Page 28 of Smoke the Enemy

“I can tell you the connection right now.” I tilt my head toward my brother and he glances at me. “It’sournursing home. Every resident who lives there is a relative or part of The Illicit. The nurse, Mary Anne, is also the school counselor’s sister,” I tell them. I start to ask Lee if he fucked both of them. “Their parents are part of The Illicit. Not founding families like us, but they’re still members.”

Steffan twirls his phone is in hand, his eyes narrowed, thinking, “We need information from Dad about this nurse then. I’ll let Dad know that this seems more personal than we had thought. We all need to be on high alert.”

Everyone goes silent, each of us concentrating on our own tasks. I missed this while I was gone last year. Murder, carnage, and mystery.

“Boys. Dinner is ready.” Mom knocks on our door wearing her expensive designer dress and an apron. “I made cobbler.” Just another day in the life of The Illicit.

I turn to Lee with a smirk on my lips. “So I hope Bailee likes cherry cobbler.”

Mississippi

Taylor

I cannot even look at food right now. All I can envision is the descriptive way the news has been talking about the Angel Maker murders. My stomach has been in knots, and I have shivers that won’t go away. How can someone be so evil? What would anyone gain from senselessly murdering a nurse from a nursing home? I chose to dedicate a lot of time to volunteering at the nursing home in Blue Rose, so this hits me hard.

If it hadn’t been for Kali arriving the day after and spending a few days with us, I wouldn’t have left my room for the rest of winter break. Everything I hear about the nursing home case just hits too close to home. My parents found out and they’re questioning if I should even return to campus for the spring semester. Honestly, I’m wondering the same thing. I guess if the psycho is traveling to different parts of Alabama, then maybe they’re off campus for good?

Glancing at my open suitcase gives me no motivation to make any changes. I’m not ready for the break to be over, then at the same time I am. Being back at home is suffocating, and avoiding Alex has been a constant struggle. For the few days that Kali was here, he kept a distance, but once she left he’s been after me like a dog in heat. I don’t know how many more times I can say no when he asks me to have coffee with him before the mother hens in the parish decide I’m not a good Christian. My own mother has already turned against me. She just thinks he’s the most precious boy…if only she knew about his penchant for knives and blood. My parents would never believe me. Alex has made it certain no one would ever question him.

I haven’t seen or heard from Soren or Steffan since Christmas. If Soren hadn’t snuck into the back of the church that day, I might have thought he was the Angel Maker. Sometimes I go crazy thinking if I really did see him or not. Maybe I wanted him there so bad that I manifested his image on my own. I told this to Kali and she laughed and told me all the right things.He was probably there. He’s always been sort of stalkerish that way.And he has, so why does it feel so wrong that he was here? What business did he have in my hometown that warranted a visit? Surely, it’s not just for me.

“Taylor! It’s time for dinner!” My mom calls again for me and my stomach pitches. Ugh, she made lasagna.

I throw a pile of clothes in the suitcase and raise my brow as if I expect the luggage to talk back to me and call my bluff. Am I going back? Am I staying here? Blonde hair and two sets of blue eyes flash in my mind. Those damn boys. I want to not care. I gave so much of myself already, and I still feel foolish for not knowing all their secrets. Alex has hinted many times that I don’t know them, and I hate that he is right. Steffan and Soren may know my body, but I know nothing about their souls. Do they even have hearts?

“How can you trust them when you just met them?” Alex asks, his lip ticking slightly. He’s trying to keep a calm façade in front of everyone. It feels like being around him used to.

“I don’t trust them,” I tell him truthfully, “That doesn’t mean I trust you again either.”

Alex smirks, his finger runs over my cheek and down my neck, leaving a heated trail in its wake. “You can trust me. You can also trust that I’ll wait for you always, precious.”

“I don’t want you to wait for me, Alex,” I plead with him, “You need to let me go and we both need to move on.”

“So you admit you’re still not over me.”

I release a defeated sigh. “You were my first crush, boyfriend, and serious relationship. As much as I want to, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget you, but I am moving forward. You should as well.” Despite everything, I still find him ridiculously handsome and charming. Alex has always had charisma, but that’s how he traps you. I can’t fall for it. Not again.

“I’ll wait for you as long as it takes.”

“Is this why you’re joining the Brotherhood? All of this for a high school relationship? Do you hear how crazy that sounds?”

Alex scoffs. “We’re more than a high school fling. I’ll do more than join. It’s my birthright to rule the Brotherhood — and they’re more than a college frat. Everything is a façade. What’s crazy is how you’ve been so preoccupied with those two identical heathens you don’t see all this. It’s a miracle you haven’t been hurt.” He releases a dark chuckle. “This person is going around killing everyone around you. I’m sure he or she has been watching you closely. And I know how your mind works…” He leans closer to me and whispers, “it’s not me.”

I still struggle to believe he’s innocent. Either way, I try one more time to ask him to let me go. He scares me more than anyone else because at one time I did love him, and I know there’s still a chance he could lure me back. Against all reasoning and sanity, he has that much power over me. Walking away from him is like walking away from my parents, hometown, and all that is familiar and attached to me. Alex’s greatest weapon is his charm. He could smooth talk Satan into sainthood.

“Alex, please leave me and everyone around me alone.”

“You’re my other half, Taylor, I’ll never be able to leave you alone. You have my tie.”

“I’ll burn the damn thing then,” I snap.

My tone shocks him enough that his boy-next-door mask slips. The real Alex surfaces. The one full of anger with a desperate need to inflict pain. “Do it. But you’re still mine. Burn it, chop it up, wipe your ass with it, you can do whatever you please because it’s yours now and… You. Are. Mine.”

And with that, he stalks off.

I shudder against the memory of his words. The smoldering in his eyes and the possessive tone of his words make my stomach swirl. I think the worst part of this is that I’m attracted to all of them. I’ve given myself to Soren and Steffan, and I have a history with Alex. While that history terrifies me, it wasn’t all bad, and it’s when I think of those times that I truly get confused. Why am I attracted to insane?Probably something I need to unpack with a therapist present.

When I return to my room after dinner, I find a small, square black box, sitting on my bed. I look around like the answer to where this box came from will pop out at me. “Mom?” I call out into the hallway.

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