Dr. Atkins was an unplanned but welcomed mission. Yes, he was a name on my list, but I hadn’t decided when or how to deal with him, not until he went after Taylor. I can’t help but worry about her, she spent most of Saturday at the house with me and the guys, even though I refused to answer most of her questions. It was nice to just have a friend, one that isn’t tainted by my crimes. I’ve had Owen, one of Max’s guys, keeping an eye on her all week, he hasn’t reported anything unusual.

We’re attempting to cover all our bases, but that still leaves Carter Fitzgerald as my biggest issue. As far as we know, he is still holding Rebecca O’Sullivan somewhere and we need to get her back. If we get her, then we get the Hallowed Crows on our side and the balance of power in our war against the Donovan’s, will tilt in our favor. I’m slowly taking their world apart piece by piece and I won’t stop until there is nothing left.

Max has Elijah tracking Carter’s every move. He spends his weekdays at the Mayoral offices and his weeknights at numerous restaurants across town. Saturdays are spent at the golf club, and Sundays at Church. Yet, it’s his evening weekend activities that interest me most. He spends every Friday night at the warehouse on the corner of Middleton and 5th. Lincoln and I followed my father there once, or we tried to, but were interrupted. We have since learned that it’s a very exclusive club called ‘Crimson’, whose members have, what you would call extremely specific tastes. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out what that means, when their members include the Donovan’s, Carter Fitzgerald, and my father.

We have managed to dig up enough information to know that there are three levels. First floor is a nightclub, where members can drink, and watch beautiful young men and women dance on poles and in cages. Top floor is a BDSM club, where members can explore the life of dominants and submissives, and then there is the basement. We don’t have any information on what happens down there, but I think we all can guess just how fucked up it will be.

Unsurprisingly, Mayor Fitzgerald is a remarkably busy man, constantly surrounded by people and yet, not once has anyone laid eyes on Rebecca, until now. I’m sitting on the back patio with Marcus, Linc, Jace, and Asher when Max and Elijah come out, with Zack not too far behind. As soon as I see their expressions, I know something is up. I’m immediately grateful that Cassie is already in bed.

“We got her. She’s on the move with Fitz, destination unknown at present.” Elijah starts and then he looks at Max, before concentrating on me, “but it’s Friday.” He doesn’t have to say anything for me to catch his meaning. We know where he spends his Fridays. Fucking Crimson.

“How do we know it’s her?” I ask them, concentrating on Max.

“Seb IDed her from her picture. It’s definitely Rebecca O’Sullivan.” he confirms and my stomach flips in excitement. She’s alive. For now.

“Well, come on, let’s go.” Ash stands without hesitating; he’s been so on edge about Rebecca. It’s easy to look past all the girls being hurt by his father and brother when they are lost in a sea of nameless faces, but when you can put a face and a name to it, it becomes real. He sees her as me, imprisoned against her will and probably being broken beyond repair.

My frown is instant, we haven’t yet been able to find a way into the club, short of becoming a member, so we don’t really have a plan. “How are we going to get in?”

Ash just smirks that deadly Donovan smile, “through the front door, they’ll let me in.” He’s that confident in his name, and in this town, I can’t say I blame him. He doesn’t wait for my response before he pushes past Max and heads inside. Max just shakes his head but follows after him anyway. Well, alright then, looks like we are going out.

It isn’t long before we are armed to the teeth and spread across two black Escalades as we speed toward Black Hallows. Seb has since confirmed that the club is where they headed, and they have been inside for around ten minutes. Already too long if you ask me, especially considering that even with the speed we are going we still aren’t close.

Twenty minutes later, we arrive. I exit the car with Asher, Marcus, Jace and Linc. Leaving Max and his guys to check out other entrances as we move towards the front door. It opens easily and when we step inside, we find an elegant lobby area. There is black satin covering the walls, a large black gloss desk and a plush rail of black material. We agreed on our way over that Ash would do the talking and I would act as if I were there as his party favor. Leaving Marcus and the guys to act as Asher’s security. The guard eyes us immediately.

“Members only.” He states before any of us even have a chance to speak. Not shocking considering we don’t exactly look like their usual clientele.

“Asher Donovan.” Ash responds and I see the recognition in the guard’s eyes at his name. He flicks his eyes down to his tablet and taps away before looking back to him.

“Sorry sir, but I only have two Donovan members registered and you aren’t one of them.” I hold in my eye roll. Just as his hand goes to his ear as if he is about to communicate with someone, something flashes past me. I don’t even get to recognize what it is before Lincoln has the guard unconscious on the floor.

Speechless, we all stare at him, but he just shrugs. “What? He clearly wasn’t going to let us in.” I mean what can we say, he’s right.

He picks up the guy’s tablet and taps away on it as Asher swipes some black cards from the desk. I look at the rail and realize that the black material that I thought made up the wall, is actually a row of cloaks. Fucking rich people shit, like this is just some kind of fucking rapist get together, complete with uniform. It disgusts me, but I’m not stupid, putting the guard down is bad enough, we need to blend in. I grab one for each of us, then pass them out to the guys who shrug them on without question.

Ash uses the black card to swipe us through the first set of double doors and as soon as they open, the pounding of music greets us. We enter right into the nightclub, the music is blaring, the lights are flashing and there are people dancing everywhere. There is a stage in the center of the room that has multiple cages on it, all filled with naked women dancing along to the music. To anyone else, it would look like they are having the time of their life, but the dead, vacant look in their eyes tells me otherwise. Fuck this is worse that I imagined, and I know this floor isn’t even the worst of it.

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