AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Ishould’veknownnotto leave Mila alone for more than five minutes, let alone the better part of a morning. What was I expecting, leaving her in a cesspool of heightened emotions and corruption? And of course it had to be Brady – Brother Tybalt – who was on duty this morning.
I should’ve checked before I left last night. I should’ve done a lot of things, honestly.
But I had so many things on my mind. My weak excuse of leaving a hoodie behind had worked with the brother when I knocked on the front door. For now. I didn’t have a lot of sway with the Kingsnakes based on my tenure alone, but most of them knew my relationship with Luke. They knew to stay out of my way. But arriving to find Brady dragging a fuming Mila up the stairs was certainly not the best start to my day.
What the hell was Mila thinking? I told her to keep her head down, and to find Hannah. “I asked you a question,brother.” My voice left no room for argument. He knew I had caught him red-handed.
Luke didn’t like to see the brothers using the women who weren’t theirs for the month, or outside their Ceremony rights. Morals, you know. Brady had a temper, but he’d never use it on me for fear of repercussions.
Brady immediately dropped Mila’s arm, opening and closing his mouth like a fish gasping for air. “The new… the new girl… she...”
“Spit it out. I don’t have all day.” I snapped my eyes toward Mila, giving her a warning glance to stay quiet while I dealt with this. She stepped sideways down a stair, closer to me and further away from Brady.
“The new girl started a fight in the kitchen. When I confronted her, she disrespected me. In front of all the other girls. I was just taking her to isolation. Nothing else.” He had stopped stuttering, but I could see the blatant lie in his eyes.
“Just to isolation? No other means of teachingmyfemale respect?” I forced myself to maintain my composure, even as my stomach churned with the idea ofBradylaying a hand on Mila.
“Well… uh...” Brady wouldn’t meet my gaze, refusing to reply to my question. It didn’t matter. I had my answer.
I shook my head, grabbing Mila by the wrist.
Brady would see it as a show of dominance, while really, my intentions were to keep her close.
Out of his reach.
“You know the rules, Brother Tybalt. I’m disappointed in you. Now, I’m going to take my female to her room, and we’re going to forget this entire mess. Go clean up the shitshow in the kitchen before Brother Brutus finds out.”
“Yes, brother.” Like a good little sheep, at the mention of his leader he pushed past us, disappearing around the corner.
I watched him go, then turned to go back up the stairs, pulling Mila along behind me.
“Ray,” Mila whispered.
“It’s Brother Prospero,” I ground out. “And don’t talk.”
“But Ra- Brother Prospero. I want to explain.”
I pulled on her wrist harder, not turning around. My anger was still fuming beneath my skin, itching uncomfortably. I didn’t want to take it out on Mila, but it needed a release. And the hallway wasn’t a safe place for it.
“Don’t. Talk.” I knew Mila well enough to know she wouldn’t give up. As soon as we got to the top of the stairs, I turned left instead of right, which would have led us toward her room. I threw open the door at the end of the hall, and closed it behind us.
I knew we were in a small room lined with shelves, once a linen closet. Mila wouldn’t know where we were, because darkness surrounded us like a shroud.
The only visible light was the sunlight seeping in from the crack under the door. Slowly, my eyes adjusted to the dark.
I couldn’t make out Mila’s delicate features, or the expression on her face, but I could see enough to know where she was.
Finally, I addressed her. “What thehellwere you thinking?” I snapped, keeping my voice low.
Brady would be the only Kingsnake here until dark, but I wasn’t about to take any chances. “I fucking told you to keep to yourself. Instead you pick afightwith one of the brothers? Are youtryingto get yourself killed?”
Mila huffed, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if she had stomped her foot to go along with it. “Really,Brother Prospero? Who thefuckdo you think you are? Up until yesterday, we were practically strangers. Still are, if you really think about it. We’re not the same people we were back then, and we’re definitely not together. You can’t tell me what to do and expect me to go along with it.”
“Do you think I just stopped caring about you when you left? Do you think love is something you can just turn off? Shit, Mila, we were supposed to getmarried.” My eyes were fully adjusted to the dim light, and I could see the room – and Mila – much better now. I slammed my fist backwards, hitting a shelf of weak wood. It exploded into dust and slivers.
“It’s been a long time, Ray. Long enough to move on.” Mila coughed quietly, the dust from my outburst reaching her. “Besides, apparently your girlfriend Laura wants my head on a plate.”
I groaned, the pieces falling into place. Of course Laura was involved in this. “Laura isnotmy girlfriend.”
