Page 131 of Merciless

I shake my head. The last thing I want is to be the reason for her tears.

I really am a goner for her. I may be her monster, but she defeated me a long time ago. It took until now for me to realize it.

“Then she’ll never know.” He pats my shoulder. “You worry for no reason.”

I shake him off me and back away. “This castle is full of secrets, Elijah, and I’ve heard many over the years I’ve been haunting here.”

His eyebrows scrunch together as he frowns.

I back away another step, closer to the door.

“Secrets that were never meant to be heard, and I still came across them.” I hold up two fingers. “Two can keep a secret, as long as one is in the grave.” I lower my index finger, leaving my middle finger up.

Elijah’s eyes narrow. “Are you threatening me?”

I grin. “No. I’m just stating the facts.”

“Asher . . .”

I turn and leave the room.

Striding down the hall, I pass by several people.

Whispers reach me, but they aren’t loud enough to make out.

I blink several times and shake my head to clear the hallucinations.

Because that’s what it has to be. Hallucinations of whispers and not people talking about me as I pass by them.

I don’t care what Elijah says, the secret will come out, and all three of us will be thoroughly fucked.

Until then, I plan to spend time with my little ghost and make her fall in love with me. She may not love me as much as I love her, but maybe one day she’ll reach the same level.

A flash of long brown hair catches my attention. Soft whimpers reach my ears—so soft that I shouldn’t be able to hear them. Maybe it’s because I’m connected to her in ways that shouldn’t be possible as well.

I widen my strides and follow her as she runs down the hallway.

Something’s wrong. Something happened.

Even though I keep my focus on her, the whispers from everyone amplify and the pieces start to connect. The odd looks I receive now make sense.

“She fucked her brothers,” a female student whispers to her friend.

“Both of them?”

“At the same time.”

Their laughter dies a quick death as I pass by them.

They can talk shit all they want, but they can’t do it with their full fucking chests when I’m around.

My jaw clenches and I fist my hands at my sides, holding back from attacking everyone whispering about Eden.

How the fuck did they find out about what happened?

I shake away the question. It doesn’t matter right now. All that matters is Eden as she runs, putting distance between us when all I want is to protect her from the world.

All I know is that this is Elijah’s fault, and it will be his fucking mess to clean up.