Treachery

Luca

Games, games and more games.

I swear that’s all these boys do. Whether it’s to tear the ground out from under you, to get what they want from you, or just because they’re bored, the entire Inferno are maestros of frustration and masters when it comes to messing with a person’s head.

Just being around them is dangerous because inevitably, you’ll be dragged in to more than you can handle and something you never asked for.

Like now.

Sawyer chuckles against my cheek, his arms wrapping around me in a friendly hug, his eyes locked on Ta

This is dangerous. I know it, and yet I’m letting it happen. Not that’s there’s anything going on between Sawyer and me. All he has been whispering is his guess as to how long it will take for Ta

I think Sawyer’s wrong, though. He believes Ta

Ta

The game hasn’t been all for nothing, though. I’m learning a few things, Sawyer’s loose lips giving me a peek into Ta

“He’s never cared about another woman before. Although, I’m sure you already know that. But shit, I swear he’s about to march over here and break my fucking arms off for daring to hold onto you.”

Biting my cheek so I don’t laugh, I inwardly hope Sawyer is wrong. He has such a mischievous, playful spirit that I’d hate to see him hurt. These guys must be super close for him to push Ta

“I’m not sure he cares about me. He’s probably just mad I’m not miserable right now.”

“We shall see,” Sawyer says, his voice lined with humor. “But even if it’s just hatred, nobody’s made him pay attention before. Especially not for so long.”

“I highly doubt that,” I answer.

“Don’t. The rumors are true about him. He’s always had a score to settle. Mostly with our families, but it’s made him bitter in a way. His mom couldn’t care less about him, and his dad only uses Ta

If that’s true, it’s heartbreaking. I can’t imagine not having a family who loves me. To spend my life being a tool to be used or a trinket shown off.

It almost softens me to the man staring over at me with destruction in his gaze.

Almost.

“He has a fan club,” I remind Sawyer. “A bevy of woman I’m sure have loved him.”

Sawyer gets quiet for a second, which is unusual for him. But then he says something that absolutely floors me.

“As if any of them matter. You need to love someone so that their love for you means anything. You would definitely need to trust them, and Ta

I’d never thought if it that way, and it only softens me more. It gives me a glimpse beneath the tough exterior of a man who has always been a mystery.

It must be the alcohol. I’d been smart enough to cut myself off after the third beer, had refused the wine some of the women offered me. Still, I feel warmer than I should, my muscles loose despite the nervousness I feel now that Ta

There’s no telling what will set him off. And beyond that, there’s no telling what he’ll do when it happens. I’m sure it will be awful. For me anyway.

Sawyer doesn’t appear to notice. He keeps blabbing away, giving me a wealth of information I’m pretty sure Ta

“All of our fathers are complete dicks. I won’t even try to lie about that. They’re the reason the twins are so fucked up. Hell, why all of us are fucked up. And while most of us deal with it in our own way, usually by being screwups, Ta

“You know what I think?”

I turn my head slightly and his eyes catch mine. “I think you’ve had too much to drink and smoked too much pot.”

He grins, a show of white teeth and two dimples at the sides of his mouth that are lures for any woman he pursues.

“They don’t call me Gluttony for nothing. It’s like I said, we deal with our bullshit in our own way. I choose to stay numb all the time.”

“I also think Ta

He shrugs. “Maybe I’m trying to piss him off.”

Sawyer laughs again, the sound deep and soft. “Which means you should let me grab your boobs to see if he’ll come storming over. This is taking too long, and I’m getting bored.”

I spin back and slap at his shoulder, my lips pulling into a smile to see the wicked glimmer in his eyes. Sawyer’s laughter is infectious, and it only makes me smile more.

But the noise at my back drags a razor down my spine, the scraping of chair legs over stone floors, the sudden hush of conversation that clues me in to the breaking point we knew would come.

Twisting back to look into the dining room, I watch as Ta

There’s pure malice in that expression. Cold instead of hot. But then, he’s not the type to fully lose his temper. Not like Ezra or Damon, or even Jase for that matter.

Ta

And I don’t like that his target is Sawyer. It worries me more than if that pissed off gaze was locked on me instead.

When he steps up to the group, one of the women stupidly reaches out to touch his leg.

“Ta

How she missed the expression on his face is anyone’s guess, but she pulls her hand away as soon as he looks down at her.

“Or maybe not,” she adds weakly, her throat moving to swallow.

His eyes snap back to Sawyer, and I know I have to do something to diffuse the situation. It’s terrifying to be the focus of that anger, and while I’m usually intelligent enough to dodge away or run like hell, Sawyer only chuckles at my back, his arms holding me tighter.

God, I’m playing with fire for doing this, but what better way is there to get Ta

“Is there something we can do to help you?”

Moss green eyes snap down to me, and I flinch in response to it. Still, I refuse to back down, refuse to let a fight break out because Sawyer toyed with Ta

“Are you going to talk, or did you just come over here to stare at me?”

The corner of his lip twitches, but I don’t think he found what I said fu

Gripping Sawyer’s wrists, I pull his arms away from me and sit up fully. I push to my feet and meet Ta

“You know what? This has been fun. But I’m getting bored and should be leaving.”

Have you ever played Russian Roulette? I haven’t. But I’m pretty sure this is what it feels like. There’s a live round somewhere in the cylinder, and I’m steadily pulling away at the trigger. With every click, I flinch and wait for that bullet to explode, and when it doesn’t, I know I’m ru