The devil's advocate

Chapter 14 Eden

No one says a word as Cain and Damien continue staring each other down. The hatred between them is so thick I can taste it. Which can only mean one thing.

Whatever their issue is—it’s personal. Not business like I originally suspected.

Cain’s eyes narrow when he looks at me again. I can practically feel the words burning on his tongue before he speaks.

“Are you okay?”

I glare at him. Why would he give a shit about my well-being when he and his fiancée want me dead?

“You’re kidding me, right?” The spite in my voice surprises me, but there’s no way I’m going to apologize for it. “You’re lucky I don’t have you arrested.”

A flash of confusion sweeps across Cain’s expression before he pales. “I know you’re angry with me, but don’t make up lies—”

“Is there a problem here?” Margaret questions, pursing her lips.

The way she’s sizing me up makes it clear her question is directed at me.

It’s all I can do not to punch her in the face.

As if on cue, my limbs start shaking and my vision becomes hazy. A public confrontation at a funeral for a beloved member of Black Hallows is the last thing I want.

A spike of adrenaline shoots up my spine, urging me to run out and go somewhere safe, but I’m so tired of hiding from my problems.

I’m tired of being someone’s dirty secret. I’m tired of not confronting people for their horrible actions.

I’m tired of the man I love using me for his own needs and then tossing me away like garbage.

And I’m not going to stand here and let Cain’s latest whore hire someone to hurt me, preen around town on his arm like she’s the best thing that ever happened to him, and then speak to me in a condescending tone.

They thought it would be easy to take my dignity as well as my life—but fuck them both, because I’m taking them back.

Steeling myself, I hold her stare. “Don’t you dare—”

“Eden,” Cain hisses at the same time a heavyset man approaches our little circle of hell. “Don’t do this here.” His brown eyes soften. “Please.”

My heart twists and I have to remind myself the only thing he’s worried about is the stupid election.

“It’s a shame they don’t serve booze at these things,” the portly man joining us declares with a wry smile.

It quickly fades when none of us return it.

“Eden?” Margaret asks, looking perplexed. “As in Karen’s daughter Eden?”

The woman couldn’t put more distance between me and her new man if she tried.

“Yes, Margaret,” Cain replies, sounding exasperated.

For a woman who went through the trouble of hiring a hitman to get me out of the picture, you’d think she’d do some research on her target.

Either that or she’s just super convincing.

“Well, pardon my confusion, Cain,” she drawls, giving me the side-eye. “Last time I checked, you said she didn’t leave the house due to her mental issues.”

My cheeks flame as embarrassment courses through me. It would be more humane if she took out a gun and shot me in the face.

I look at my shoes again, wishing the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

“I suggest you both stop talking about my fiancée like she’s not standing right in front of you,” Damien says, pi

“Fiancée?” Cain spits, his expression darkening.  

“Mazel tov,” the man next to him declares and Margaret smacks his shoulder.

“The man just threatened your daughter, Daddy,” Margaret mutters. “Don’t congratulate him.”

The man tsks. “As usual, you’re not seeing the bigger picture. Just the other night we were discussing where to send the girl so Cain would no longer be burdened with her after he wins the election.” He gestures to Damien. “However, it seems she’s no longer our problem. Therefore, congratulations are certainly in order.”

Every cell in my body screams in silent agony as I glance up at Cain. “That’s why you want to get rid of me?” I whisper, my voice quivering with unshed tears. “Because I’m a burden?”

Cain shakes his head. “No—”

The governor clears his throat loudly, cutting him off. “Ah, the priest has arrived. The service will be starting any minute, so we better take our seats.”

Damien starts to speak, but the governor ushers Cain and Margaret away. He gives his daughter’s arm a gentle squeeze as they make their way to the chairs on the other side of the room and she beams at him.

Cain might not have wanted me gone…but they certainly did.

Beside me, Damien’s jaw works. It appears he didn’t much care for the governor’s rude exit.

Good. Maybe now he’ll understand what it feels like to be a fish out of water.

“Are you happy?”

His lips press together in a tight line as he escorts me to the last row of seats in the back of the room. “About?”

“You knew they would be here and yet you still forced me to come today.” We take our seats as the priest ambles up the aisle. “You said no one would disrespect me if I was with you, but they did.”

It’s all people ever do.

I rise from my chair. They already won, but I refuse to give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry.  

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To the bathroom.”

Damien stands, but I hold up a hand, halting him. “The least you can do is grant me five minutes to myself so I can cry in peace.”

I stalk off before he can argue.

I’m wiping the smeared mascara from under my eyes at the bathroom sink when the door opens.

I don’t think anything of it until I hear the faint click of the lock followed by swift, hefty footsteps—like someone’s on a mission.

My stomach contracts when I look up at my reflection and see Cain standing behind me.

The moment our eyes co

A scream lodges itself in my throat, but he slams a hand over my mouth.

I struggle against his hold as he drags me backward, but he’s double my strength. It’s not long before he shoves me against a bathroom stall, pi

“How the fuck could you do this to me?” He compresses my wrists so hard I yelp. “Damien fucking King.”

“I didn’t do anything to you,” I croak, breaking out in a cold sweat. “You’re the one who hired him to kill me. You and your new fiancée.”

Cain’s eyes widen in disbelief and he gives his head a shake. “Is that what he told you?”

More like confirmed it, but that’s neither here nor there at this point.

“I’m sorry taking care of me was such an inconvenience, but I thought—” I choke back a sob. “Jesus. I loved you, Cain.”

I still do.

And in the end, it’s my love that will be responsible for my death.

God, what a sad, pathetic, tragedy I turned out to be.

The slap of my hand across his face shocks us both, but I’m too worked up to stop myself.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

He swore he’d never leave me. He vowed to always take care of me.

He promised not to hurt me…and I stupidly believed him.

I slap his cheek again, harder than before. “I hate you.”

Falling in love with Cain Carter was the best and worst thing that ever happen to me.

“I hate you,” I rasp, my vocal cords ripping to shreds. “I hate—”