Page 105 of Oblivion
What was she doing in his room? Was he still with her even though he came to me every single night?
“I, uh,” she stammered, taking a step back from me. “I was just—”
I put my hand up, shutting her down immediately. I couldn’t talk, couldn’t think, and if she kept babbling, I would do something I would regret. The green-eyed monster cackled in my core, wrapping those talons of despair around my heart.
He tricked me—again. He told me pretty lies, while he led the life he wanted, doing whatever and whoever he wanted, keeping me on the side, hiding me as if I was his dirty little secret.
“Ophelia—”
“Stop talking, Nova.”
She started stepping away from me, slowly at first, creating some distance between us. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled, and all but ran away from the floor, leaving me alone to deal with what I just witnessed.
He was still with her. Her disheveled hair, runny makeup, and the state that looked like she just rolled out of his bed, told me as much. He let her wear his cut, and I couldn’t handle that.
I couldn’t do this anymore. I couldn’t play this game anymore.
I opened the door, praying that he wouldn’t be inside. When I saw the unmade bed, clothes thrown all over the place, but no sign of him, I knew where I would find him.
Every Wednesday, they had a meeting, or church as they called it. The gathering of members of the chapter to discuss everything that was going on. Outsiders weren’t welcome, and it didn’t matter if you were married to one of the bikers or if you were just staff, you weren’t allowed to enter.
Well, that was about to change.
I ran downstairs, avoiding the people sitting around the place, each of them looking at me as if I were crazy. And maybe I was.
I was insane for trusting the man who only ever broke me, instead of building me up. Two people were needed for a relationship, for companionship, and the fact that I would have his child who would need our attention told me that he wasn’t ready for that either. He wasn’t ready to commit to anyone, least of all me, so why was I still here?
Why didn’t I accept it when Cillian told me he would pick me up?
Because you didn’t want to run. You wanted to stay for the first time, to try and fix things.
Yeah, I did. I wanted to fix things, but there was nothing to be fixed. I couldn’t fix something that never existed.
I passed next to Zoe who started following me, without saying a word. I loved her, but I needed her to let me do this.
“Zozo, I’m about to do something very stupid, and I need you to stop following me.”
“Not a chance,” she answered from behind me, and as we crossed through the hallway leading to the basement where they held the meetings, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop her.
“Suit yourself,” I murmured and slammed the door open that was leading to the basement and rushed down.
Zoe was right behind me when I stepped in front of the long, square desk where several members of the Sons of Hades were sitting, with Storm at the head. Others were standing around, looking at me as if I had grown two heads.
“Since it is impossible to get a hold of you,” I said, looking at Storm. “I figured you all should know this, since you’re most probably discussing the Outfit and everything else.”
Atlas stood up from his chair, but I didn’t move toward him.
“Ophelia,” Storm growled, looking at me with a pissed-off expression. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“I know.” I nodded. “I’m well aware of your rules, but I figured, why not? Anyway.” I cleared my throat. “Around three months ago, I made an alliance with the Italians, mainly then Romanos and Mancini families, and they are acting as my protection detail, also looking for clues to take down Logan Nightingale and Judah Blackwood.”
Chatter broke around us, everyone talking at the same time, while Storm kept sitting, anger seeping through every pore of his body.
“Shut the fuck up!” I thundered. “I wasn’t finished,” I said as they all quieted down. “Albanians are after me,” I announced. “And they’re apparently working with someone called Belladonna.” Storm’s eyes widened as soon as I uttered the name, and I knew. I fucking knew that he had information he wasn’t sharing with me. “Right.” I chuckled, shaking my head. “Belladonna has been after me for years, and I have no fucking idea who she is.”
“How do you know it’s a woman?” the man sitting next to Storm asked, but I didn’t know his name.
“Because I tortured and killed a man who knew things about her, and he confirmed it to me.”
