The Devil's Game (Rhodes to Hell Book 1) Read online

  He takes a step in my direction, slowly walking to me, but I stand my ground with my chin held high. I hold my tongue until he is in front of me, staring down at my bare feet.

  “Have you seen Hollis?”

  “Yes.”

  I glare at him when he doesn’t even look up at me to answer and when he finally does glance at me he just stands there with his stupid smile daring me to do anything.

  I know how Messiah thinks and I know he has always had an itchy trigger finger and I definitely don’t need to be reminded of it right now. I’m not scared of him, but I definitely know how to pick my battles with him because he is wild.

  I sigh and shake my head at him. “Are you going to tell me where?”

  He just shakes his own head—mocking me—and I want to strangle his ass. I stand toe to toe with him glowering because I know he won’t tell me what I want to know. That’s just how he is. I am one second away from stomping off back to the guest house when I hear Hollis’ familiar voice.

  “Do you two know each other?”

  “No,” Messiah says at the same time I take step back. “Not so much anymore.”

  “In another life,” I admit to Hollis as I continue to watch Messiah. I pull my eyes to Hollis and smile at him. “I couldn’t find you.”

  He glares looking at me before moving back to Messiah, “I had something to take care of.”

  The silent conversation they are having over my head with their eyes is brutal and I step out from between them quickly. I don’t know why Messiah wouldn’t tell me where Hollis was, and I don’t know why Hollis is so pissed now.

  “How did it go?” Messiah asks, his eyes turning to little slits and his smirk returning. “Your errand, I mean.”

  “Refreshing, fuckwad,” Hollis barks, pushing Messiah in the chest making him stumble backwards, but he doesn’t fall. I don’t know what’s happening, but Messiah doesn’t buck back at him like I thought he would. There isn’t a person we grew up with who he didn’t fight back when we were in school, so watching him not go off on Hollis is oddly satisfying.

  I see Messiah grind his teeth a little harder into the toothpick but he doesn’t even frown at Hollis. He just shrugs and laughs the push off, “Well, your package is safe, she’s a wanderer though.”

  I look to Hollis and he doesn’t ignore my questioning stare.

  “I didn’t want you running off.”

  “Why would I?” I ask, confused.

  “I don’t know, because you came to your senses,” he tells me with a shrug.

  “You saved my best friend’s life last night, why would I run off?” I ask.

  “I meant around the compound.”

  He doesn’t tell me anything else and it makes me more curious about what all I can find out here. I’ve never been out this far down the highway ever, but everyone knows the area is covered in nothing but thick forest all around. I’ve wandered the trails around my town many times over the years, but I’ve never come out this far. This place is uncharted territory for me.

  I’m not against exploring, but the warning in Hollis’s eyes tells me I should second guess any kind of walks through the forests out here. I store the knowledge of the land away for later, too, telling myself to do my best to not sneak away and try see what is hidden beyond the trees.

  “See?” Messiah says, chuckling a little. “See what I said about her wandering? The look in her eyes?”

  I turn to him quickly, indignation on my face. “What is your fucking problem?”

  Before he can say something equally as annoying, an older man comes around the corner. His dark hair is peppered with silver and his scruffy beard is surprisingly well kept, and is silvering too. The dark ink of the tattoos on his forearms catches my attention as soon as he lays eyes on me I freeze. His eyes are soft, but the anger in his brows is anything but.

  Messiah has his back to the man and even though Hollis sees him he doesn’t stop him from responding.

  “My—”

  “Watch your words Messiah,” the older man warns, coming up and stopping next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It seems like you’ve upset our guest.”

  “I’m fine,” I tell the stranger. “I just don’t know what the fuck his problem is.”

  The man swings his gaze at me and releases Messiah’s shoulder taking a few painfully slow steps in my direction. He waves his hand lazily at me when he turns to Hollis. “I’ll assume this is Ruby?”

  I don’t let Hollis answer. “You assume right.”

  He looks back down at me and slowly blinks at me. “I wasn’t speaking to you. Was I, Ruby?”

  “I don’t like to be talked about when I’m standing right here,” I tell him boldly. I have no idea who this man is, but I also don’t care who he is, I hate being talked over like this.

  He doesn’t smile but one of his eyebrows rise in response to my answer. “Oh, really?”

  “It’s rude, wouldn’t you say?” I ask him, looking up at him before sparing a quick glance at Hollis. He’s watching me intently and he’s completely unreadable. It’s unnerving as fuck.

  When I turn back to the silver fox he looks like he’s doing his very best not to lose his cool with me and I can’t hide my grin anymore.

  “I guess you’re right,” he admits, his tone sarcastic. “How rude of me.”

  “I told you she was a piece of work, Preston,” Hollis says to my left and the man nods.

  “I see. So you’re the one who killed Benzo?”

  I freeze and turn to Hollis. I don’t know who this guy is to him but I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be telling everyone I killed a man I didn’t actually kill. I may have had every intent on killing Benzo, but the bullet that blew his brains out wasn’t from the gun I’d been holding. His eyes meet mine, but he just stares at me. He is throwing me to the wolves, trying to test me and see what information I’d divulge to someone who is a complete stranger to me. I don’t take the bait.

  “Who are you?”

  He lets out a loud hearty cocky laugh and nods as he calms his laughter. “Yep, she’ll fit nicely,” he says, looking at Hollis before glancing back at Messiah. When he turns back around to face me he puts his hands on both of my shoulders and chuckles before saying, “I’m an even richer man now, since you took out my biggest competition over some pussy.”

  Chapter Ten

  HOLLIS—PRESENT

  Earlier this morning when Preston found out Benzo had been taken out he’d expected one of our names to be on the bullet. He isn’t wrong, in truth, but when the word a tiny woman was the one to actually kill him, he wanted to meet her immediately. I didn’t want to wake her, so I’d told him I’d bring her for lunch, but it seems she found him before I had the chance to bring her myself.

  She hasn’t disappointed him, either. She’s been defiant and smart mouthed, just how he likes us to be. No matter what I want for her, she will fit in well with us, but when I let Ruby lie to Elijah, I hadn’t anticipated Preston wanting so much to do with her. From the looks of things he’s smitten with his new toy and the amount of attention he’s giving her would probably irk me if he was anyone else, but it doesn’t. Too much of Preston’s attention is never good, even if it seems like it is.

  I just don’t want him to care about her.

  I lean against the low bookcase in Preston’s library quietly with my arms crossed against my chest as he shows her some random book on one of his shelves. I don’t get the appeal of reading, but I’ve always thought my hatred of reading stemmed from all of the shit I got as a kid when reading didn’t come to me as naturally as it did everyone else. I don’t think I really learned how to properly read until I came here to live with Preston.

  Once the book is safely back on the shelf, Preston turns to get something from the desk in the middle of the room and Ruby walks over to me.

  “You play the brooding quiet guy really well,” she tells me when she gets close to me, but I just stare at her as she smiles.

  She�
�s beautiful, still wearing the blood stained dress from the club last night and no shoes. I don’t understand her at all but she’s easy to be around if I didn’t count all of her shit talking. She has so many questions, but I can tell she has even more in her mind than she ever actually asks out loud.

  “I couldn’t find out who was spreading the rumor she killed Benzo,” Elijah says as he comes into the library. He takes a seat in the first big brown leather chair he gets to and slings his body over the chair so lazily I shake my head at him. Ruby looks to him with curiosity in her eyes. She wants to know who’s spreading the lie more than any of us, it seems.

  “The cops won’t arrest me on hearsay, right?” she asks, her voice wavering only the slightest bit allowing me to pick up on it.

  “If I was a cop,” Preston starts combing his hand through his greying hair, “I’d bring anyone I thought was a part of the murder and you’d be my main target if I had your name.” He’s playing her.

  Ruby sighs, but still doesn’t look scared. She looks annoyed to even have to think about talking to the cops, but Preston soothes her annoyance easily.

  “But,” he continues, “since Hollis was feeling helpful last night, you’re here.” Preston lets the silence hang in the air and Ruby looks back up at me.

  She’s looking for reassurance, but I don’t give her any. I know what Preston is doing and I know exactly what he’s about to offer her too, and I don’t want her to accept it. She’s too good for all of this, but I also know she really doesn’t have any other choice.

  If she takes her chances dealing with the cops she may get off for killing Benzo in self-defense but so much about the crime scene wouldn’t make sense in a courtroom. It would be easier for everyone if Preston just makes it all disappear like we all know he can.

  “If you’d like to deal with the cops we can always drop you off at the station,” he pushes. “But if you’d like all of it to disappear we can arrange it.”

  “What would I have to do?” Ruby asks, not missing a beat. She’s quick and speaks her mind so freely.

  Elijah shifts in his seat, catching my attention as he turns to look at us. For the second time in the last twelve hours he’s smiling at her, his bright white teeth a deep contrast to his dark skin. “She’s quick too,” he comments, his smile gone as he looks back to Preston. He knows what’s about to be offered to Ruby just like I do. Preston doesn’t look at him, but he nods his head slowly in acknowledgment.

  “There are a lot of things you could do,” he tells her, and she narrows her eyes at him like she’s done with all of the rest of us. He laughs. “Not those kinds of things, unless sex interests you, but we will discuss all of the specifics a different time. Right now I’m offering you your freedom from jail but as payment I’ll need you on my payroll just like they are.”

  Preston points to Elijah and I, and Ruby follows his hand, looking at Elijah before settling her stare on me.

  “What does what you’re offering entail for me?” she asks, turning back to him, consideration clear on her face. “Being on your payroll, I mean. What will I have to do?”

  “It means you complete any task I tell you to do, Ruby,” he tells her firmly. He really means anything. Preston isn’t one to explain minor details to anyone, but he takes it a step further for her. “I will use you for your strengths and when I’m satisfied enough with what you provide you’ll have the option to leave.”

  “What if you’re never satisfied?” she asks, so full of questions and I just shake my head with a grin on my face when Preston glances at me. So many questions.

  “Then you’re mine forever,” he tells her simply with a shrug of his shoulders.

  He doesn’t go any further and after telling her he’d give her some time to think about it he leaves the library. She watches him go and I can tell she has so many more questions to ask, but they’ll all fall on deaf ears because none of us have the answers she wants. It’s clear she knows this when she looks back at me and shakes her head but keeps her mouth shut tight.

  “I should go check on Tasha and Lucky,” she says a few moments later. “You mind giving me a lift over the rocks?”

  “Why don’t you just put your damn shoes back on,” Messiah suggests as he comes into the library, annoyance lacing in his tone. Clearly, Preston found him in the hall.

  “But then I wouldn’t get to ride on Hollis’ back,” she tells him as she rolls her eyes.

  It’s clear as day the two of them have a history of some sort, but I won’t ask while she’s here because I hate how Messiah acts around people who aren’t a part of our family. When it’s just him and I he lets down the mask and I don’t like to deal with him when it’s not off. I don’t have the patience.

  “Yeah you would enjoy riding him,” Messiah grumbles and Elijah stands, his tall frame even more intimidating thanks to the daggers he’s shooting Messiah way.

  “What the fuck,” he barks at Messiah. “Why are you being a dick?”

  “I just don’t get why she’s here,” Messiah admits, getting bold with the wrong person.

  “She’s here because right now, Preston wanted her to be,” I grind out, pushing away from the bookshelf, my eyes piercing him with a deadly look as I push closer to him. “She’s here because I want her to be, so if you have a problem with her being here, then take it up with me or Preston. Whatever the fuck you two had going on in the past is old news now.”

  “Yeah,” Elijah adds. “Especially since Preston just offered her a spot on the payroll …”

  Eli’s words hang in the air and Ruby doesn’t take her eyes off of Messiah at all. None of us do.

  “And you know what,” she says slowly stepping up beside me, “I just might throw all of my caution to the wind and go find him right now and tell him I accept.”

  Messiah doesn’t like it at all, but he does his best to hide his emotions. He’s come so far since joining us, but still has such a way to go until he’s completely unreadable, at least with me. The look he gives her is almost one of … concern and it isn’t a feeling I see much from him when it comes to outsiders and him caring only means one thing to me.

  Ruby is a lot more important to him than he is leading on and I am now determined to figure out why.

  Chapter Eleven

  MESSIAH—TEN YEARS AGO

  It’s been three weeks. Three weeks since the day everything changed. My entire life has been turned upside down and at this point everything is snowballing and getting bigger so fast I’ll never be able to find my way out now. I’ve been tight lipped with Crystina and Ruby, but Ruby has made it harder to hide than C has. I’m not sure what is going on with my sister, but I can see her changing. I need to figure out what’s going on with her, but with everything else going on, I haven’t been the best brother.

  She snaps at me when we are home together, and I don’t know if if means I’m supposed to leave her alone or she wants more attention. It’s never cut and dry with her, but with Ruby? She just wants honesty and right now I just can’t give it to her. She isn’t talking to me currently, but it doesn’t have anything to do with the time we spend in my bed together the nights she stays over.

  She always does her best to stay in C’s room, but her need is always too much to fight and by two a.m. she crawls into my bed and not a word is said. She’s gone when I wake in the mornings and the last few times she hasn’t even been in my sister's room when I get up. She doesn’t want to see me, and I know why, but there’s nothing I can do about it right now.

  Rolling over in my bed, I look over at the clock and just stare. One fifty-nine turns to two and my door doesn’t open. I know she’s awake in the room right next to mine, but she’s done waiting and if I don’t start telling her some kind of truth she’s going to keep pushing away further and further. I get out of my bed and I’m quiet as I move across my room.

  When I get to the hall I see Crystina’s door pushed open some, which is abnormal because she never sleeps with it open. I stick my head i
n the room and I spot C on the bed passed the fuck out, the covers thrown off of her and mostly on the floor. I cross her room and pull the covers from the floor and throw them back over her so she doesn’t get cold and when I turn to leave Ruby is standing right in front of me.

  Her eyes are red and she almost looks like she’s been throwing up and she won’t meet my eyes with her own.

  “You okay?” I ask her quietly, but she steels her jaw and still doesn’t look at me.

  She tries to push past me, but I reach for her arm, stopping her. Her dark brows are pulled into a frown when she finally glares at me. “Let me go.”

  “Rue,” I say, trying to soften her some. Her frown remains. “Baby.”

  “Don’t baby me, Messiah. I have every right to be pissed at you. Let go of me,” she hisses out, yanking away from me.

  I let go of her and she backs up closer to C’s bed. I stare at her, but I don’t know what to do. I can’t tell her what I’ve been doing, no matter how bad I want to be able to talk to her. “If I could tell you, Ruby, I would.”

  “No one is holding a fucking gun to your head, you could tell me if you wanted to,” she tells me before turning and sliding back into bed next to my sister with her back to me.

  I sigh and with a shake of my head I turn to leave the room and head to the bathroom to take a piss. I know I won’t be getting any sleep tonight so when I come out of the bathroom I grab my shoes from my bedroom, throw on a shirt and leave the apartment.

  It’s cool outside but it’s comfortable and as I walk down the mostly empty sidewalk, I frown. All of this shit is too much but no matter what, it’s my reality. When I went out in search of Hollis and Elijah I had no idea what it would lead to, but I didn’t think it would lead me to where I am now.

  I can’t say it’s all bad but the more I learn about the both of them, the more questions I have and they don’t seem to have any of the answers for me. They’re weird to be around if I’m being honest, but I don’t know if I’m just used to being with C and Ruby and being around guys is different for me. I have friends but no one I hang out with.