“Come on, darling. Let’s go inside,” Otto murmurs.
I follow them all into the manor, expecting to be able to go to bed. I can’t fathom doing anything else, but everyone files into the formal dining room.
Standing by the door, I cross my arms as the nine others take a seat.
“Going forward, Astern will be shadowing missions with one of us,” Alaric says, his voice indifferent.
When I look over at Sterling, he’s glaring at me.
Why does he hate me so much?
“I’m sorry,” I choke out.
“Despite the massive failure, we believe we have a location for Citadel’s headquarters,” Theo says. “My system was able to hack into the phones of the two Citadel members we killed, and their last location before the gala was a nondescript flat in Brixton.”
Exhaustion rocks me, and I finally give in and take a seat next to Lachlan, who doesn’t acknowledge me at all.
“Right. The initiation ceremony will take place in two days instead of tomorrow. Let’s take tomorrow off,” Sterling saysgruffly. “Before we break up for the night, I just want to reiterate that the Lords of Darkness is nothing to play around with. If you’re here for revenge or for fun,” he adds, glaring at Otto, “then I expect a resignation letter from you first thing tomorrow.”
I swallow as the silence buzzes around me, and as Sterling’s eyes don’t leave mine, the hair on the back of my neck prickles.
“I assume I get no say in this,” Alexander interjects.
“You can stay or you can die,” Gideon says gruffly.
“Right,” Alexander says, sighing. “Very well. I should let my father know.”
Gideon nods. “We’ll do it.”
Alexander blanches. “My sister?—”
“Doesn’t need to know,” Harlow finishes. “We can tell the King because he knows of us, but no one else needs to know. Is that understood?”
Alexander nods. “Understood.”
We’re dismissed a minute later, and as Alexander stays behind to get a tour of the house, I go upstairs with Lachlan, Otto, and Max.
When we get to the top, Lachlan scowls at me before walking to his bedroom. Otto and Max hang around—probably to ensure I don’t go throw myself off my balcony.
“I’m fine,” I say, sniffing.
“You’re not,” Max replies, running a hand behind his neck. He looks uncomfortable, but I realize it’s because he’s worried.About me. “Do you want to talk about it?”
I’ve known these guys for twenty-four hours, but there’s something comforting about knowing they’re worried about me. Today was a massive failure on my part, and I want to forget about it entirely.
“Or,” Otto says, cocking his head. “We don’t have to talk?—”
I rush forward and kiss Otto, his surprise quickly replaced by a low groan.
I don’t know why I do it–maybe because I’m fucked up in the head right now.
Or maybe because I want to do anything to rid myself of the guilt eating away at me.
It doesn’t matter, because I’m not thinking about Quinn as Otto drags me into his bedroom, his brother following close behind us.
I hear the door click closed as Otto runs his hands down my sides, gripping the flesh at my hips as his mouth nips at my jaw, my neck, my collarbone.
“Such a fucking whore,” he mumbles, and I moan at his insult.
