Page 53 of Shadows Within
Mom.
My finger hovers over the call button. Moisture gathers beneath my eyelids as regret washes in. I lock my phone and lean back against the head rest. I don’t open my eyes as tears fall down my face. A lonely sob comforts me while a heaviness spreads across my chest. I’m welcomed back into the darkness that I’ve been fighting for too long.
Selling Your Soul
Callum
I lean against the wooden frame of the bar, holding a glass in my hand. Although it’s empty, it’s comforting. It has been almost a week since things went south at The Society with Scarlett. I haven’t heard from her—I don’t expect to. While I don’t want to push, I need to see her. I pull my phone out from my pocket and open our conversation.Dammit, doesn’t she know what this is doing to me?
I can’t handle being ignored. All I’ve known is selfishness and I can’t control it right now. I can’t wait to teach her a fucking lesson.
Footsteps thud down the hall. I turn around and watch a tall figure walk through the door frame. By the way he carries himself, I can tell it’s Harrison—with his shoulders held high and his pride beaming, confident with who he is. He shuffles beside me, reaches for a glass, and pours himself a drink.
“Still no word from Scarlett?” He lifts the glass to his lips and takes a sip.
“No.” My tone is cold.
I push my glass away, sliding it across the counter. I hope it falls off and shatters. It doesn’t.
“Is there anything I can do?” I know that if I ask him to hurt the people who’ve ruined Vanessa’s life, he would, without question. But I can’t ask that of him, not yet. “Do you know who it was?” He mentioned that he was looking into it, but I haven’t got an update and it’s driving me crazy.
“I don’t know who it was, but she’s been spending time with one particular member lately.” He looks down.
“Who?” My eyes stay fixed on him.I’m going to fucking kill them.
“My dad.” He looks up at me, the pain in his eyes goes beyond what we’re taught to conceal.
Unlike my father, who’s always had other women that he spends time with, Harrison’s dad is a family man. I’ve never seen him with another woman other than Amelia, Harrison’s mom. In the public eye, he can’t be seen with anyone else. He wouldn’t just ruin his reputation—he would destroy his family.
“I’m sorry,” is all I can offer.
“I guess it was always bound to happen.” His Adam’s apple bobs as he takes another sip. “In our world, men like us don’t belong to anyone.”
I used to believe that. Now, I don’t just belong to one woman, I’m controlled by her. And I’m determined for her to respond to me.
I push off the bar and grab Harrison by the shoulder.
“I’m sorry… about all of this.” We share a deep-rooted look, one that goes far beyond the surface. We both know that things can’t change.
As I prepare to leave, voices echo into the parlour from the lobby downstairs. Mumbles fill the room. I look to Harrison. He seems calm, like he knew other pledges were coming.
“Expecting anyone?” I ask. My back faces Harrison as I keep a look out for who’s coming.
“Some of the pledges are coming by to discuss a new run in the city.”
A few pledges from different initiation years step into the room. Their attire ranges from khakis and a golf shirt to tailored suits that scream wealth.
Leo Belmont, a Higher with The Society, walks in behind everyone. Born into this life much like me, Leo is loved by no one and hated by many. He’s someone who understands that powercomes first. As he walks in the room, his chest rises naturally. He makes his way to the corner chair—a spot that the Highers take to assert their dominance. A spot that soon, I’ll be asked to fill. He unbuttons his Louis Vuitton jacket and sits down.
“There’s some tension lately. With final initiations coming up, everyone must be committed. Anyone in question will be eliminated.” The room grows quiet— everyone knows that you don’t make it out of initiation alive. You either sell your soul to The Society, or you die. Those are the only options.
“Which brings me to the next issue.” His voice grows louder. “A few of you have been sloppy lately. You have come too close to exposure and for that, second chances are not given. When you were chosen, you knew the rules. You don’t tell anyone what we discuss, and you don’t ride the line of getting caught.”
My eyes scan the room to find Jasper. I know that he is on their hit list after everything that happened with Emily at the beginning of the year.
“I need all of you to be on your A-Game for this run. It could be the beginning of a great relationship with a few dealers in town. That means, I’ll need my best men on it.” He turns to me and Harrison.
Harrison looks up at me, knowing this comes at the worst time.
