Page 36 of Master B-0361

But she didn’t. Margaret followed as I fixed my tie, pulling down and straightening my vest just outside of the door. When I opened it, I froze, confused as I stared at the guard who was staring at me blankly. Seconds passed.

“Can I help you? …Did the Main Master send you to get us?”

“Who is it?”

At Margaret’s voice, the guard seemed to awaken, his head snapping over to try to see around me. Pressure exploded at the center of my chest from his push, and I stumbled back, seeing nothing but determination on his face as he pulled his gun free. It sent my world tilting.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?’

“Jett has lots of tricks. Jett says goodbye.”

There were no words, only action. My hand shot out to his wrist, just as a shot went off. Pressure sent the gun in my direction, but I added even more strength. It was almost impossible to get control through his superhuman strength. My ears were ringing as the shots kept coming.

Bang!

Bang!

My size aided in getting the upper hand, but at Margaret crumbling in my peripheral, my hold suddenly loosened. My heart cracked. It fell. My breath caught, and I was spinning for her, collapsing at her side, but it was the hole between hereyes that made my world completely stop. Pain came in burning punches throughout the center of my back. I could feel the jolts at their force, but I truly didn’t react to the shots. I held to dead light brown eyes, throwing every part of me into them. Letting me fall into their empty depths. I could live there. I could stay there forever. With her. With a love that could have been. At the splitting explosion in the back of my skull, I knew I’d never leave. There’d be no more pain. No more hope or hell. It would be me.Her.Together…forever…

Epilogue

MAIN MASTER

The whispers were never-ending. The looks…curious. Maybe even greedy. Suspicious? I couldn’t be sure of that. Guilt could do many things to a person. Thing was, besides acknowledging in my mind that I was breaking rules, I didn’t care. Sebastian gave me nothing but the perfect excuse I was looking for. One, I had been considering now for weeks. On the surface, Mistress Two was all too helpful. She had been my mentor. My personal savior when I had thought I was finished with this world. But even with everything happening between me and Mistress Two, I couldn’t ignore this deep-seeded dread. This…hateI held for her.I used to not be able to define it, but my suspicions had been well-rooted. Now that I knew her secrets,her sins, there was no going back.

But what did that mean? What did that say about me? What would the Circle think? The Masters? Mistresses?

It didn’t matter. It had to happen. And not just from her guilty deeds. Maybe despite everything, I wanted to be the only one with power. The only one with this gift. Had I gotten to that point?

I made sure my mic was off, glancing down the row of Board Members before leaning towards Master One. “Where the fuck are they? Sebastian knows we need them here.”

“I don’t know. Didn’t you send Nineteen to check on them?”

“That was nearly twenty minutes ago.” I took in the over-crowded room. It wasn’t every day one of the upper elites went on trial. But this wasn’t just any upper elite. This was the heir of the LaRoe family, one of the most prestigious names in our circle. “I don’t like this.”

My eyes went to Melissa as she kept glancing towards her son. The woman was in mother-mode. She appeared concerned. Upset even, as she kept throwing her son looks. I knew better. Melissa LaRoe felt nothing. She was as hard as a rock and as cold as they came.

I gestured for the guard standing at the door, not missing as Hale headed in, sliding into a seat in the back. Vibrations buzzed against my chest, and I reached into my suit jacket, pulling my phone free. At my High Leader’s number, I answered.

“Well? Where the hell are they?”

“Main Master…they’re dead.”

“What?”

I kept my tone calm despite my pulse giving one hard hit in my chest.

“I have three bodies. From the looks of it, the slave died first. Bullet between the eyes. Master Rivers was lying over her. There’s a few shots in his back. One to the back of his skull. And then I have a guard. Single shot. He ate that fucking barrel.” Nineteen paused. “I knew Harleston. He wouldn’t have done this. No way in hell. Something’s not right here. I’ve watched the footage already. He mentions Jett. I wrote it down, hold on.”

He paused, and I took in Hale, my mind already swarming…my stomach twisting at what I knew was about to happen. Hale loved his brother. Sebastian was everything to him. Now, for himto be dead? He’d have to take Sebastian’s spot. He was the heir to his family now.

“Okay. Harleston walks in and says…“Jett has lots of tricks. Jett says goodbye. And then he starts shooting. He wasn’t in his right mind, I can guarantee it. Harleston looks like he’s under a spell as he’s headed to the door. Even when Master River’s opens it, he acts like a zombie. It’s the slave he reacts to. I haven’t been able to go further back, so I don’t know what exactly happens, but not all is as it appears.”

My stare went to Jett, only to move to Melissa.

“The boy’s guards?”

“He’s had the same ones the entire time. You know how it works in Hell Row with those on expedited trials. They haven’t left his side, nor have they interacted with anyone except themselves. Food was left for them to retrieve. Facilities and recreation are within their private quarters by the cell. They’re there in that court room with you right now. I watched the footage already. Harleston hasn’t had access to any of them. He’s taking orders from someone else.”