The Unfortunates(79)

It’s late. Not even a mouse stirs in the large manor. Guests from dinner have returned to their own mansions or are still passed out on the grass out the back. The Unfortunates have finished putting away the tables and chairs and most have retired back to their rooms… which makes me wonder about Thirteen. I haven’t seen her in so long. Worry turns my stomach at the thought of Vince punishing her for what went down weeks ago in the Black House. As the worry progresses, panic begins to stir. I haven’t slept alone in weeks, not since that night. What if Vince knows? What if he knows I’m down here alone in my bed?

I shoot up and swing my legs off the bed. The bare soles of my feet touch the cold stone and I realise my door has no locks… I can’t stop him even if I try. Desperation clenches my organs. I need Kade. I want to be tucked up in his large, soft bed and wrapped in his strong, thick arms. The thought alone is enough to have me on my feet and out the door.

The halls of the manor are dark and long. I move as quickly as I can, letting my fingers graze against the smooth walls. The last thing I want is to get caught out here alone. No good will come from a Fortunate or Moderator who spots an Unfortunate sneaking about a manor at night. The conspiracies they’d spin with that would be endless.

When I reach the stairs, I move quicker than ever before, putting all of my weight on the tips of my toes. Not only is this Kade’s part of the manor, but it’s Vince’s, too. The second my foot presses the very first floor board at the top of the stairs, I hear a door open and close, then the unmistakeable sound of a girl swallowing her own sobs. The sound lights a fire under my ass and I launch forward, sprinting across the hall in front of me and into the first door I see. Inside, it’s dark and quiet, but I don’t waste time looking around, instead, I peer through the crack that I left. My quick pants of hot breath collide with the cool wood and blow back onto my face. In the dim light, I see her, Thirteen, treading as softly and as quickly as she can, desperate to get away from Vince.

“Thirteen!” I whisper, but she doesn’t hear me.

As she passes my door and her shaky fingers reach out for the railing, I open the door a little and peer out. I’m aware my neck is so far extended it could be slit at a moment’s notice if I’m caught by a Fortunate. I suck in an inhale, ready to call her name again until I see him. Vince, shirtless and completely happy with himself treads lazily to the stairway. Even in the darkness, I see his lazy grin and notice his satisfied gait. I pull my neck in as quickly as I can and press my back hard against the wall adjacent to the gap in the door and clamp my hand over my mouth. My heart thumps loudly, so loud I’m certain he’s going to hear me. With my back to the wall, I’m forced to see more of the room I’m hiding in and holy shit there’s a sleeping Fortunate in the massive four posted bed on the other side of the room. If my heart was racing before, it’s absolutely flooring it now and I have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. This was a bad idea… I should have stayed in my bed, not venture out to climb into Kade’s. How could I’ve been so stupid?

“It’s late, Unfortunate. I trust you’ll make it back to your room without waking anyone up,” Vince says and I dare myself to have a little peek between the crack.

“Yes, Master Vince,” Thirteen responds, then silence falls.

I wait with bated breath. The sleeping Fortunate shifts in their bed and I squeeze my eyes shut. If I can’t see them then maybe, just maybe, they won’t be able to see me. Thankfully, whoever it is doesn’t wake up, and after a few solid minutes of silence, I push myself to my feet and step out of the room. The cold, metal door handle squeaks inaudibly in my hand, but I manage to get the door shut without any major disturbances.

“Sneaking about, are you?”

I squeak as I whirl around, bracing my hands against the door frame. “Master Vince,” I exhale anxiously. My heart squeezes into my throat as he pushes off of the banister. Idiot! I was so anxious to get out of the room I didn’t think twice about looking for Vince by the stairs. I take a minute step back and instinctively play off my fear with a nervous smile.

“You scared me. I-I was just on my way to Master Kade’s room.”

“Were you now?” His tone is sceptical and I don’t like it. “Shall we go see him?”

Familiar panic begins to raise its head, but I don’t dare let it cross my countenance. I nod and step forward. Kade will have my back. He’ll lie for me. If he doesn’t, if he’s still mad about earlier and wants to me suffer, I’m screwed.