Because if it’s not Brutus coming for me, if it’s not Brentwood after Mackenzie, if it’s not Alec avenging his ruined face and car, then there’s one other possibility for who shot at me today.
And it’s terrifying.
I can’t think about it. Because thinking about it means unlocking a box of memories I wrapped in chains and shoved out into the ocean. That box has sunk so deep that whenever I flit around the edges of what it contains, I willingly bring up the memories of being buried alive – they’re more pleasant than what I keep in that box.
Inside that box is my last secret.
There’s another person who has seen my face, who knows that Claudia August and Mackenzie Malloy look alike.
Another person who could unravel our entire plan.
And I have no idea who he fucking is.
All I know is the way his fingers pressed into my throat, how his breath panted hot against my ear, and the way his hands slithered like snakes over my body.
Antony watches me as I lean over the counter, as the knife in my hand quivers. He breaks off his call with an abrupt order to his soldier and slides his arms around me. He forces the paring knife from my hand to wrap me in an awkward hug.
We’re not exactly the hugging types, Antony and I. Our idea of bonding is gruesome horror films or a knife-throwing session. My cousin’s arms were built for pounding people’s faces into pulp, not offering tenderness. When he strokes my hair, it jiggles the lock on that box, and I whip the knife from the table and thrust it at his throat.
Antony grabs my wrist, twisting the knife out of my grasp. He’s been down this road with me before. He’s the only one who knows what’s inside that box. “You can’t try to stab me every time you think about it, Claws. One of these days you won’t miss.”
“I know.” My hands clench into a fist. “Fuck.”
Antony grabs my shoulders, shakes me hard. To anyone watching it might have looked violent, but I need it to push the box into the depths again. “We knew this might become an issue when you moved into the house. But we’re so close. The most likely culprit is Brutus or the senator. One of them will show his hand, and we’ll slice it off. I promise.”
I don’t believe him, but I nod.
“I noticed you didn’t tell your friends about him. Or about your little adventure in Lazarus’ tomb.”
I snort. “They just found out I’m not who I said I was. Now’s not the time to delight them with the story of my resurrection or…”
Words dry on my tongue. I can’t even speak it aloud.
Antony cocks his head and gives me his monstrous smile, the one he uses before he cracks skulls together. “You know you’ve just made it infinitely more difficult to keep what we’re doing here a secret? Before, only two people knew about your true identity, now we’re got the whole Scooby Doo gang, and probably Pretty Boy’s social media followers if you don’t get his shit under control.”
“The guys don’t know everything. And they won’t tell. I’ll make sure of it. What can I do?” I ask. “I need to be part of this.”
“Nothing. You’re still our ticket out of this mess, remember? You’re no good to anyone dead.” Antony squeezes me one last time, then drops his grip. “First, we need to figure out if it’s Brentwood or Brutus behind this.”
“Who else can it be?”
The box bobs to the surface again.
“We’ll deal with that if it comes up. If we play our hand too soon with the Triumvirate, we could lose more than just the battle. I’ll put some men on your friend Alec, in case he wants to cause more trouble, and we’ll need a presence at your school.”
“So we should keep going to Stonehurst and pretending everything is normal?”
“Right now, Mackenzie Malloy is your biggest ally.” Antony gives me a stern, fatherly look. “As long as she’s alive and kicking, you’re safe.”
Antony and Tiberius turn Howard Malloy’s office into their war room. They go through every one of Antony’s men – the guys he trains at his gym who he recruits to be runners and soldiers for the Triumvirate – and choose three they’ll employ to watch the guys and their families. Antony and Tiberius will watch out for me themselves. This means they don’t have to bring anyone else into their