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“You mean he was also high?”
“Macallan always is. He’s one of my uncle’s best customers. They use the academy to hide the large amounts of money that come through to them. The rich kids of Hillcrest Hills go into the destitute neighboring towns taking their extravagant and expensive drugs to sell. It’s the best kind of system.” He abruptly stands and turns away from me. “Fuck I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this, if he knew he’d…”
“He won’t find out. Who am I going to tell? You already warned me what would happen. Either way, who’d believe me?” I follow him, my hand upon his shoulder as he slowly turns to face me.
“How did I get so lucky to find you, my angel,” he says, cupping my cheek once again in his palm. “When I thought there was no saving my soul, that I was destined to burn in hellfire, you come into my life and make me believe there is more to this life. You’re my salvation, my guardian angel sent to watch over me but once he finds out, he’ll take you from me. The only way to make sure I never turn on him is to make sure there is nothing in this life I’d care more for. Having you here is dangerous to him.”
He cares. Ace Servite just admitted he cares for me. The empty hole in my stomach fills with warmth at his words, but also with dread at his warning.
“Then why is it he brought me here?”
“That’s the million-dollar question, my love. He’s the ringmaster in all this, like you said before, we’re all merely his puppets on strings doing his bidding. He has a plan, a reason for all of this. He always does. For our sake, I hope we don’t ruin it,” he whispers as he seals our fate with a kiss.
Thirty-Seven
SCARLETT
Three Weeks Later
Unknown: Tonight is your one last chance to redeem yourself. You are to come to Servite Manor dressed to impress. You fail this time, and I won’t be responsible for what’s coming.
Tonight is the night. The night I’ve been dreading for weeks. The night that will determine my fate here at Servite Academy.
Will I succeed, or will I fail? Will I live or die? Will he have mercy on my soul, or will I be condemned to the deepest, darkest depths of hell only to be consumed by its eternal fire?
Only the devil can decide now. May God have mercy on my soul.
Three weeks ago, I found out what really goes onbehind this city’s steeled gates. What happens behind the closed doors of Hillcrest Hills and the academy, and I almost wish I didn’t know.
Servite Academy, hell, all of Hillcrest Hills, is a front to cover the corruption that is flooding the streets of Pleasant Hills and all the surrounding towns. The Servites are running an underground drug operation that is polluting the streets of Pleasant Hills and assuring its demise.
Their synthetic, highly addictive drug, or as they call it, The Devil’s Kiss, has been corrupting all the teens back at Pleasant Hills High, and I’m sure here at the academy as well.
Three weeks ago, I followed Ace to an old storage building on the outskirts of town that doubles as a sort of club, whose entertainment comes underage, dressed in tiny lingerie.
The Gallows, I’m assuming, is some sort of prostitution ring that must recruit these young girls with the pretense of making an easy buck. Or maybe they have them hooked on drugs? Drugs, prostitution, and I think that’s just the beginning. Who knows what else they’re hiding?
And tonight, I’m hoping to find out how I fit into all of this. Agent Servite is using me once again to lure out my mother, since his two previous attempts have failed miserably, and I am hoping to find out how she fits into all of this. Maybe she is involved in his drug business. Maybe she owes him money or is a supplier of his. I’m sure Chaz was a dealer at one point.
Unexplained wealth came to us once. Not like it lasted. Mom spent it all on booze and who knows what else. Although I don’t see how she could be capable of such. Not because she’s a good person, but she’s not the brightest of women. I don’t see her being a mastermind in all of this.
Jade and Stella are heading to the cabin Ace rented for the week of Thanksgiving break, and Ace and I are planning to meet up with them tomorrow. Ruby and I are still not on great terms, but we convinced her and the guys to join us at the cabin for a few days. Iknow Drake is still pissed about me being with Ace, but things have been slightly better between us.
And by that, I mean he’s at least spoken to me once since we ended things. It’s going to be an interesting weekend with all of us there. Us poor kids from the wrong side of town and the Horsemen all at the same campground.
All the students have mostly headed home for the holiday, leaving the campus eerily vacant. So tonight should happen with no problems.
I was instructed to arrive at Servite Manor dressed to impress, whatever the hell that means.
As far as Jade and Stella know, I told them Ace’s parents invited me for a small pre-Thanksgiving dinner, but that’s a blatant lie. I seem to spew those back and forth.
I reach for the box that was dropped off earlier today, and pull out a deep red, backless gown made of the most luxurious fabric. It’s beautiful, sexy, and provocative, something I can’t imagine I would choose myself, but Agent Servite sent it over with Ace this morning, and that simple detail makes me nearly vomit as I hold the delicate silk fabric in my hand.
A piece of parchment falls from underneath the dress landing at my feet. I bend to pick up the paper and carefully read the handwriting on it.
A beautiful dress for an equally beautiful girl. Wear this, my dear, and tonight will go exactly as planned. Your life depends on it.
It’s not signed but I know exactly who it’s from.