Page 65 of Faithless
“Which one?” she demanded, eyes widening.
Not your boyfriend, don’t worry.“The guy that won the first fight we watched. He killed the Animal and his buddy that he came in with. They’re calling him the Hunter.”
Rori’s shoulders visibly lowered with a sigh of relief. “So what’d you do?”
“Jumped in and stopped it. Pretty sure I broke a guy’s leg. Got a good few hits in on all four.”
“Four?!”
“Yeah, they were totally ganging up on the poor bastard. He’s okay, though.”
Rori nodded. “That’s good, I’m glad.”
In all the years we’d known each other, she’d never condemned me for getting into fights. She knew I was defending those who were weaker, after all. She even used to try joining in, but Daren and I forced her to stay out of the way of flying fists.
As we got older, Rori and Lily would distract teachers and staff so I could make sure to end the fights before they were broken up too soon. I was usually done when Daren pulled me back, slapped the shit out of me, and told me it was enough. If it weren’t for him, I very well could’ve been locked away for murder at sixteen.
“But now we’ve got a target on our backs,” I said. “By now, I’m certain Nella is aware, and she’s just figuring out what to do with us.”
“If they think we’re still regular guests, they’ll probably kick us out.” Rori chewed her thumbnail. “If they suspect something else…who knows?”
“Exactly my thoughts,” I said. “Which is why I think we should beat them to the punch and get the hell out of here ASAP.”
She blinked. “You mean, just up and leave? Now?”
“Yeah. Get some good walking shoes on. Let’s take the elevator up and just go until we find a signal so we can make phone calls. Then we’ll regroup and come back with some firepower.”
“Torr.” She shook her head. “We can’t.”
“Sure we can. Look, I told that gladiator about us, why we’re really here. He might be able to help us out. It’s a long shot, but it’s something. But we have to get out of here first, together.”
“I can’t, Torr.”
“Why the hell not?”
“I’m seeing Santos tonight.”
“Who the fuck is Santos?” It dawned on me right after I said it, cutting through me like a machete’s blade. “Oh, wow.” I rubbed my jaw. “Gladiators are forbidden from giving their real names, and y’all are on a first name basis, huh?” It was worse than I thought.
Naturally, Rori ignored me. “I can let him know what’s happening too. The more gladiators who know, the better. Maybe they can organize a revolt while we’re away. And by the time we’re back, they’ll be ready.”
“How many times have you seen him?” Nothing else was on my mind. Not our exit plan, nothing. I could only think of Rori being intimate with this man, getting closer to him in a matter of days than we had in thirteen years.
“Twice.” She bristled, her expression going as frosty as those fake contacts she wore. “What does it matter to you, anyway?”
“Have you fucked him?” For days that felt like centuries, I’d wrestled with the unknown, and it was fucking torture. The answer might hurt like a bitch, but Ihadto know.
“Oh God, fuck off, Torr. I’m not having this fight with you again.”
“We’re not fighting. It’s just a question.”
“It’s never just a question with you, and I’m fucking sick of it! I’m done. I don’t want to do this with you.” She turned, heading for the liquor bottles on the minibar. It was late morning, early for drinking, but who the fuck was I to judge?
“What are you saying?” I followed after her, my panic riding high now. “What do you mean, you’re done?”
“I’m done with you being an asshole and getting all up in my business about who I’m seeing.” She aggressively opened a whiskey bottle and started pouring. “You’ve never cared about who I fucked before, and I don’t believe for a second that it has to do with him being a gladiator. I don’t even want to know why anymore. I just want it to stop, Torr.”
My heart started to sink like a lead balloon, and it may have even been in pieces. “So youhaveslept with him?”
