Vicious Minds: Part 3 (Children of Vice 6)

“No one betrayed you all. Your stupid plans didn’t work—”

“Killian.” I held my hand up to him, warning him before turning to Sedric. “Sedric, I was going to keep it quiet. I wasn’t even going to tell Ethan. Because I would have to stop him from killing her himself. I made a deal with your father; that is the only reason why your sister is still alive.”

His eyes widened. “What?”

I lifted my phone to him to see the secret feed. “Why did she let Roman into this house? I have a feeling she also wanted to take a shot at killing me.”

Sedric took the phone from my hands, watching slowly as Nari, his sister, let the man with the bomb that killed her own father walk happily into the house through the back entrance. I knew it. Someone had betrayed this family. The moment I left Gigi, I had gone to find out who, why, how…only to see this.

“For you all, when Ethan and I take a breath, we are in the wrong. We are somehow supposed to know everything, plan for everything, keep those plans secret, but clue you in, and make you all feel important at the same time. And if one thing goes out of place, it is our fault. Fine. We can handle your anger. In fact, if it makes you feel better, I’ll let you both rule for the day. So, what are your orders? What do I do? What do I do to the woman who betrayed us? Better yet, reflect on everything you all have done in the last year, and tell me, what would you do to a family who kept yelling in your face and stabbing you in the back? Isn’t there some time code? Isn’t betrayal met with blood? Teach me since I’m doing it wrong.”

In silence, Sedric watched the video over and over again, breathing faster and faster, his nose flaring and nose clenched. He dropped my phone without another word to me, marching back into the house with all his rage. Killian quickly followed after.

“Everyone wants to be the leader until they are faced with hard choices,” I muttered to myself. “Have the cops do as I say. This was an accident. Have them release none of the names yet, though. Later, we will say that members of the Callahan family went to spend time with my parents and sisters; they felt bad after I was shot.”

“Members?” Monk stressed the S on that as he picked my phone back up.

Slowly, I turned to him and nodded. “Yes. The day’s not over, and the grim reaper seems to be working overtime. Go get me a car. I want to see the bodies for myself.”

Rubbing the ring on my finger, I looked back at the blood on the ground. It was mostly water now, though there was most likely going to be a stain.

Introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, the end. No matter how well we planned, or how we tried or even dreamed, life did not happen in that order. The only thing we could ever know for certain was that life required us to fight a fight that, in the end, we would all lose.

Just some of us lost faster than others.

“Is it my job to stop your kids from killing each other?” I asked the ground.

Sedric was looking for anyone to murder right now, and since Roman fucked me over a second time, I’d prefer his rage to be directed elsewhere.

“This is why I say to be careful about making deals.” Ethan’s voice entered my mind.

“Shut up! I’m still pissed at you.”

Rubbing my temple, I turned back, entering the house.

SEDRIC

The doors flew open because I had kicked them open, she was sitting beside our mother’s bed, jumping, staring at me with teary red eyes.

“Sedric—”

“What did you do?” I was shaking.

“Sedric, sweetheart—” Our mother called, coming to me.

“What did you do, Nari! What did you fucking do?”

“I—”

“Tell me you are not an idiot! Tell me! You did not let a stranger in this house! Tell me now!”

Stood there, not answering me. Just crying useless tears!

“I—”

“You idiot!” I lunged at her.

“Sedric!”