Page 87 of Wicked Enemy
For a single second, I just stood there, holding his eager gaze while my whole soul pulsed with impossible decisions. Then I drew in a deep breath and replied.
“Somewhere on the east side.”
Chapter37
My heart pounded against my ribs as I stood inside the empty living room and stared at the building across the street. But it was too late to second-guess myself now. No matter what happened, I would just have to follow this plan through to the end.
“You’re either very brave or very stupid to show up here empty-handed,” came a voice from behind me.
“I’m not,” I said, not even bothering to turn around. “I told them to come to the house across the street, and they will.”
Christian White walked up to stand next to me by the grimy window. “Why didn’t you just bring them with you whenyoucame here?”
“Because I…” I trailed off and cleared my throat before pressing out, “Couldn’t. I couldn’t stand the thought of hearing them make small talk while they unwittingly waited here with me for their executions.”
“You didn’t tell them that they’re going to die?”
“Would you have?”
He clicked his tongue and tipped his head to the side, as if conceding the point. “Still, it’s pretty cruel to not let them say goodbye to their loved ones.”
Fury roared through my chest, and I at last turned to face the dishonorable worldwalker. He raised his pale brows, as if he was surprised by my rage. I squeezed my hand into a fist to stop myself from trying to wring his fucking neck.
“Do you know what’s cruel?” I growled at him. “Demanding their lives in the first place.”
He shrugged, as if it wasn’t anything important. “It’s just the cost of doing business.”
“Except the cost had already been established, and we had already finished doing business, when you suddenly decided to change the price.”
His face split into a smile as cold as his ice blue eyes. “That’s one of the perks of being the most powerful person in the room. I get to make and remake the rules to suit my needs. Remember that, King of Metal. And one day, you might actually be able to protect this city from the likes of me.”
Grinding my teeth, I just stared back at him while desperately trying to stop myself from starting a fight that I wouldn’t be able to win. I flexed my hand and worked my jaw a couple of times before trusting myself to speak again.
“This time, I want a blood oath,” I said, holding his gaze with hard eyes. “After you’ve killed them, you are going to swear a blood oath that you will leave my city and my people alone.” My voice sharpened to steel as I added, “So that you can’t decide toremake the rules to suit your needsagain.”
With that cold grin still on his face, he huffed out a few breaths of amusement. “You’re learning. Maybe you will survive in this world after all.”
“The blood oath,” I ground out.
“Fine, fine. I’ll swear a blood oath.”
“Good, because if—”
“Oh, is that them?” White interrupted.
I whirled around to face the window again. I had been so focused on White that I had forgotten to watch the street.
My heart leaped into my throat as my gaze landed on the three of them.They’re here.
“Yes,” I said while they closed the final distance to the door and opened it.
My pulse was thrumming wildly as I watched them disappear into the building without hesitation. While keeping every scrap of emotion firmly off my face, I turned to meet White’s gaze again.
“You will give all three of them a quick and painless death,” I said.
He arched a white blond eyebrow. “That sounded an awful lot like a demand.”
“It’s in your best interest too. Dragging this out will only make things messy.”