Chapter 53

Chapter Fifty-Three

Nova

It’s been two weeks since the night Nexus was taken, Vox admitted his feelings for me and Vivian fled.

Since that night I haven’t seen or heard from Vox or any of the guys. I’ve even tried reaching out to Nikoa but my calls are going straight to voicemail. For the first few days I tried to hide out in my room but on the third day Thomas broke down my door and dragged me out of bed by my hair and threatened to dress me himself if I didn’t get my ass to school.

School…

Yeah this place fucking sucks.

Without Vox, Ezekiel, Hayze, Archer, Vivian and even Nexus to keep everyone in line, it has been hell. Nicole, Brandy and Pamela have ramped up their torture and I am forced to endure it. Thomas warned me not to step out of line. While I am at school, I have one of his guys following me around everywhere but he never steps in when the others toss things at me or even call out horrible things. When I’m home the guard changes out and a fresh one shows up to remain with me at all times. Thomas is hardly ever home which I am grateful for.

“Nova!” Thomas shouts my name as soon as I enter the house after another fucking dreadful day at Haven Prep. I sigh and head toward his office, even with the door open I still wait and don't enter, I knock. He cuts me a frosty glare. “Get the fuck in here.” I do as I’m told and stand before his desk, not assuming that I can sit down.

Nerves begin to get the better of me when he crosses his arms over his chest, leans back in his chair and studies me. It takes everything inside me not to fidget under the pressure of his gaze.

“I’m going to ask you some questions, you answer them truthfully and I will allow you to attend the Saints ball tonight.” My eyes widen a fraction before I quickly school my features. Going to that ball means I would get a look inside their operation and finally be able to see the threat in person without having to be told about it.

“Okay.”

A devilish smirk touches his thin lips. “Where is Vox Hatchett?”

His question stuns me for a second and the pause in my reply doesn’t go unnoticed. His eyes hone in on me, daring me to lie but I have a horrible feeling that if I lie it won’t bode well for me.

“I think he left town.”

“Why?”

“The night he was last here we went to his house and found a note from his sister. She told him to take their friends and run and never come back.” It’s not a direct lie, more of a lie by omission.

“Are you lying?” he says in a sickly sweet voice that sends a tremble through me.

I shake my head. “No, Vox has the note with him.”

“Why didn’t you run?”

I clench my teeth and fight not to show my anger. “You have my mom,” I force out.

Thomas laughs but there is no humor to it. “You fucking idiot.” I suck in a sharp inhale. “If I had your mother do you think I would need you tailed?”

I draw back in confusion. “I don’t follow?”

“That’s because you’re fucking thick. Your mother is no longer in my possession.” My mouth parts on a gasp. “Oh, you didn’t know?” he taunts. “You have a guard with you in case you get the bright idea to run. Your mother was the easy choice to keep you in line, but now she is gone I needed to make other arrangements.”

“Why are you doing this? I thought you cared about my mom.”

He scoffs and waves his hand. “She was a good fuck but nothing more.”

‘Don’t speak about my mom like that!” I snap.

“Watch your fucking tone, bitch.” I take some deep breaths to try squash the mounting anger inside me. “Do you know where my son is?”

I shake my head. “No.”

“Who are the cunts that took him?”

“The Filthy Few ,” I answer without missing a beat. Just saying their name has courage spurring to life inside me, almost like their name alone could inspire fear in my enemy.

“Who are they?” he growls.

“A favor asked is a debt owed.” Thomas’ eyes narrow to slits.

“What?”

“They grant a person a favor but a debt is always acquired.”

“What was your favor?”

“What makes you think I had one?” I toss back at him.

“We saw you with them and so did my son.”

“My favor wasn’t granted.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’re still alive.” The words spew out of me before I could stop them. Thomas stands slowly and I know without an ounce of a doubt that I’m going to be in a world of pain if I don’t fix this fast. “They wouldn’t grant the favor because they know you are the lord of the Saints.”

“What do those fucks know about the Haven Saints?”

“Only that the members are untouchable,” I lie.

“Yet, they have taken my son.”

“He asked a favor of them the night we met with them.”

“What was his favor?” he snarls as he places his hands flat on the desk and leans forward.

“He asked them for all the evidence they had of his crime.”

“Did he get it?”

“Get what?” I rasp out.

“The fucking proof, you stupid cunt!” he roars, I flinch back a step, only to gasp when I smack into something. I turn and realize it wasn’t a something, it was a someone . My guard stands there with a sinister look in his eyes. “Answer me!” he bellows. I shriek in fright and quickly turn to face Thomas.

“I don’t know,” I quickly answer.

“Something isn’t adding up here and I can’t wait any longer. My plan is now moving forward. Take her to her room and have her ready, she gives you any problems. beat her,” Thomas orders his man who grabs my arm in a bruising hold and drags me out of the room. Once inside my room, I’m instructed to shower and dress in the gown hanging on the back of my closet door. I don’t even check out the gown before rushing to my bathroom, I have an hour to be ready and look my best before the beating begins so I waste no time.

It doesn’t escape my notice that my guard has chosen to remain stationed inside my room, having to pass him in my robe as I enter my closet after my shower while he leers at me. The guy is a fucking creep but I keep quiet and do as I’m told. The silk dress is a dark ruby red, it reminds of the color of blood. The plunging neckline will leave nothing to the imagination, the back is cut lower and stops just above my ass. There’s a slit in the front that runs from the top of my thigh to my ankle. One wrong move in this thing and everyone will see Vox’s playground peeking out and that doesn’t sound like a good time.

I berate myself for thinking about him!

I’ve done everything I can to keep all thoughts of him from playing out in my mind. It hurts too much. The first week sucked I missed him so much. I thought we were past hurting each other after confessing how we felt for the other, but I was wrong.

I straighten my hair and leave it loose, then choose to go with a two tone smokey eye to make my green eyes pop, my lips painted a deep red. I grab the heels that were left with the dress and begin strapping them on. They wrap around my calves and with the height of the heel and the dress matched with it, I appear taller than I am. I take in the sight of my reflection in the mirror on the back of the door and suck in a sharp intake of air.

I don’t look like Nova Quinlin.

No, tonight I am embodying Taylor Tempest and channeling all her feelings because if I channel Nova’s, I’ll crumble. I lock out all thoughts of my mom, Vox, the guys and Vivian. Tonight, I need to put my game face on and end this shit once and for all. Or, I need to at least try because it’s clear I’m on my own now and I need to save myself from this fucking nightmare.

“Watch over me, Way, I need you with me tonight,” I whisper as I open the closet door and step out, ready to walk straight into hell if I have to in order to be free of these fuckers.

Sitting next to Thomas in the back of a limo is not how I thought my first ride in one would go. Unlike me who is fighting not to tremble and crumble under the worry of what tonight holds, he sits there nursing a tumbler of Scotch. He’s been on the phone most of the drive which I am grateful for, it means he isn’t focused on me. I expect to head to the town hall where Vox told me they hold all their meetings, but we drive straight past. I want to ask where we are going but I don’t want to rouse suspicion from him so I remain silent and stare out the window.

When we finally pull up out front of a luxurious hotel in the city, I sit up straight and stare out in wonder at all the paparazzi and the many limos lined up to drop off their patrons who are led inside by a ma?tre d. My face is practically pressed against the glass when I see the Governor exit a limo ahead of us.

“You keep your fucking mouth shut when we get in there. You try anything or say anything and I will make sure your friend’s death was a fairytale compared to what I will do to you.” The mention of Waylen has steel infusing in my veins. I shoot Thomas my best look of indifference.

I plaster a smile on my face and nod my head like a fucking idiot. “Of course. So, do I not mention the fact I am being forced to marry my stepbrother in just over a month?” His reply comes in the form of his hand wrapped around my throat. He’s crushing my windpipe, I claw at his suit-covered arm but he doesn’t release his hold until black spots start dancing in the corners of my eyes.

When he drops his hold, I drag in lungfuls of air and cough, trying not to choke. “If anything happens to my son, you will be marrying me, you little cunt.”