Page 69 of Point Proven
Not giving him the time to finish, I charged, arms wrapping around his stomach. We toppled to the ground, and my earpiece slipped from its position just as his head cracked against the cement.
Lacing my fingers through his hair, I ripped him forward before driving his skull into the unforgiving surface beneath him. “Keep my fucking fiancé out of your goddamn mouth!”
Despite his daze, his knee slammed into my injured stomach, a harsh cry tumbled from my lips, and anguish spread through my abdomen. A wet cough billowed from his mouth. “What?OrenValens? The… The man his father used to pass around for men like me to use?”
Sweat beading against my brow, I struggled to maintain my position above him. “S-Shut… Shut the fuck up…”
Before I could move away, the tip of his knife slashed across my stitches, my life force making its appearance once more. Without a pause, he took two fingers and wedged them into the wound, curling as he yanked me toward him.
“Oh,nowI remember. He was a cute little thing. Blonde hair, blue eyes, delightful little mouth.Reallyliked to be silenced.”
Biting my cheek to prevent myself from screaming, I gasped as the sharp tang of copper flooded the back of my throat. “You… don’t know what… you’re talking about…”
“Oh, yes, I do. His mother wore a pendant, right? It used to dangle over my face while I fucked her senseless. And her son? Yeah…blissfulwhile his mother cried in horror.”
My face twisted with confusion, my mind trying to put together the pieces of information he offered. He’d fucked Oren’s mom? How? When? Did Oren know? Had Oren been aware of who Stefan was the entire time?
“I see you’re confused. Maybe you should ask yourfiancéhow involved he was with his father. ThegreatAndrew Valens.”
“What… W-What are you suggesting?”
“Suggesting? Oh, no, these are facts. And thefactis, while Oren Valens might have had freedoms my other children did not, he frequently submitted himself tome. He knew of this place, these people, and yet, he has donenothingto eliminate me. He was a scared boy, always whimpering and crying despite the roughness I used, as his father permitted us to.”
Oren had known…
Oren hadknown,and he hadn’t fucking told me…
He’dfucking known.
Chest aching far more than my stomach, my desire to continue fighting dissipated as I shoved myself from Stefan and leaned against the wall. Resting my head against it, a rasped chuckle left me before it built into my own heightened mania as I planted my hand over the freshly opened wound.
“God, I’m a fucking idiot.”
Stefan laughed, prying himself from the floor. “Indeed, you are. There are a lot of things you still don’t know, Graves, but I’m afraid we’ll have to discuss next time. Time’s ticking if you want to save the kids upstairs.”
My glare deepened as I looked up at him, but I didn’t offer a single word. I was too focused on every fucking lie I’d been fed. The man whom I’d continuously sacrificed my sanity had turned his back on me while claiming he trusted me.
Lies.
Fucking lies.
Turning around, Stefan made his way to the exit. Stopping, he craned his head over his shoulder. “Got about three minutes. Until next time, Graves.”
Without waiting for a reply, he left me in that desolate chamber, every shared connection Oren and I had crumbling to a pile of bitter nothingness.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
SIMON
After Oren climbed into the van, both of us were on edge as we waited for Thorne. Matt and Lev had departed with Liam to receive medical attention, and while I wanted to go with them, Thorne needed me. Without manning the comms, he would truly be dark.
My best friend was a bundle of nerves, leg bouncing as he bit his fingernails. I knew the dude loved Thorne, but this… this almost seemedextra. It started the moment Stefan’s name was mentioned, and while the man was a ruthless cunt, he knew better than to disregard Thorne’s capabilities.
Swiveling in the chair, I turned to him. “Hey, Thorne’s going to be okay. I know… know he’s injured, but he’s strong.”
Oren simply nodded, fidgeting with his shirt as he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. I thought the poor bastard was about to have an aneurysm, but the back doors to the van slammed open before I could express my concern.
Thorne’s skin was pale, his caramel eyes standing out far more than usual. But it wasn’t their hue that had me immediately questioning what was going on; it was the pure wrath billowing from him as he turned his attention to Oren.
