Page 52 of Boy of Ruin
“Do you enjoy hurting her?” Nicolas asks me, his arms folded over his chest, chin dipped down as he stares at me.
I roll up my shirtsleeves, my throat tightening as my hand trembles.
Another morning murder, another fucking spasm. When I’m done fucking with my sleeves, I lean back in my office chair, fingers under my chin, one elbow propped in my opposite hand.
“I’m a bit of a sadist.” I shrug. “Do you care to elaborate?”
Nicolas’s dark eyes throw daggers my way. “You’re taking her to Virginia.”
I nod once. “Ah, good. You got the schedule.” Because I fucking emailed it to him before I drove into the city today.
“They’ve requested a call with you,” Nicolas says through clenched teeth.
I nod. I got his email, too. Glancing at my watch, I shrug. “In about ten minutes. What about it?” Looking beyond him, I take in the morning sun. I was out of the house at four this morning. Sid will be waking up any minute now, and we have training to do. Bags to pack.
Her piece of shit husband is already in Acid City. I’d hate for her to fucking miss him.
“Elijah Van Damme said it’s urgent. Apparently, someone really has been fucking around our property.” Nicolas’s words come out through clenched teeth, and my heart nearly stops in my chest.
“Excuse me?” That wasn’t in the email.
Nicolas’s frown deepens as he stares at me a moment, as if he’s trying to read me. “Said they’d tell you on the phone.” His eyes narrow. “But they told me that Elijah’s guard is dead.”
My mind races, but I don’t break eye contact with Nicolas. “Who?” I ask carefully. For someone to get to one of their guards…not fucking good because it wasn’t me.
I know the 6. I know how they are about goddamn secrets and security. It’s how I was kept in their fucking basement for years, and no one knew.
Well, they knew.
My sisters.
And Sid Rain’s husband.
Elijah’s son, too.
I grit my teeth, trying very, very hard not to think about any of that.
“Didn’t say, so when they call,” he glances at my secure line, “better answer it.”
I stare at him a long moment, decide to let his bullshit go. “If all of that is true, why would Lucifer fucking Malikov drive north to Virginia, knowing Sid is here, with me?” I take more pleasure in saying those last two words than maybe I should but fuck it. I’ve followed her for over a decade. I’ve earned the right to say whatever the fuck I want.
“Someone has been fucking around with Julie’s house,” Nicolas says, and I’m not sure how it’s possible, but his glare deepens, and he looks pissed at me.
I don’t like that at all, but I don’t move, just keep watching him.
“Go back,” I demand Nicolas, cocking my head, steepling my fingers, elbows resting on the arms of my chair. “How do they know someone has been fucking around here? And how do we know it wasn’t them?”
Nicolas’s jaw clenches. “That’s what the call is for.”
Before I can say anything else, the phone rings between us, startling me. “They’re early,” I mutter under my breath, and I stare at the black phone as it rings again, my stomach twisting into knots.
Thinking of what happened to me.
What they let happen.
What they were going to do to my sister.
But they’ll pay for that soon enough. For now, my desire to know what the fuck is going on outweighs the demons of my past.
