I brushed my thumb carefully along the back of her arm, hoping like hell she understood what I couldn’t say out loud. She didn’t look my way as we stepped through the doors of The Order, nor did she flinch. So I was taking that as a good sign.
Our footsteps resounded along the stark white hallway as we headed to the double doors that would take us deeper into this nest. The nest…that’s what the sons called it and the name was fitting.
Festering, slithering, vile fucking creatures dwelled within these walls.
I should know, I pretended to be one of them.
A careful glance Vivienne’s way and I saw the color drain from her face as Riven opened the door and motioned for her to enter. Just keep it together for a little while longer, wildcat. I urged her in my head. Then we’ll leave this place and never come back.
Images of her and Colt from this morning slipped into my head. As much as I wanted to relive those moments, I pushed them aside. I couldn’t afford to think about her like that, not here, not now. I couldn’t let them see this as anything more than a transaction.
They had my money.
All I needed was a signature and we’d be done.
One fucking signature and I’d have her out of here.
And King’s daughter would be mine.
No, she’d be ours.
The thought filled me. I reached into my jacket and pulled out the contract. Riven flinched as he stared at the folded paper in my hand, then looked away. I didn’t like that. No, I didn’t like that at all. But before I could push him, the heavy thud of footsteps drew his gaze.
There was that flinch again. Only this time, it came with a curl of his lip. “Ashwood,” his voice was tense. “You were supposed to be on patrol.”
I glanced toward Hale’s new head of security as he headed our way. At six-foot-seven, he was a mountain of raw menace. I guessed Hale wasn’t taking any chances after his last commander was found dead in a ditch not far from the building on the same night I’d taken Vivienne. Whatever had come Tig’s way, he’d deserved it. But this…Ashwood, didn’t look at me, just focused on Vivienne. “Mr. Hale asked me to take charge of the transition.”
Did he just?
That curl in Riven’s lip twisted tighter. There was something happening here, some kind of shift in power I hadn’t seen before. But I saw it now and I didn’t like it one fucking bit.
“The interview is normally led—” Riven started.
“The word normal doesn’t apply here anymore.” Ashwood stepped to the side, and didn’t bother to look away from Vivienne. “Inside, Vivienne.”
I didn’t like the way he stared at her, didn’t like the way he used her fucking name, either. It was more than jealousy that burned inside me as she glanced my way, desperation blooming in her eyes.
I’d come because I knew the players, because I knew exactly where I stood where Riven and his brothers were concerned. But this piece of shit…he was a whole other story. All I could do was nod and fucking watch her follow him into that room.
Fuck that. I went right behind her. “I’ll be sitting in as well.”
I didn’t give them a chance to refuse and headed for the corner of the interrogation room, not bothering to take a seat. The brute took a seat beside her as I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall.
Riven barely had a chance to close the door before it was opened again and his brother, Kane, stepped through. A careful glance at his brother, and he stepped aside. “It seems we’re to take a back seat with this.”
“What the fuck,” Riven muttered as movement came behind his brother…
And my blood ran cold.
Ophelia stepped into the room. I barely saw the asshole who followed her. I pushed off the wall as she settled that glinting gaze on me. Her red lips curled and her kohl-lined eyes widened at the sight of me. “London,” she purred, heading my way. “So soon we meet, my love.”
“Ophelia.” It was all I could manage.
I didn’t dare look at Vivienne, but I still caught the movement as she glanced over her shoulder and watched Ophelia slide her hand around the back of my neck and pull my lips down to hers.
Get on your knees…
Those sickening words echoed as her cold lips widened. I broke away and glanced at Vivienne instead. But she’d seen. She’d fucking seen, and the pain in her eyes cut straight to my heart.
“What are you doing here?” My voice was cold as I turned back to the woman I’d gladly hand over to my sons and watch them tear her apart.
“When I heard one of my girls was being transferred to my lover, I had to come and complete it myself.”
Heat bloomed in my cheeks. “I’m not your lover.”
She gave a small chuckle and walked around the head of the long conference table to take a seat opposite my wildcat.
“Vivienne,” she murmured with a fake smile.
But the curl of her lips was anything but disarming. Vivienne didn’t flinch, just held the woman’s stare as Ophelia looked her over. “She is quite pretty, London, in a street rat kind of way. I can see why you’re keen to get your dick wet with this one.”
My stomach clenched.
My breaths deepened.
Vivienne blanched.
“Unless that’s already happened?” Ophelia prodded.
“You know it hasn’t,” I answered. “The conditions of the contract…”
“Yes,” Ophelia murmured, then glanced at the other male who’d come in with her and gave a nod.
He moved fast as he lifted his hand and strode toward Vivienne. Only then did I see the needle.
“What the fuck?” Vivienne shoved up as he grabbed her arm and yanked.
But Ashwood was right beside her, holding her steady.
“What the fuck is this?” I snapped, watching with horror as the needle plunged into her vein.
“Just a little Pentothal,” Ophelia replied, unable to look away as Vivienne lashed out, bucked from Ashwood’s hold, and shoved backwards in a rush.
Her chair tipped and fell, hitting the floor with a crash as Vivienne backed up to the wall. “You injected me with what?”
“Truth serum,” Ophelia explained as she coldly lifted her gaze to mine. “Short-acting, so it’ll wear off soon.”
“You bitch.” I stepped closer, braced my hands on the desk, and met her stare. “You didn’t fucking trust me?”
There was nothing but malice in her tone. “Trust has nothing to do with this.”
I’d never wanted to kill someone so much in my entire fucking life. I sucked in a hard breath, knowing there was no way out of this for me…or for Vivienne.
“Sit,” Ophelia ordered Vivienne as she motioned to the upended chair.
“Fuck you,” my wildcat hissed, her words a little slurred already as she started to feel the effects of the barbiturate.
“Suit yourself.” Ophelia turned to Ashwood and gave a nod.
He moved instantly…but so did I as I stepped backwards into his way.
I met the bastard’s stare, knowing full well I was making all the wrong fucking moves here and I had no way out. There was no Carven to stop this, no Colt to fight to the death. There was just me and her. I licked my lips, hating I had to do this, and spoke. “Vivienne, take a seat.”
She said nothing, but I didn’t need words to feel her betrayal. The catch in her breath said it all.
She slowly stepped forward, wobbling a little as I reached for her upturned chair. I wanted her sitting, not for those bastards, but because I was worried she’d damn well fall and hurt herself.
That venomous stare from across the table followed every movement as I lifted her chair and stepped aside. Vivienne sat, unable to look away as Ophelia reached for the neckline of her blouse and fingered the teardrop diamond necklace I’d given her the night before.
Vivienne stared at the jewel hanging over the bitch’s manicured fingernail, but her look gave nothing away.
“Tell me,” Ophelia started. “Has London fucked you?”
Vivienne flinched and jerked her gaze upwards, breaking out in a shiver as the barbiturate took hold. I clenched my jaw and concentrated on maintaining my neutral expression. Please, baby…please, just keep it together. Questioning was one thing, but this…this was setting me the fuck up.
As Ophelia smiled I, knew that had been her plan all along.
“N-no,” Vivienne stuttered as her teeth chattered.
“No?” Ophelia continued, narrowing in on her. “So you’re telling me, this man, London St. James, hasn’t put his cock inside you?”
Vivienne straightened her spine. “I said, no.”
“His tongue?”
“No.”
There was a twitch in the corner of Ophelia’s eye as she leaned closer and snarled. “His…fingers?”
“No.”
I’d seen men fight the drug, and seen them as they weakened, as well.
But I’d never seen anyone beat it…until now.
Sweat broke out along Vivienne’s forehead and the color washed from her skin, leaving her a sickly shade of yellow. Still, she held on, even if it was making her sick.
“You’ve got your answer,” I snarled. “That’s enough.”
My fucking pulse boomed and filled my head with the deafening sound.
“You seem to be a little uncomfortable, Vivienne,” Ophelia murmured, her gaze narrowing as my wildcat shifted in her seat. “Tell me, are you a virgin?”
Vivienne dropped her head and her hands trembled, white-knuckled as she clenched her fists. “N-n-no.”
The word was so small I barely heard it.
Heat rushed to my cheeks as hard as I tried to keep the images at bay as they rushed forward. Vivienne on top…the tip of Colt’s cock sliding in.
“What was that?”
Vivienne jerked as though she’d been slapped. “I said, no.”
“So, if you’re not a virgin, who took it?”
The rush of deep breaths filled the room. I didn’t know if they were mine or hers. I hadn’t broken the contract…I hadn’t broken the contract. But knowing this bitch, if she knew the sons had had a taste, she’d ruin our family out of fucking spite.
“Myshfseh.”
“What?” Ophelia snapped. “Speak clearly, what are you, retarded?”
That word seethed inside me. I’d heard it snarled too many times about my son.
“I SAID, MYSELF!’” Vivienne screamed, her eyes wide and wild, her long hair just as untamed. I saw the moment she reacted, as she shoved upwards and lunged forward. “NOW GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!”
Ashwood went for her…and I went for him, stepping in his way once more, and shook my head. “Uh-uh.”
He didn’t like it, narrowing those gray-blue eyes at me. “That’s the second time you’ve been in my way, St. James.”
I gave a smirk. “Believe me, there won’t be a third.”
His gaze stayed on me and for a second, there was a flicker of uncertainty before he jerked he looked to Ophelia, who just sat there, staring at Vivienne.
“You are a filthy fucking whore, aren’t you?” Ophelia growled as she rose from her seat and glared at Riven. “We’re done here.”
She slowly rounded the table, stopped in front of me, and met my stare. “I see your streak is two for two unsatisfied women. I’ll expect you at my house within the week, and you’ll pick up where you left off…on your goddamn knees.”
I stared at the table as she left, until my vision blurred. The thud of the door sounded, leaving Riven, Kane, and my rage behind. My breath was a rock inside my chest, trapped, but I couldn’t let it free as Vivienne slowly straightened and turned around.
There was already color coming back into her cheeks and a strength in her walk as she took a step, closed the distance between us…and slapped me hard.
My head snapped to the side with the blow as the air ripped from my lungs. The sting was brutal, searing and hot, but I didn’t reach for it. I slowly turned my head felt the weight of the Principal’s gaze, and knew the moment would haunt me.
“I think the interrogation is over,” Riven spoke carefully.
I didn’t have the focus to hand him the contract.
All I could do was stare into the depths of her hate.
And know…we’d crossed the line.
“I think it’s best if you leave,” he finished.
I gave a nod, transfixed by the curl of her top lip. “Vivienne,” I said so fucking carefully. “Let’s go home.”
