Page 48 of Gluttony

“He could have gotten impatient and taken the mark we had planned early?” I’m reaching here, but I hate it when Hayes is right.

“Nah. It’s either the dude that attacked Miss Jones or herbrother.” He’s so sure of himself and I don’t blame him. He’s been going crazy trying to figure out why he doesn’t trust Bowie.

Before we enter the building, we slide on our black balaclavas to cover our faces, hoping Hadley was at least careful enough to wear one, and I use my fob to access the basement level once in the elevator. It’s off limits to anyone other than the three of us. The doors slide open, revealing the large space fit for any decent torturer. Dark walls lined with shelves and drawers, all filled with various tools and supplies we’ve learned come in handy for things like this. And in the center of the room, a long table big enough to fit a human body.

The first time…we were so underprepared. It was an accident, we all freaked the fuck out, but it quenched a need inside each of us when we sat back and took the time to let it sink in.

Age Seventeen

“Ry, something’s wrong. I can feel it. Hadley should have been back hours ago.” Hayes’s eyes are wide as he slams into my dorm room.

The twins are like my brothers, ever since they beat the shit out of the track team for not letting me join, we’ve been practically inseparable. So, of course, I don’t need to be told twice that one of them needs help.

“Do you know where he went?”

“Tutoring session at the library, but he’s not at the library anymore. I already checked.” Hayes’s jaw is twitching and he’s clenching his fists, telling me he’s been working himself up about this on his own for a while.

“What about the who?”

“His usual tutor is off sick, so it was someone different today. Beau Buchanan, I think his name is.” Bouncing on his feet, Hayes looks about ready to pop.

“I heard of a place we should check out.” And not in a good way. A couple of the girls in one of my classes have mentioned a nook at the outskirts of the school grounds, one just outside the main gates hidden by trees. It’s the place that dirtbags take people to have sex, because it’s so hidden and never subject to spot checks like everywhere else on campus.

Large rocks and thick trees muffle the noises we can hear as we search, but I know we’ve found what we’re looking for when I see a makeshift door in the bushes. It’s basically a large plank of wood resting up against the branches and leaves, hiding the small gap that Hayes is quick to walk through.

The clearing on the other side isn’t a large space, barely big enough to fit the five people already here, but the size isn’t my concern right now. The way three of them are pinning down one of my best friends is my concern, and the bruises on his face are my concern…

I must have frozen for a second or two because all Hell is suddenly breaking loose. Hayes is beating one of them with a branch, another is already passed out on the ground, and Hadley is now straddling the one who was raping him and smashing his fists into his face. The last one standing tries to leave, but he’s too slow. I grab him by the throat and slam him down in a quick move, then I stomp my booted foot in his crotch and watch him squirm.

“Oh, shit.” Hayes’s curse has my head spinning toward him, seeing him standing over his twin who is now covered in blood. Hayes and I share a wide-eyed stare, deciding without words what we have to do here now.

We have to protect each other.

Now

“Tic Tac delivery.” Shaking the pack of mints high in the air, I approach Hadley, who’s currently swinging his legs back and forth where he’s sitting on one of the benches against the wall.

“Ta, bro.” He catches them easily after I throw them. “Wanna guess who it is? His face is a bit messed up because he’s a cunt, but he’s still alive. Are ya proud?” Grinning, he jumps from the bench and wags his brows before throwing a couple of Tic Tacs into his mouth.

“Wouldn’t say proud, no. What were you thinking?” Hayes is using his practical voice, the one that says he’s trying desperately to stay calm and figure out what our plan of action is.

“Fucknut threatened our little rabbit. Told her she’d regret crossing him. So I’m making him regret threatening her.” With a shrug, Hadley picks up a wrench and drags it along the metal table beside the man’s head.

The man’s mouth is stuffed with fabric, and thanks to a little trick we learned from Dexter, he’s wrapped tightly to the table with layers of plastic film. His arms and hands are flat beside him and all he can really move are his fingers and toes. His eyesare wide as he attempts to follow the sound of the wrench with them.

“Well, that means I’m right. She’s hiding shit and my suspicions are warranted.”

“Why do you sound so pissed off about that?” I wrap my arm around Hayes’s shoulders and he shrugs me off.

“Fuck off.”

“When you two have finished bickering like old ladies, we should probably kill this dude.” Hadley bangs the wrench a couple of times against the metal table.

The guy’s eyes widen even more, if that’s at all possible, and he’s struggling now, like he’s trying to worm his way out of his bindings in a panic.

“Do we at least wanna hear what he has to say?” Hayes folds his arms across his chest and approaches the man on the table.

“Oh, go on then.” Hadley rips the fabric from out of the man’s mouth.

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