Page 10 of Evil Villain (The Royal Court)

“He’s got insane intuition, that one. He might be able to sense that you need a buddy. Just kick him out if he gets on your nerves. Sleep as long as you like. Garrett has a few people he wants to come by and lay eyes on ya just in case, but I told them to come slowly starting tomorrow so that you have some time to recoup. If you need anything, just let me know.”

“I will. Thanks, Felicity,” I replied.

She gave me one final smile, then left, pulling the door closed as she went.

I had no frame of reference for what time it was when I went to sleep other than the fact that the sun was up, which it was not when I woke up. Concrete was no longer in the room, so he must have gotten bored with me and barked or scratched until Felicity let him out. When my eyes finally adjusted to the dark, I could see there was a wrapped sandwich, bag of chips, and a bottle of water sitting on the dresser, and I smiled.

I was supposed to be looking for Connor, but I would enjoy being in a warm, comfortable home while I could.

Felicity had downplayed the number of people Venom wanted to meet me just a bit. Over the course of a few days, about ten different people came to meet me and assure me that, so long as I was at Felicity’s house, Connor Loche wouldn’t be able to touch me. Different rotations of the people stuck around the house at any given time, either watching the house from the outside, or sitting inside with us, enjoying a meal and conversation.

“Thank you for doing this,” I told one of the last ones I saw before going to bed one night.

“No need to thank me,” he said. “Venom’s been good to me. I’d do anything for his kid.”

His kid.

Hopefully I’d be able to look Connor in his eyes one day soon and tell him that someone was doing the job he was supposed to do, leagues better than he had done it.

And then I’d end his life.

4

Cherri

There was a knock on my door followed by it opening and Sicily poking his head in. “Mornin’!”

“Good morning,” I replied. “How’d you sleep?”

Sicily walked in, shutting the door behind him, and found a place to sit cross-legged on the floor despite the number of chairs around the room. “Are you kiddin’ me? This place is like a hotel compared to my place. Don’t get me wrong, I love my family, but a king-size bed all to myself in a sound-proof room is a massive step up from my brother’s hand-me-down full with half the springs broken and no screaming kids running around. I’m in heaven.”

“Well good. I’m glad I have you here. I’d feel uncomfortable otherwise.”

“Why is that?” Sicily asked. “You’ve been friends with them much longer than you’ve been friends with me.”

“I think it’s because I’m not the person I was when I was with them. I put on a front, one I started to believe by the end of it, but that wasn’t who I really am. When Deon showed up, I started to remember my old self and then this whole time I’ve been friends with you, it’s been as myself. I mean, I know I lost it for a little bit there, but when we weren’t at school and just hanging out, all of that was the real me. In a weird way, I feel like our friendship is built on something much more solid than my friendship with any of them was built on. Even Avery.”

“Yeah, you’re nuts about Avery though. I can see it,” Sicily replied. “You just gotta show ‘em more ofthisyou, then. That’s all. Avery’s so over the moon that you’re back that she wouldn’t give a rip regardless. Hey, if Sicily can learn to love ya as you are, so can they.”

“Hanging up hacking for psychology?” I joked.

He let out his gruff, raspy chuckle. “Nah, but I’ll tell it like it is to a friend.” He stood up and tapped my leg. “Come on. They’re all downstairs havin’ breakfast. Time to introduce them to the real Cherri.”

With Sicily feeling so confident, I started to feel better myself and stood up off the bed. He led the way back out of the bedroom and down the stairs to where the entire Royal Court, apart from Brayden, was gathered eating from breakfast platters laid family-style in the middle of a kitchen island surrounded by stools that they were sitting on. There were a few remaining stools and Sicily and I walked in and sat down.

“Good morning,” Avery said to me brightly. “How’d you sleep?”

“Not bad,” I replied. “I don’t sleep well in general, but it was really comfortable. I think I’ll sleep better once we’ve found and talked to Brayden.”

“I know where he is,” Kyle said. “It’s going to be a bit of an ambush, but as long as I can get in there and talk, I should be able to get to him.”

“Okay, I trust you. When we get there, I’ll leave it up to you,” I said.

“Did you guys know that Cherri has a potty mouth?” Sicily said suddenly.

I looked over at him. “What are you doing?”

“And shelovestrash talk. I’ll tell you something, when you get a few drinks in this girl and wind her up, she’ll tell you all the worst things about yourself and then laugh about it.” He chuckled. “She nearly convinced me to shave my entire beard once.”

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