Hers To Keep (Servite Academy #2)

Chapter 28

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

SCARLETT

D on’t trust him. Whatever it is he tells you, you’re better off believing it’s all a lie.

Her words have haunted my dreams for almost a week, my body awakening in a cold sweat while in my mind I saw her face, and the pleased look upon it as she walked away.

I shouldn’t believe a word she said. I know she spews lie after lie, infecting the minds of those around her with uncertain thoughts. Yet I don’t know why her opinion still means so much to me. I’m wary enough without her poisoning my thoughts, but I can’t help if what she says makes me uneasy.

Maybe it’s because deep down inside, I don’t trust Ace.

I mean, how could I after what I saw him do? He swears it’s all a misunderstanding of epic proportions, but yet refuses to clear his name. I’m not sure who he’s protecting, but it pains me just the same to know he’d rather me believe he is at fault for such a heinous crime, than come clean.

So many secrets he still holds, so much power he refuses to let go of, but I know it all has a purpose. He has to pretend he’s still on his uncle’s side. He has to until we can come up with a concrete plan to end him.

“He shoots, he scores!” Bass hollers, sinking yet another ball into the beer filled solo cup across from him. “Drink up, baby,” he shouts out at Jade who’s standing on the other end. It’s Bass and Beck against Jade and Stella in a clearly unfair game of beer pong. Obviously the guys are winning.

“Oh fuck off, Sebastian!” Jade sneers, picking up the red cup of beer where the ball floats and drinking it in one swift gulp. Bass watches her eagerly as she swallows the beer, licking off the droplets that dripped upon her lips. Ace squeezes my hand beside his, raising a brow questioningly as he follows my gaze aimed at Bass. I smirk, raising a brow back at him causing him to chuckle lightly as he shakes his head knowingly.

These two are driving everyone crazy with their back-and-forth, blatant flirting.

My phone vibrates on the table beside me. I reach over to pick it up wondering who could be calling me if everyone I talk to is in the room with me.

Unknown appears on the screen and my body immediately goes tense. I’ve never saved his number for fear someone might find my phone and discover our conversations, but every time that word flashes on the screen, my body goes numb with a paralyzing fear.

Not wanting to talk to him now, or ever, I ignore the call, silencing my phone and setting it back down on the table. Just seconds later, the screen lights up signaling a new text message. I look toward Ace, whose gaze remains directed at the game before picking up my phone, unlocking it, and reading the message.

Unknown: Enjoying yourself are you now?

My heart drops to my feet, as I frantically look around the room. He’s near, he has to be, I can almost sense him—like a mysterious aura darkening the skies before us, a cold, chilling air floating around us, and a putrid stench enveloping my senses.

Ace shifts beside me, leaning over to whisper in my ear. “You okay, babe?” I quickly shove my phone in my back pocket, hoping he didn’t see me react anxiously to the text I received.

“Yeah, everything is fine. Is it our turn yet?” I ask, hoping to shift his attention back to the game.

“Not yet, Bass and Jade are still fighting like a fucking married couple. I swear they just need to fuck each other out of their system and spare the rest of us from the agony of listening to them bicker endlessly.” I chuckle at his comment wondering to myself if Bass hasn’t confessed they already fucked each other, and obviously not out of their system. I almost say something but decide it’s best I don’t.

I’m startled once again, when Bass hollers loudly after making the winning shot, requiring Jade and Stella to drink the rest of their cups of beer. Suddenly, I feel my phone vibrate twice more in my pocket. I thought I silenced it. I reach back and pull it out, noticing I have two more unread messages.

Unknown: Must be nice to live so carelessly and carefree. As if danger isn’t knocking on your doorstep.

The next one reads.

Unknown: Don’t ignore me, little girl. It isn’t smart.

My heart beats erratically in my chest, as I look up feeling someone’s stare on me. Across from me I find a wicked smirk on Alek’s face as he watches me read the text messages on my phone. He holds his phone in his hand, his penetrating gaze infuriatingly directed at me, and I immediately know it’s him who must be filtering out information to Wesley. It has to be .

I excuse myself from the room asking Jade to fill in for me on the next game with Ace.

“Where are you going?” he asks, immediately turning defensive.

“I just need to step out for a moment, nothing serious, just need some air.”

“I’ll go with you,” he demands, but I’m quick to shoot down his offer.

“No, I just need some breathing space. It’s all too much for me. Acting like all is well in the world when so much is going wrong. I’ll just be a few minutes.”

“Okay, don’t go far. The sun’s set and it gets really dark out here.”

“I won’t,” I assure him, reaching up and placing a soft kiss on his lips.

I head out the front door, down the cobblestone path which leads further down the beach toward the end of the shore. On the other side of the cliff lies Devil’s Point, the tidepools Ace took me to a few weeks ago. I decide it’s safe to go down there as no one in their right mind would follow me. I need to be alone for a while; I’m drowning in the countless lies I keep telling myself and those around me.

The waves are unruly tonight, slamming against the edge of the rocks as the wind harshly plows through them. The sky is dark, the moon just a small crescent in the sky not shining much light down upon me. Dark shadows appear all around me, but I find it somewhat peaceful to be consumed by the darkness of the night. At least I know this darkness, which lies on the outside, will turn to light in a matter of hours. Not like the darkness flowing through me which threatens to eradicate whatever light there ever was.

A chilling breeze flows around me sending shivers down my back, my body covered in goosebumps, as I hear a sinister cackle come from behind me. It’s terrifying and malicious, like one you’d hear in a horror film as the murderer appears in the darkness before the victim, or a demon getting ready to possess. I don’t want to turn around because I know he stands behind me. I can feel his presence looming over me, like a dark shadow of malice threatening to devour me.

“Stupid girl, walking out here all alone.” His ominous rasp sends a frightful chill through me. Deep breaths, Scarlett, deep breaths. “Stupid, or incredibly na?ve, nonetheless it was a mistake to run away from the safety of my nephew’s arms.”

“He knows I left, it won’t be long before he looks for me,” I mutter, turning rapidly and finding him hovering over me. He reaches a hand toward me, his fingers slightly grazing my cheek before I slap his hand away. I shift back, stunned that I slapped him away, instantly regretting my reckless reaction. But that’s all it was—a reaction, and the wide grin on his face proves I’m going to regret it.

“You’re getting brave, my sweet angel. But bravery is perilous. The brave are reckless, blinded by their own selfish heroism, only to fall into the steel clutches of the villains. It’s the villains who thrive. They understand the power of greatness and the sacrifices that must be made to attain it.”

“You know nothing of sacrifice, other than how to instill fear in others, leaving them defenseless and giving them no other option than to comply.” I step toward him, stupidly taunting him, poking at his chest as he steps back at every step I take forward. The blueish green of his eyes turns almost black with anger as I continue to berate him. “You are nothing but a coward who hides behind this corrupt empire you built, terrified of the threat of someone destroying it. Because you know it’s possible. The fear is clear in your eyes, deep down under the shield of control covering it, but it’s there. I see it every time I’m near you, every time you hear the mention of Ace’s name. You’re afraid because you know he has the power in him to end you.” I step back, crossing my arms over my chest. “If only he were man enough to do it.”

Suddenly he reaches forward, his hand wrapping tightly around my neck. My eyes bulge out in panic, or fear, or utter disbelief, tears threatening to make their appearance known. “You are walking on very thin ice, my dear. My patience is growing weak. You think because I haven’t physically harmed you, that it’s not in the cards but you couldn’t be more mistaken. I haven’t harmed you because it isn’t the time for that yet.” He releases me, shoving me back harshly as I fall on my ass against the rocks, my back scraping against the edge of a large boulder. “But you’d be incredibly foolish to believe it isn’t possible.”

“Scarlett!” We’re suddenly interrupted by Ace’s loud yell, echoing against the rocks. We both look up toward the edge of the cliff and find him standing there looking down at us, rage on his face. Fear flows through me at the sight of him up there. Wesley can’t see him stand up for me, can’t see him save me.

As if he senses my worry, Wesley comes up behind me gripping my hair and tugging back slightly as my head falls back exposing my neck to him. “My nephew seems to have forgotten where his loyalties lie,” he whispers against the skin of my nape. “We should do our best to make sure he remembers. After all, danger looms in Hillcrest Hills.”

My heart sinks at his statement, the threat he so shamelessly spews regarding Ace. “Is that another threat? A threat against your family, your own blood?” I ask in disbelief.

“Blood is only so thick, but my love for this town runs deeper in my veins, the power I need a graver loss, and I will do anything to ensure its survival.” He lets go of his hold on me, moving around to face me. “Don’t for a second think anyone is untouchable. Not you, not my nephew, not your sister, not that stupid pack of idiots that hang by your side. No one is safe from the devil’s clutches.” I look back up at Ace who hasn’t moved a muscle since he arrived. The look on his face shows his eagerness to come down to my rescue, but the fear of what consequences might ensue if he does, holds him back.

“Leave him out of this. I will continue to follow your every command. The noose you have around me tightens with every threat directed at me or my family. I’m forever in your clutches, at your mercy, but you must leave him out of this. No harm is to ever come to Ace, not from your hand, not from your minions. No harm whatsoever.”

“Negotiating, are we? Who said you were in any position to do so?” Another sinister chuckle erupts from him. “You have no power here, and I will prove that to you. I have one more request, just a small one, but crucial.”

“What is it?” I ask nervously.

“Not here, sweetheart, not in front of eavesdroppers or prying eyes. Tomorrow, in the minutes just before dawn, I need you to meet me somewhere. I will send a car to pick you up from here, as I assume this is where you’ll be spending the night. You two are sleeping together, aren’t you?”

I ignore his crass question, for one it’s none of his business, and second, I know he already knows the answer to it.

“Never mind that, anyway you must come alone. I have a surprise for you, one I know you’ll love.” Without another word, he climbs back up the steep hill toward the edge of the cliff where Ace stands. I stand motionless in my place as I watch him stop before Ace. They exchange shrewd glares as Wesley mutters something I’m too far away to make out. Ace simply nods, not bothering to turn his attention to his uncle, his gaze lingering on me.

“That was fucking stupid of you, Scarlett, to go all the way out there on your own, in the fucking dark,” he shouts out after me as we walk back into the beach house. Everyone now sits in the living room watching some movie on the television hanging on the wall. Well, they were watching until we barged in shouting.

“Oh fuck off, Ace,” I yell back, rushing up the stairs but not getting far before his arm catches me .

“No, I won’t fuck off! God, every fucking day, Scarlett, I think you can’t possibly do anything else more reckless and stupid than before, but you just fucking continue to surprise me.”

“Well, sorry that I’m so fucking unpredictable! Sorry that I don’t fit into the fucking perfect, little life you have here. Sorry for being such a goddamn inconvenience, but I’m not fucking asking you to be here.” I lift my hands into the air, exasperated by everything that just occurred, not ready to deal with Ace hounding me for being so reckless. “You know what? No, fuck that, I’m not sorry. Don’t forget you’re the desperate one hanging on like you’ve never had a fucking taste of fucking pussy.” His other arm reaches for me, wrapping around my neck, dangerously similar to the way his uncle just had me just moments ago.

“Watch it, Red,” he mutters, calling me by the godforsaken pet name he knows I fucking hate. “Watch that tongue of yours.” He brings his mouth to mine, baring his teeth, and gnawing before me. “Wouldn’t want it to get caught.”