The Unfortunates(45)

My whole body tenses, hardening like stone. I lower my head, knowing better than to fall into a panic and fight Vince. With Kade, I get away with it, but with Vince there’s no way he’ll let me.

“Leave,” Kade demands, slapping a stack of paper onto his desk. “Or I’ll use the bullet I have with your name on it.”

Silence falls and it’s the kind of silence that hurts your ears… the one where the only sound you hear is the erratic beat of your heart pounding with a deafening force in your ears. Finally, Vince’s hand falls from my skin and I fight the urge to slump in relief. Without another word, I rush past him, determined to make it to the lake. Perhaps I can sit along the banks for a little while—alone. I need to gather my thoughts. I need to reassess this situation… and come up with a plan to keep Vince at arm’s length.



∞



The lake flows through the land effortlessly. There are no sounds… no birds or insects, and I don’t know if that makes this spot peaceful or depressing. Facing away from the manors it’s easy to pretend I’m the only one left in the world. How nice would that be? I’d give anything to be alone, to depend on no one and to serve no one. Although I don’t have a watch, I know I’ve been waiting for well over an hour. The late evening sun is gone and the full moon has shifted drastically in its position. A cool breeze blows over my exposed legs, blowing a leaf onto my foot. The dry texture makes my skin itch, but I ignore it and pick up the pretty caramel coloured leaf.

“That’s an oak leaf.” I jump, glancing over my shoulder. Even in the dim light, I see Kade smirk down at me and imagine his black irises flaring. “In case you wanted to know.”

I drop the leaf and rise to my feet. I shouldn’t sit in his presence, not without being asked to.

“You can sit. No one else is here to see.”

Cautiously, I lower myself back down and cross my legs. I hear leaves crunch under the weight of his body and sole of his shoe, and butterflies awaken in my tummy, their wings brushing ever so softly against the sensitive lining of my stomach. He stands beside me, refusing to sit.

“For the sake of this conversation, let’s pretend for a second that we’re the same.”

I peer up at him. “Technically, Kade, we are exactly the same.”

“Good luck convincing someone else of that.” He sighs, running the palms of his hands over his legs and lowers himself to the ground. In this light, as he looks over the lake, he seems so young and vulnerable. I see the peace wash over his features. I see the peace smooth his skin and brighten his eyes, turning them a dark brown. It’s in this moment that I realise he is different than the rest. He’s just stuck… like me.

“You believe we’re the same?” I ask, unable to hide my own astonishment.

“Even if I did, why would I tell you? Of all people?”

I shrug. “Maybe you feel like you can trust me… like I trust you.”

He stills completely, letting his eyes flick over my face. He’s searching for something, a lie maybe. He can search my face all night if he wants to, but I’m telling the truth. I trust Kade. He’d have hurt me by now if he really wanted to, and to offer me freedom when this is all over is a sign of compassion—whether he sees it or not. He’s not supposed to care what happens to me when he’s finished… and yet he does. He cares if I’m passed down to Vince or shot in the head.

“You trust me?”

I nod and he shakes his head.

“Stupid girl.”

“You haven’t given me a reason not to.”

“I’m using you. I’m going to take everything that makes you you… and give it to other people.”

I nod again. “But you told me that when you didn’t have to. You could’ve thrown me in the deep end and had me figure it out for myself.” I pause and drag in a subtle inhale. Am I trying to rationalise something that is completely insane? Am I trying to find redeemable qualities in him in order to make this easier on me? Fuck. I’m so confused I have no idea where my imagination ends and my reality starts. “I don’t know what you are yet… but I think I’m slowly working it out.”

“There’s nothing to figure out, Nine. I’m no different than the others, I was going to force you to suck my—”

He stops and purses his lips together with a small shake of his head.

“I wanted to,” I add, shifting closer to him. Heat stings my cheeks as I recall the night I brushed my lip against his warm flesh. I pray he can’t see it. This is the only chance I’m going to get to show him that I’m not an enemy—that we can work together. If he is truly going to let me be free when this is over, then it’s a cause I want to work towards. If he keeps his end of the deal, then I owe him everything. I survey Kade, taking in all of his darkened features. He doesn’t like himself… recalling his actions kills him. I can see his turmoil displayed so plainly on his face.