Mae

04

Addiction of a person is way more dangerous than any drug. So is an obsession. I'm dancing at the edge of the line dividing them. I dove into a pile of crap named Wyatt to fish out Tristan, but the devil doesn't wanna show up. It's been three days since. No sign of Wyatt's stupid tantrum about the invasion of his club or Tristan's wrath swallowing up the remains of my serenity.

"Maybe we shouldn't have switched off CCTVs," I say to Aiden and punch. "Or should have written my name on that note." Punch.

I have forced Aiden to practice boxing with me. But there's not a single line of hesitation on his face. He's either happy to box with me or is keeping me from beating the shit out of the bastard we kidnapped and trapped in our cell. We gave him 24 hours. 24 bloody hours to spill the beans. But still nothing.

If Dad didn't have any say in all of this, that bastard would be dead by now. Though deep inside, I know that dad's right. Halder J trained this man we have got. He definitely knows something.

"Lilith." Aiden stops, eventually stopping my continuity of offensive attacks. "He will track you down. Do not worry about it. Worry about what will you tell him once he calls you. Thought about that yet?"

I pant, drawing labored breaths. "What do you think I am, an idiot, to not have figured that out?" I remove the boxing gloves and walk out of the ring toward the bar. Drinking a glass of water, I check my phone. No unusual messages or calls from the unknown.

An idea pops into my brain. "You know what?" I smile brightly as if I didn't just strategize to throw the deer into the lion's den. I close my eyes and pat my back. "I'm a genius."

Aiden's confused face amuses me. He will love the execution better than wording out the plan. "Follow me." I put my phone back on the island and lead the way toward the cell, holding the deer.

Tristan's minions are more terrified of him than anyone else in the entire world. They know what kind of monster Tristan possesses inside him. They have seen it take the best of him.

I push the iron door open, grab the same chair I occupied a few days ago, and place it in front of the man. He's sleeping. I dig my heel into his stomach, waking him up with a scream he does not have the energy to produce.

The half-finished sandwich wrapped in a silver coil lies beside him. "Not a fan of ham, huh?"

I would have downed a bottle of poison if I was provided with just that for three days. And this man can't eat a fucking sandwich.

Aiden leans on the pole the man's tied to, forcing himself to stand at the sight of a no-shower-for-days human. It's one thing he can't work with—untidiness. I respect his utter curiosity for that.

"Anyway..." I blow out a breath, deciding to inhale through my mouth for my time in this cell. "Your master's about to call me. Any message I should pass on to him?"

The man looks up. Bruised eyes, broken nose, and blood-clotted lips. "Master?" he says, voice hoarse and raw, laced with lost hope. I wondered why he never threatened to have me killed by his people ever. Now I know—there's no one to have his back.

"Tristan." I say, "Any message for him? Or should I greet him on your behalf?"

Real horror spreads across his ruined face. His eyes widen, bloodier and dark with fear. I smile.

"Don't—" his words flutter as he struggles to sit straight, "Don't tell him I'm here."

I raise my eyebrows, acting surprised. "Why? Will he kill you if he finds out you're taking a vacation at Lilith's resort? Well, too bad. You'll have to rot here for a lifetime then."

"No!" he jerks up. The restrains forcefully pull him down again. His eyes widened inch by inch. "He wouldn't just kill me. He'll torture me worse than you did, make my family's lives miserable and living hell. He would torment me till I beg him to kill me!"

I grin. "Sounds good to me." Except for the family part. If this bastard does him wrong, only he is supposed to be punished. Not his family. But I don't spell it out.

"No. Please!" he begs, tears welling up in his eyes. "Please, I'll do anything you want. Anything."

I look up at Aiden. He claps his hands, then salutes me with two fingers. I wink at him and stand up.

"That wasn't so hard, now, was it?" I ask the man. He doesn't back down this time. Hope in his eyes stays the same. Hope that I'll be better than Tristan.

"What's your name, again?" I ask him.

"Dave."

"Such pretty name for evil like you. Little unfair, isn't it?"

Achievement. That's what it feels like to have broken one from Tristan's army. Army of puppies, if you ask me. I bump fists with Aiden. I-told-you expression on my face.

Ashley walks into the cell, holding my ringing phone. I take it from her and see an unknown number staring back at me.

"Speak of the devil." I bite my lip in excitement and look at Ashley. "Call Eva. Tell her to trace this call."

Ashley quickly memorizes the number and sprints out of the room with the speed she came in.

I hit the green button. "Yes?"

This moment will go down in history. Tristan reaching out to someone who very much wants his head cut off from his body.

"Lilith, my darling. How are you?" A deep, raspy voice speaks from the other side. I don't need number recognition to know who it is.

"Depends on what you have to tell me, Tristan." I sit back in the chair. Aiden and Dave paying close attention to me.

"So, you've been expecting my call?" He says, reckoning it out from my tranquil ability to speak. "That much you miss me, sweetheart."

Second by second, his tone deepens. It infuriates me. "What do you want, Tristan? Certainly, not my whereabouts, as you have enough access to get it yourself."

I need him to spill all the nasty things Wyatt has planned to do. But I know better. It will be easier to touch the stars than have Tristan behave the way you want him to.

I was hoping he will walk into the great hall of damnation I have grown to enjoy more than my house, the Lethal, and claim his eternal hatred toward me. His calling doesn't sit right with me. Still, it's bearable enough to stomach.

"Nothing, really." He says, "You never informed me before going after Mr. Wyatt. Not so polite of you, Lilith." I want to scream. Shout at him to stop saying my name like that. But I don't.

"My bad." I put my leg on Dave's shoulder. "But I've one of your puppies under my leash right now."

Tristan takes a moment to let that sink in. "Who?"

"Dave."

Tristan curses. His colorful degradation of me and Dave impresses me.

"Wanna talk to him?"

I put the phone on speaker and near Dave. "Tri—Tristan." He stutters.

"You son of a—" he forces himself to a stop. He's furious that I got my hands on one of his best pawns. "If I see you again, you're dead meat."

I remove the phone from speaker mode. "Anything else?" It was not a total success, as I planned to see Tristan in person. But now I at least know how he sounds. I had hit him where it hurts the most. His reputation as indestructible.

"Maybe I should rectify your mistake."

I frown, not sure where he is going this time. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, you know," he casually tosses words here and there, stalling the main purpose he called me. "I thought I should inform you before going after the Pierces."

***