I inch forward, wanting to follow him so I can grab the helmet and return it to Ryder.
“Oh, and Madison?” He stops and turns his narrowed gaze to me. “The next time you try to stab Justin while he’s using the restroom, I’ll allow him to press charges against you, just so we’re clear. Your little stunt put a hole in my wallet to prevent that outcome this time around, but don’t think I’ll always protect you when you act like a petulant brat.”
My jaw drops, right along with my heart, which shatters into a million pieces.
The jerk didn’t tell my father the truth. Of course he lied!
Rage burns through my veins, scaring me for the first time. It’s consuming me until all I can picture is strangling Justin until life leaves his eyes.
Dad dismisses me, then says over his shoulder, “Your new ring is waiting for you on your vanity. It stays on no matter what, and you’ll thank Justin when he comes over for dinner tomorrow evening.”
“BLACK RAINBOW” GRIM SALVO, WITCHHOUSE 40K
Ikick my bedroom door shut behind me. My chest rises and falls with quick, angry breaths. My nails bite into my palms as my hands curl into tight fists by my sides. The skin over my knuckles pulls taut. Red bleeds into my vision, obscuring it more than my helmet’s tinted visor. I still haven’t taken it off since arriving back at this godforsaken house.
I’m tempted to take Madison back to my place to hide her from Jerry, and I’m struggling to stop myself from storminginside and demanding just that. She’s alone in there with him, and I can’t be there as a buffer when he talks to her. Or when his palm itches too much to resist, and he hits her. If he can do it to me, he can andwilldo it to her, too.
My chest tightens and burns as the strange feeling returns whenever I think about Madison. It’s not anger or hatred, the emotions I’ve felt for her for so long that they’ve consumed me. No, this new feeling is taking control of me at a frightening speed. It’s the same way I felt five years ago when I witnessed Mickey strangling Madison.
Unlike that time, I don’t know why Madison ran from Justin yesterday. It wasn’t because of a fuckingmisunderstanding. Misunderstandings don’t cause people to run for their lives with a look of terror on their faces. Whatever the reason, I have a sick feeling in my gut about it. Especially since Jerry participated in harassing her yesterday evening while she was with me.
After Madison abandoned her phone in my bedroom in her desperation to escape me, I spent an ungodly amount of time going through it. I read the messages from Jerry and Justin. None of them was good, and it was clear they’ve been working in tandem to wilt her fighting spirit and shove her into a gilded cage. Jerry called Madison just as much as Justin did. He didn’t leave concerning voicemails, unlike her piece of shit fiancé, but his text messages raised red flags.
Also, who is Justin? Where the fuck did he come from? How in the hell did he convince Madison to marry him? Where does he fit in all of this? Is he part of the Exiled Society and I just never heard of him? My stepfather doesn’t have friends. He has acquaintances and pawns. He judges people based on how useful they are or how far they’re willing to go for him. If Justin has wormed his way into Jerry’s good graces, there’s a reason, and I’m dying to know what he has up his sleeve for him.
Regardless, if either of them hurts Madison, they’ll find out just how terrifying I can be.
I pull at the straps under my jaw, then rip off my helmet. My phone rings, pulling me from the edge of losing control. I toss the helmet to the ground and fish my cell out of my pocket.
“Yeah?” I answer.
“I promised I’d call you if I found something,” Jaxon says. “Caught a blurry image of someone hanging around outside my place from that morning.”
I know my friend well enough to not mistake the boredom in his tone as apathy. He must be fuming over this. Someone was with Mickey, and the motherfucker would have gotten away undetected if Jerry hadn’t opened his mouth.
I raise my head. “Can you recognize them?”
“No.” He pauses, then says, “Hawk is sending the images to his cousin, Declan. He’s good at cleaning up images. We should have more info soon.”
I nod, even though he can’t see it. “Keep me updated.”
“One more thing,” Jaxon says.
I put my phone back to my ear. “Yeah?”
“The person isn’t working alone, either. Someone pulled up outside of the neighborhood and picked them up.”
“Did you get any details on the car?” I ask.
“Dark grey Honda Accord. Declan will get the plates and info on it.”
“Thanks, man.”
We end the call, and I stare blankly at my unmade bed.
Mickey’s mystery accomplice will be a thorn in my side until I get a name and a face. Whoever they are, they’re close to my father and the other Kings in the Exiled Society. At this point, it could be anyone.
Nervous energy buzzes beneath my skin, begging to be released. If I wasn’t worried about Madison being hurt, I’d gofor a joyride on my motorcycle, but I can’t bring myself to leave her alone with her father. I trust Jerry as far as I can throw him.
