Page 73 of Sinister Legacy
“My point,” Madison says, looking at me accusingly, “is that I have seen marked change in my friend this week, and it’s not a good one.”
Chewing, I shrug my shoulders and band my arm around Keira’s waist. “Why don’t you ask her yourself? She’s right here.”
A muscle twitches in Madison’s cheek. She looks at my girlfriend. “If you want to talk, I’m here.”
“That’s enough.” My voice is sharp enough that Madison’s spine snaps upright. “You should stay out of shit that doesn’t concern you.”
Madison shoves her plate out of the way before placing her elbows on the table and leaning in, her eyes fixed on mine. “You see, that’s the thing, Liam. Itdoesinvolve me. Keira is my friend.” She trains her eyes on Cassie. “And yours, but you don’t seem to care much lately.”
Cassie sneers at her, and when Keira shuffles off my lap while mumbling some excuse about needing the bathroom, Cassie palms my dick through my jeans beneath the table. “You only pretend to care, Madison. In reality, you’re nothing but a psycho bitch beneath that mask you wear.”
“Is that so?” Madison smirks, flicking her eyes to my lap hidden beneath the table. “I guess you and I define the word ‘bitch’ differently.”
I’m about to open my mouth when she scoots her chair back and walks off. Beneath the table, Cassie’s fingers come to my button.
I’m lying on my bed, surrounded by schoolbooks. Music plays in my ears while I try and fail to read the page in front of me. I have an exam later this week, but I can’t focus, no matter how hard I try. The concept of school seems so meaningless right now. My father’s execution is nearing, King is still in the hospital, one of his friends is missing, and Liam has shown his true colors.
Everything else is just noise.
At least I was finally allowed back home yesterday. I couldn’t have handled another day with Liam. If I never have to see him again, it won’t come soon enough.
Mom is at a dinner party with friends, and my stepdad is on a business call in the office. His voice drifts through my floorboards while I switch songs.
My phone lights up on the bed. I reach for it before sitting up and swiping the screen.
A text message waits for me.
Unknown number: It’s time to play a little game.
My eyes fly wide open, and I drop the phone as though it’s on fire. A video clip pops up on my screen. I click on it even though I know I shouldn’t. What I see has my hands flying to my mouth and my heart roaring in my ears.
Kit sits tied to a rickety, metal chair, wearing nothing but his black boxer shorts. It’s too dark to see where he is or to make out details. What I can see, clear as day, is a cloaked figure in a blood-red devil’s mask. He grips Kit’s hair before exposing his throat and putting a sharp, curved blade to it. “Play the game, Keira, and Kit gets to live.”
My fingers fly over the screen.
Keira: Don’t hurt him. What’s the game?
Unknown number: Walk downstairs to the kitchen. There, you’ll find more instructions.
Keira: How do you know I’m upstairs?
There’s no response. He leaves me on read, and precious seconds pass as I stare unblinkingly at the screen. It finally dims, bringing me back to the present moment.
Kit is alive.
Shooting out of bed and hurrying downstairs, I come to a tumbling halt in the kitchen when I see the items laid out neatly on the table. I take careful steps closer to the folded cloak with a red devil’s mask on top.
The phone vibrates in my clammy hand.
Unknown number: You have an important choice to make, Keira.
Keira: What choice?
My eyes flit up to the contents on the cream tablecloth. The mask is taunting me with its nefarious smile.
Unknown number: Before we get to that, let’s discuss the darkness in you. Have you ever fantasized about killing someone in cold blood the same way your father did?
A breath rushes out of me, and my hands shake so violently that I can barely hold the phone. I listen for sounds in the house, but it’s eerily silent except for a car passing by outside.
