Malum part 2

“Well, well, well…” Hector says smugly, and we both turn to find him reading a book on a single sofa. “I did wonder when I would come face to face with you both. Didn’t think you’d be bold enough to confront me in my own house, though.”

Nate takes a seat on the sofa opposite him, unfazed. “Really? Because I’d say that you should know exactly what I’m capable of, Hector, since you know… you’ve seen me in action.”

Hector twists his cigar around his mouth, gri

Nate hasn’t taken his eyes off him, and when I don’t move, his hand finds mine instantly, yanking me down beside him. “Is it true?” he asks Hector.

Hector seems to ponder over his words, like he’s tossing up whether or not he’s going to answer honestly or dance around in lies. “Yes and no.”

“Elaborate,” Nate seethes, his lip curling around his teeth. He looks feral, like he’s about to pounce on his prey and rip it to shreds.

Hector leans forward, reaching for his whiskey glass. “I want to show you something, and then you can decide what that means and what you want to do with it, but let me warn you both, not because I have to, but because I look at you like a son, Nate… under any killing of a Hayes, especially me, there is a bounty out for one-hundred million dollars to whoever kills the person who killed me, and then extra for the head of their loved ones. The duty will not be done lightly. If they catch you, they will make sure that the people you love, or persons.” He grins, his eyes flicking to me. “Will be tortured while you’re alive, for you to watch.”

Nate stills.

“So be very wise with how you continue this plan. You’re not a juvenile. Tillie is smart, I trust you will both make the right choice.”

Nate’s jaw clenches. “Just show us what you need to.”

Hector picks up a remote control beside him, as if he knew we were coming. That bitch Scarlet. He pushes a button and the large TV that’s hanging on the feature wall ahead of us turns on.

The screen is blurry at first, like someone is wiping the lens, and then it’s on my sister’s face, like it’s turned around.

“I hope you can see this!” Then it turns and a click sounds, and suddenly I’m facing everything that’s in front of her.

“Call Hector…” a female voice says, and I recognize it instantly.

It’s silent, and then my sister murmurs. “We’re here. The camera is set up, we’re about to proceed.”

Silence, and I see the front of Khales as she stands in front of Peyton.

“That makes no sense….”

She must hang up the phone because now Khales looks confused. “What!”

I see that they’re in the driveway of Nate’s house, and it makes my stomach curl.

“I don’t—”

“You don’t have to watch it all,” Hector interrupts, his eyes cutting to me. “But you will watch enough.”

I gulp, my eyes flicking back to the screen.

“We have to kill her.”

“Her as in Tillie?” Khales asks. “Done. Hate that bitch.”

I snicker.

“No,” Peyton mutters. “Not Tillie. Micaela.”

Khales silences. “I don’t know… are you sure?”

“Yes,” Peyton says. “Go. I’ll meet you in ten at the front of the room.”

“Peyton. I’m not a baby killer. That shit is too dark, even for me.”

“Tough!” Peyton snaps. “You will do as I say, or I will take back that island.”

Khales submits, like the little bitch that she is and ducks away. When the crunching of stones disappears into the distance, the camera turns back around onto Peyton’s ugly face.

“Sorry, Hec. Change of plans. See, your son and his friends killed my lover. They killed him. Does Tillie know how much it hurts to lose the only person she has ever loved? I don’t think my piece of shit sister does and let me tell you.” She chuckles maniacally, her eyes coming to the lens. I can see her looking right at me. “As much as she loves Nate, I know she will never love anyone as much as she does Micaela. So no can do. I won’t be stealing her baby like you asked me to do. I’ll be killing it instead. Peyton fucking Stuprum over and out.”

Nate stands, picking up the coffee table and throwing it against the TV. “Why the fuck did you trust her!”

Hector doesn’t move.

I sit in silence, tears pouring over my face. “What does this mean?”

“Where is she?” Nate’s enmity is reaching new heights, and I don’t want to be the person he takes down with him when he falls.

“Do we understand each other?” Hector throws back, looking at us both.

“Question.” I turn to face Hector. “Why? Why were you going to steal Micaela?”

Hector watches me closely. “I don’t think you’re ready for that answer. Not yet.”

“Enough with the fucking half-truths!” I yell, frustration pouring out of me. “Just tell me!”

Hector shakes his head, placing his glass back on the table and bringing his dead eyes back to me. “I don’t answer to you, Stuprum. I’ll see you on Perdita. She still defied my orders, and that’s punishable, but I am a patient man.” He stands, winking. “I hope you’re not queasy at the sight of blood.”

He exits the room, leaving me and Nate standing in a bubble of mess.

“Nate.” I blink, and he drops down beside me.

“What?”

“What do we do now? Why does he have an infuriating way of not answering questions.”

He chuckles. “What we do for every fucking war. We pile up the jet and fly to fucking Perdita.”

I don’t ask why Perdita. I agree and let him take me back outside.

Bishop is outside, leaning against his car.

Nate flies forward, his fist clenched around his collar. “You knew?”

Bishop doesn’t flinch, and he doesn’t fight Nate off. “Not until after. I overheard him ordering people to find Peyton and the rest of what she did. I was going to tell you. I didn’t find the time to do so. Peyton went ghost and he only just found her.”

“What the fuck do you mean you didn’t have the fucking time?” Nate roars in his face.

“When!” Bishop yells, his hands going up. “When you were both so fucking broken that you had to bury your daughter, or when Tillie was seeing fucking dead people? I didn’t want to fucking open new scars until I fucking had to, Nate!”

“Madison knew…”

Bishop flinched. “She knew when I knew, because she heard too. I kept her quiet. She started to hate me for it. She couldn’t han—Listen! It’s a fucking long story. What we need right now is to get the fuck to Perdita.”

“Why Perdita?” I ask, sick of the fucking fighting. I trust Bishop. I know Nate does too.

“Be

Nate laughs, shoving Bishop away. “That’s why Be

Bishop shrugs. “Of fucking course. But you know Be

“What is going on!” I scream at the two of them. “What has Be

Nate’s jaw is working. “Get in the car. Both of you. We will talk on the way to the airport.”

“Good,” Bishop says. “Because the rest of The Kings are meeting us there.”

I slip into the backseat of Bishop’s Maserati and he pulls out of the driveway with Gabe following behind us.

When I can’t take the silence any longer, I start. “Okay. Talk please. What does Be