Page 140 of Decimation

Ezekiel smirks, leaning back in his seat. “I think I’m done here,” he says, his tone so fucking smug.

He rises from the table, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer before he turns and walks away. I watch him go, my heart pounding in my chest, my mind racing with questions and doubts.

Lazarus sits back down, sipping his whiskey slowly, his expression now completely locked down and unreadable. He gets to his feet, holding his hand out for me to take.

“It’s time to go,” he says, his tone firm but gentle.

I take his hand because I know I have no choice, but inside there’s a rage that’s boiling, a fire that threatens to consume me. I feel betrayed, used, and I don’t know if I can trust him anymore.

As we walk out of the club, the cool night air hits me like a slap, and I take a deep breath. Trying to steady myself but the anger is still there, simmering just beneath the surface, and I don’t know how much longer I can contain it.

Because if Lazarus has been working with Ezekiel all this time, if he’s been lying to me then I’m nothing more than a pawn in his game, just as I was before. And if that’s the case, then I’ll find a way to kill him, to kill all of them. I will make the entire world run red with their blood.

Because I’m not his puppet, and I’ll never be anyone’s puppet again.

The helicopter ride is a blur of noise and silence. The rhythmic thrum of the blades cuts through the air, but inside the cabin, the silence is deafening. I sit stiffly in my seat, my hands clenched into fists, my nails digging into my palms. Lazarus is beside me, and behind us are the guards. He hasn’t said a word since we left the Black Orchid Club, but I can feel his gaze on me, probing, assessing.

I don’t look at him. I can’t.

My mind is a mix of anger and betrayal, a whirlwind of questions and doubts that I can’t escape. Ezekiel’s words echo in my head, taunting me, mocking me. Lazarus already knows all of that. He worked with me to remove Konstantine.

The betrayal cuts deep, feeling like a wound that bleeds with every passing second.

The helicopter lands, and Lazarus steps out first while I follow with my legs trembling beneath me, my body stiff with tension.

We walk through the doors, going down the steps that lead from the rooftop helipad to the main villa. The guards flank us, and their presence is a silent reminder of the power Lazarus wields. I feel their eyes on me, their gazes sharp and assessing, but I don’t care.

And then I see it.

The gun.

One of the guards has it holstered at his side, the metal gleaming faintly in the dim light. Without thinking I reach out, my fingers closing around the hilt. The guard reacts too late, his eyes widening as I pull the gun free and point it at Lazarus.

The room erupts into chaos.

The guards raise their weapons, their voices sharp and panicked as they shout at me to drop the gun, but I don’t. My hands tremble but my grip is firm, my gaze locked on Lazarus.

He raises a hand, his voice calm but commanding. “Drop your weapons,” he says.

The guards hesitate, their confusion evident.

“Leave,” he says, his tone firm.

They don’t move.

“Leave!” he roars, his voice echoing through the room.

The guards exchange glances before slowly lowering their weapons and filing out of the room, their footsteps echoing in the silence.

I flinch at the sound of the door closing, but I don’t lower the gun. My hands are shaking, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps, but I keep it trained on Lazarus.

He turns to me, his expression calm, almost serene. “What’s going on?” he asks, his voice soft.

I laugh, the sound bitter and hollow. “You know well enough,” I snap, my voice trembling with rage. “All of this has been a trick. You’ve been using me the same way everyone else has. You’ve been working with Ezekiel all this time....”

Lazarus doesn’t flinch, his gaze steady. “I’ve been working with Ezekiel,” he says, his tone calm. “But what is that to you?”

His words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I feel the tears start to roll down my cheeks. I hate that I’m crying, that I’m showing him this weakness, but I can’t stop it.