Treachery

Luca

There comes a point in every person’s life where they hit rock bottom. It’s different for everybody, their reasons an unfortunate stew of circumstances and choices, of bad calls and wrong turns that lead them to a place where they feel cornered.

Not everybody reacts to it the same. Some give in to their demons, cuddling with addiction, or letting go to the influence of those who hurt them. Yet, others fight against the rising tide, their arms and legs kicking with desperation as the waters drag them out to sea.

And maybe that’s the best description there is for a moment like this: a rip current. A surge of water so strong and deep that I’m helpless but to be caught in it.

I’m watching as the safety of shore rushes off, and I can choose to panic and drown, or I can take a moment to accept where I’ve found myself. I can swim my heart out, moving parallel to the shore with the knowledge that the rushing waters will eventually let me go so that I can return to shore.

The only problem is that my rip current isn’t a force of nature with no sentient thought. It’s not a natural occurrence that is caused by the wind, sand and ocean waves. It’s not something that behaves a certain way or plays by expected rules.

Mine is as u

It’s like Everly led me into this turbulent sea, and after pissing off Poseidon, she managed to escape while leaving me to fight the battle.

What can be done now that I find myself sitting on a bed in a strange room, guarded by a man people call Violence who growls in warning every time I glance in his direction?

Not a damn thing.

From what I remember, this son of a bitch is as crazy as they come, and looking at him, daring to take a peek when his eyes aren’t staring in my direction, only makes the situation worse.

Ezra, like the rest of the Inferno boys, is gorgeous. Unbelievable, really. He’s nowhere near as sophisticated as Ta

He’s in a different league altogether. A beautiful man so full of rage that you can almost see it vibrating over his skin. And while that rage should terrify anybody looking at him, it somehow fits him, throws his strong features into focus, makes the scars he bears on his arms and face adornments more than mistakes.

And to think he has an identical twin.

I can’t even begin to imagine how brave a woman must be to go anywhere near them.

“Go downstairs, I’ll take Luca from here.”

My eyes snap up to see Gabriel at the doorway, his green gaze sliding my direction as Ezra turns one last time to mock me with a wicked grin, a noise rattling up from his chest that causes me to flinch in place.

Ta

When Ezra walks off, Gabriel chuckles, shakes his head and closes the door behind him, his stride proud and strong as he crosses the room to drop down on the bed, his head landing in my lap as he stretches his tall body over the mattress.

I look down to find him staring up at me, a playful smirk twisting his lips as my fingers go to his brown hair. It’s just as silky soft as it looks.

“Are you here to play good cop?”

There’s a sparkle in his emerald green eyes that reveals the boyish qualities of Gabriel’s face. The man is a heartbreaker, I know that, know he can lie and make you believe the sky is pink even when you clearly see it’s blue. But still, it’s difficult to hate him.

And maybe that’s what makes him so dangerous. While Ta

Gabriel’s not stern like Ta

My fingers massage Gabriel’s head as I keep toying with his hair, his eyes closing as he crosses one ankle over the other.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, love. I’m just here because it’s been years since we’ve had any quality time together.”

“Why do I not believe you?” My fingers stop and he bats at my hand with his to tell me to keep going.

When I don’t start again, his eyes pop open, a frown tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I was enjoying that.”

“If I start again, will you tell me why I’m being held captive?”

He grins. “If I give you an answer, will you believe me?”

“No.”

His hand softly smacks at mine again.

Rolling my eyes, I start playing with his wavy hair, watching as his eyes close, and he nestles his head into my lap a little more.

A few seconds pass before he breaks the comfortable silence.

“You’re here because you have something the Inferno wants. Why not just give it to us and be done with this?”

“Probably because I don’t bow to bullies. Not in this lifetime, and I won’t in the next.”

Another crook of his lips, but his eyes stay closed.

“That’s why I’ve always liked you. It’s probably why Ta

“Ta

“Which must explain why you two were about five seconds away from fucking each other’s brains out when I walked into the room earlier.”

Eyes opening, he cocks a brow at me.

“His stubbor

“Like you?”

“Exactly.”

We go silent again, my fingers still playing through his hair while he relaxes over the bed.

“Tell me about Ivy.”

He flashes me a wide smile, pure evil in that look.

“She’s an old friend. Her circle has always been around our circle growing up, and Ivy owes me for some crap she pulled when we were kids. We have a date scheduled this weekend. It should be a lot of fun.”

“I assume for you and not her?”

His grin widens. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. People can’t help but enjoy themselves when I’m around. I’m such a self-contained party that confetti bursts from my ass every time I fart.”

I smack him on the shoulder, but laugh regardless.

Despite how comfortable I am around Gabriel, I know he’s here for a reason. Most likely, Ta

“I’m not handing over the servers,” I tell him, “no matter what you guys do. Ta

“It’s a shame you actually believe that.”

My head spins right at the deep tenor of Ta

I glance down at Gabriel to see he’s unaffected by Ta

“Welcome to the party,” Gabriel jokes, “we were just about to finish what the two of you started earlier.”