Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Dreaming of being in his arms…
* * *
Except it already became reality.
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Onyx: When you’re up, your friends know who you are. When you’re down, you know who your friends are.
Deja roared, “What in the actual fuck?”
Hennessy jumped out of my arms, and I groaned out in agony from her sudden movement.
“Christ, Deja,” I scoffed, trying to lean against the headboard.
I couldn’t believe how sore I was, so I grabbed another pain pill in the process.
“Don’t overdose on those,” Hennessy scolded me. “They’re highly addictive. I can make you something topical for the pain. It’ll numb the wound, but not your body. I can also make you some healing tea.”
I didn’t listen, swallowing two of them with her leftover drink that was warm as shit.
“Until then”—I set the drink down on the nightstand—“this will do.”
“It’s just sangre de grado. It's dragon’s blood resin and will help with the cuts. Copaiba oil will help with soreness. There’s an Amazonian botanical downtown. I can pick it up for—”
“Oh my God!” Deja interrupted. “You both are truly delusional!”
“Deja, if you’re going to keep lecturing me, you know where the door is.”
“Don’t you take that tone with me! You know exactly what I’m talking about. The Brotherhood—”
“Is none of your business.”
“Yeah? Well, your life is my business! Mom wouldn’t—”
With one low growl, I rendered her speechless.
Bowing her head slightly, she corrected, “If Dad would’ve found you two like this, who knows what kind of punishment you’d receive. Do you understand that? You’re lucky he’s out of town. Now let me guess…” She paused, allowing her words to sink in. “Jones said something about the security cameras being out. Did you have something to do with that too?”
“Alfred?” Hennessy announced, trying to follow along.
“Yeah,” Deja replied. “Did you cut the wires so Dad wouldn’t see you with her?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
“I don’t know, Deja. I’ve been unconscious.”
She rolled her eyes, only further testing my temper.
“What time is it?”
“Time for you to get your shit together! Did you not hear a word I said to you this morning? Seriously, are you just allergic to listening?”
“Deja, enough,” I ordered, my body tensing.
Hennessy glanced back and forth between us before grabbing her lunch box and cell phone. “I’m going to go.”
“Deja,” I bit out. “Get out.”
“Onyx—”
“Now!”
She shook her head, backing away. “This is not going to end well, okay? You’re like the modern-day Romeo and Juliet.”
“Romeo and Juliet?” Hennessy caught on, knowing Shakespeare. “Who are the Capulets and who are the Montagues?”
“Does it matter?” Deja clipped.
“Yes.” Hennessy nodded, only looking at her. “The Montagues built their power on loyalty and the Capulets built theirs on fear, so which one are you?”
“That’s the fucked-up part, Hennessy. He was raised to be both.”
“Enough, Deja! Get out!”
“Fine!” she griped. “If you get yourself killed, I will personally bring you back to life just to kick your ass!” Her stare shot to Hennessy. “Will you be able to live with that guilt? You think you can do that? Because let me tell you, I know all about that kind of guilt.”
“Deja, we’re just friends.”
Hearing Hennessy say that to Deja was far worse than the lashing I just took for her.
“Don’t fall in love with him, Hennessy. Not like your—”
“Get the fuck out!” I snapped, groaning from the sudden movement on my back.
Hennessy jolted from my sharp tone while Deja threw another tantrum, mumbling some shit under her breath as she slammed my bedroom door for the second time today.
Hennessy didn’t hesitate. “Not like who?”
I shook my head, lying, “I don’t know what she’s talking about.”
“Bullshit.”
I groaned again, feeling the ache in my back. “I don’t have the energy for this.”
She sighed deeply, giving up faster than I thought she would have, but still managing to sass, “That’s a first.”
Using this as the distraction we needed, I changed the subject. “I have something for you.”
“For me?”
“Mm-hmm… help me up.”
“Onyx.” She shook her head. “You can’t get out of bed yet. You need to rest.”
“Either you help me or I’ll do it myself and rip these stitches.”
She slowly made her way over to me, mumbling under her breath. “Eres demasiado terco, no me haces caso de nada de lo que digo.”
“Yeah, yeah, cuss me out later.”
“Hold on, let me get your wheelchair.”
“Fuck the wheelchair.”
I grabbed the cane that was next to it instead, finding it offensive that my father didn’t bother to wait until I woke up to go out of town. I knew none of the staff would tattle. They knew better, but I did wonder who cut off the security.
Caspian?
No, he wouldn’t be that clever.
Her uncle?
No, he wouldn’t be that fucking dumb.
That only left Jones… but why?
After I threw on a hoodie and we put on our shoes, we exited my bedroom. My thoughts ran rampant. It was probably the pain pills. Once we were outside, she tried to stop me, but I refused. Getting in the passenger seat of the golf cart, I nodded for her to drive.