Ruthless Secrets (Elites of Macedon High 2)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Alex

I shiver as I realize the myth is real. This is the work of the Persian—he’s here, and he’s going to destroy every single one of us. Wandering aimlessly toward the driveway is all I can seem to do, cars speeding off and kicking up gravel at people who are attempting to flee. I know Tomas and Soren are gone at this point. Their absence is something I can sense distinctly.

I’m all alone now.

While folding my arms over my chest, I trip over someone’s purse, stumbling into the circular driveway. Someone grabs my arms and steadies me, fingers curled so hard around my bicep that they don’t feel friendly at all.

“Can’t believe it,” Amos growls. “This is all your fault, you stupid bitch!”

I struggle against him, smacking his hand while digging my heels into the ground. Gravel scrapes my exposed toes and ankles, causing me to cringe. “Stop it! Let go!”

“You and your mother are so much alike. You both just love to cause trouble.”

“This isn’t my fucking fault, you pervert.”

He sneers at me, drawing me close to his face as he hisses, “You’ve such been a brat, Alexandra. If you would have simply obeyed—”

A shot rings through the courtyard, inspiring a flurry of screams. The attendees who remain hit the ground and crawl for cover. The way chaos spirals out of control like the fire in the vineyard astounds me, inspiring me to cover my head. When Amos ducks, I see my mother crumple to the ground.

“Mom!” I screech. I break free of Amos and dart toward her, scrambling over dirt and rocks. “Mom, no!”

A small puddle of blood darkens her stylish green dress. God, I always hated that dress, but right now, it seems like a fucking minuscule detail, like it never mattered at all. I stumble forward and hit the ground, crawling the rest of the way on my elbows. My fingers shake as I reach for her cheek, trying to determine signs of life.

“M-Mom?”

Her eyes are closed, and her lips are parted ever so slightly like she’s about to sigh. The peaceful look on her face contrasts with the ruin around us, the screams that ring, the tires that screech. Tears pool in my vision as my heart races, air stinging my lungs as I suck more of it down.

There’s not enough air. I can’t breathe.

“Mom, please,” I beg. “Wake up. Don’t do this. Fuck.”

Nothing matters anymore. Our fights fade out of existence, and the way she punished me disappears. It’s just me and my mom back when I was a sweet little girl, before the world raped me. When I take her hand in mine, it’s warm, hope renewing itself in my chest as I reach for her throat.

“Alex!”

That’s Parker. I swivel around, noticing where he is on the side of the building. He’s about to step right into the fray if he’s not careful. Waving my arms, I struggle to make it back to him, trying not to draw attention to myself.

“Get down!” I shout.

I dart behind abandoned cars and then a fountain, briskly moving on crouched legs. When I reach him, he grabs my arms and shakes me. “What the fuck did you do to your mother?”

“I didn’t do shit, you asshole.”

“Why’s she on the ground?” He peeks over my shoulder with a horrified look. “Did you fucking shoot her?”

I screech, “I said—”

A bullet whizzes past our heads, causing us to scramble toward the wall. Parker clutches me to his chest with his hand covering my skull. The way he holds me pierces through my anger and terror, inspiring me to act. I keep shooting glances at my mother’s motionless body while he guides me toward the front doors.

The remaining guests speed away in their cars. It looks like a fucking war zone—war is here—when we manage to get inside the foyer. Emptiness echoes through the mansion. Even the servants have taken off. And I don’t blame them for running either.

“Fuck, she’s still out there,” I whimper. “Parker, we have to get her.”

I notice her move, her elbow twitching as she tries to roll.

While slapping Parker’s shoulder, I hiss, “She’s moving. I’m going to get her.”