Consumed by Truths (Truth or Lies 6)

I slam my hand hard down into the wheel of the yacht I’m driving. I hear the bones crunch, the tendons snap, and blood explode beneath my skin. But I don’t feel the pain.

I’m numb to pain. Because I’m not mad at the world, I’m mad at myself.

I failed Kai—again.

I’ve failed so many fucking times.

So many times.

But I won’t again.

Because I can’t fail her anymore.

She’s dead.

There is nothing left to protect.

No one left to save.

If I thought killing myself would be enough to avenge her death, I would already be dead. But it’s not enough. I may not have been able to protect her, not strong enough to save her. But then, saving others was never my strongest skill.

I learned a long time ago how to live in the shadows. Not just live, but thrive. Now that there is no more light in my world, I will flourish. I will slink through the darkness. I am a ghost. No one will see me coming. I will kill every person who let this happen.

Felix is at the top of my list, but he will be the last to die. He thinks he doesn’t fear death. He doesn’t—not now. Because he has nothing to lose. Nothing he loves left.

So I will wait. I’ll be patient. I’ll watch, stalk him like he stalked me. I will wait until he falls in love. And then I will take it from him. Only then will he fear death. Not his own, but of the person he loves.

Everyone else though—his team, my own crew that followed him instead of being loyal to me—they are all fair game. And I will enjoy the hunt.

The world will burn, that will be the only light I see in the weeks to come. The light of my fire will be all I leave behind.

I’ve been sailing this yacht for weeks. Chasing cowards as they run for the farthest, most distant places on Earth.

They can run. But I will find them. All of them. And they will pay for what they did. For their betrayal. For their disloyalty. They will all pay the ultimate price.

I grip the wheel tighter as the rain comes down in sheets. The waves rock high then low. And the wind does its best to flip my ship over—not going to happen.

I’ve had years of experience steering a boat. I’ve faced the worst storms imaginable. The weather won’t stop me.

Most sailors would say you should never take to the ocean alone. You have no idea what dangers you will face. You have no idea how the tides will turn against you.

But after what happened, I prefer to be alone. I can’t trust anyone, not anymore. Everyone I ever trusted is dead.

From now on, I do everything alone. I can’t trust anyone else so I won’t. I don’t need anyone but me.

I can move much faster on my own. I can disappear into the shadows if I’m just one person. And I don’t have to worry if the men and women who work for me are on my side or not.

I’m sure Archard survived. I’m sure he’ll come at me with contracts and papers, trying to get me to complete the final task so I can earn the rightful title of Mr. Black, ruler of an empire of men, women, weapons, technology, ships.

I don’t want any of it. I will never trust a person again. I will never trust my own team to be loyal to me. And I don’t need any new weapons or technology to kill those who have betrayed me.

And I sure as hell don’t need the money.

If Archard comes anywhere near me with contracts and rules about taking over as Black, I’ll kill him.

I’m already Black—Enzo Black. I was born Enzo Black, and I’ll die Enzo Black. I don’t need to win a fucking competition and jump through hoops like a circus animal in order to lay claim to my own last name.