Made in Malice (Corrupt Credence Book 1)

LUCIAN

I replay our encounter in the cafeteria, but I know I didn’t touch her, so there’s no way I did what she said, and then the image of Alden grabbing her by the arm and pulling her out of the chair fills my mind. I didn’t think anything of it at the time.

I might have been a little irritated that he took her away before I was done with her, but it never dawned on me that he could have hurt her.

“Alden did this to you.” I crouch in front of her, and she seems to be shocked by the shift of positions, because her eyes are wide and leery.

“Not intentionally,” she defends, even though it wasn’t a question.

“Is this why he hasn’t been around?”

“No, I never needed a bodyguard.”

“Did you tell the Umbras what he did?” I’m a little surprised that my voice is as calm as it is, considering how pissed off I am.

“No, it was an accident. He didn’t mean it.”

“Why did you say it was from provoking Lucian if it was Alden who did it?” Nox chimes in. I almost forgot he was here.

“Because that’s why he hauled me out of the lunchroom. I was antagonizing him, like usual,” she says in a tone that makes it clear she’s repeating something she heard.

“He said that?”

“Among other things,” she mumbles, then tilts her head to the side. “Is he really your cousin?”

“Who told you that?” I scoff, dismissing the question. What the hell else did he tell her?

“You did, you called him cuz,” she announces.

“No, I didn’t.” Damn it, I must have, and I don’t even remember saying that.

My lamb narrows her eyes, then crosses her arms, covering up her tits, and I want to pull her hands down for cutting off my view. “Liar.” The tip of her pretty pink tongue touches her top lip with her accusation.

“He’s only related by blood. We don’t claim him as family anymore.” I give her a little truth since I’ve demanded so much from her.

“Why?” She quickly lowers her head and lifts her hands in surrender. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. It’s none of my business. Have I answered enough of your questions today, King Pretty Boy?”

“Hardly,” I grunt, then rise to my feet. It’s the first time I’ve ever lowered myself for a woman, and I didn’t even realize the implications until after. I need to fuck her and get her out of my system or get her off this damn island.

NOX

“Can I get back to work now?” Her question comes off a little like a dig, as if him speaking to her at all is an inconvenience. She’s not even aware that everything she does just draws him in more. Lucian has never had to work for attention or for people to bend to his every whim, but she bucks against him every chance she gets, and I’m enjoying watching my brother’s descent into her web. I also quite like knowing I will get to reap the rewards, because what’s his is mine.

“Why not?” Lucian shrugs. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“Tonight? You said you’d leave me alone today.” She’s looking up at him with a pouty expression that I know would kill her if she realized just how sweet her appearance is.

“No, lamb, I said day. I would leave you alone for the day. I made no promise about tonight.” Lucian turns his back, a smile playing on his lips, and starts to walk away.

To his back, she calls, “I work tonight, pretty boy. If you get me fired, I’ll…I’ll…”

“Looking forward to it, lamb.”

Nova lets out a growl of frustration when she can’t come up with something to threaten him with fast enough. “He is infuriating!”

“And fiercely loyal and protective to a fault, all while having to bear the cross of being the ugly brother,” I mock as if it’s a tragedy. Nova erupts into a peal of laughter, meaning I hit my mark.

“Yes, the poor baby. I’ll have to keep that in mind the next time I want to poke him in his ugly eye.” When her soft laughter finally subsides, she adds, “I’d be really grateful if you could convince him to leave me alone tonight while I’m at work. I think he almost got me fired last night, and all he did was sit there.”

“You know he’s going to want something in return, Nova.” I lay all the blame at Lucian’s feet, but it’s also the truth.

She lifts her hand, exposing empty palms. “I don’t know what he wants or what I can give him. I even tried not arguing with him, but it’s impossible. He makes me crazy, and I can’t just sit there and let him talk to me like I’m garbage. I don’t even know why I care that he thinks I am. It infuriates me.”

“He doesn’t think you’re garbage, Nova. I can promise you that.”

“We will have to agree to disagree.” She glances down, and it’s probably the first time I’ve seen her truly vulnerable.

“I’ll get him to leave you alone tonight,” I promise, uncertain how I’m going to make good on it but knowing I’ll find a way, even if that way is kicking Lucian’s ass for putting those thoughts in her head. “You have to do something for me though.” Nova lifts her eyes, and a little of the fire she gives Lucian is in her gaze. “You have to tell me if anyone tries to fuck with you again.”

She clicks her tongue and waves her hand dismissively. “I can take care of myself from the run-of-the-mill mean girls.”

“Do we have a deal, Nova?”

“Fine, whatever. If you’ll keep your unhinged brother in check, I’ll agree to just about anything.”

“Oh, Nova, don’t tempt me. While I may not be as unhinged as Lucian, I’m still no saint.” She blinks those pretty blue eyes at me, reminding me of the sea off the coast on a clear day, momentarily stunning me stupid.

“I’ll text you later so you’ll have my number,” I tell her over my shoulder while walking away.

“Hey, I never gave you my number,” she says, which makes me laugh. She really has no clue how easy it is for us to get whatever we want.

NOVA

It took me a long time to relax during my shift. I kept watching the door, expecting Lucian to come stalking in, but Nox was true to his word and Lucian never showed up, but now that I’m about to walk out to my car, the nerves are back. I’m hesitant to walk out alone, yet I don’t want to ask someone to walk with me. If Lucian is waiting for me, there’s no point in bringing someone else into the drama. It would just embarrass me and put the other person in his sights.

“Night, Mickey, see you next week.” I wave, hoping he can’t tell how stiff my posture is.

“See you Wednesday, darlin’.”

The reminder of having several days off is welcome. I can’t wait to sleep in tomorrow. I push out the backdoor, then search the lot. My car is parked in the back row, as usual, but that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m looking for a hulking shadow or his black SUV, only I can’t tell the difference between his vehicles and the countless other black SUVs parked nearby.

When none of the shadows move, I finally let go of the door and head straight for my car. My headlights flare when I get close and hit the unlock button, but I should have waited. “Nova,” comes a soft, feminine voice, startling me.

I spin with my keys between my knuckles, ready to face some of the girls from school, but it’s not anyone familiar to me. It’s a woman who looks like she’s around the age my mom would be, but she’s lingering in the shadows, so I can’t see her that well.

“Yeah?” I don’t release my grip on my keys.

“I hoped it was just a rumor that you were here.”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” I snark. “And who are you?”

“Who I am isn’t important.”

“Okay, so what is important?” I open my car door, and the light from the interior cuts off my view of her even more, but I want to be able to get away if this lady decides to do something crazy.

“That you shouldn’t have come here. Your parents sacrificed everything so you’d never have to be here.”

“You knew my parents?”

“It’s dangerous for you here.” She doesn’t answer my question.

“Why did my mom leave? Why is it dangerous?” I step out from behind my car door because I need to know what she has to say, but the rear door to the bar slams at the same time, pulling my attention away from the woman, and when I turn back to look at her, she’s gone.

“Wait, come back,” I call out, searching the darkness, but all I can hear is a few of the other staff members yucking it up as they head to their own cars.

“Nova, is everything okay? Is somebody bothering you?” Mickey asks.

“No, there was a woman I was talking to.” I look around again, knowing she’s gone.

“Well, be careful. Sometimes, they send a girl out to run a scam on tourists,” he says, searching the parking lot like I was.

“I will, thanks,” I tell him, then climb into my car. Maybe she’ll come back once they are gone, but when I notice Mickey just sitting in his own car, as if he’s waiting for me to leave so he can, I finally get going.

I’m barely focused on the road the entire ride home, my mind on the woman and what she could have meant. Surely it’s not about the Morningstars. I’m certain they aren’t much older than me, which means they probably weren’t even alive when my mom left, so what the heck could she be talking about?

The guard at the bridge raises the gate as I approach, proving it’s the car and not Lucian driving that allowed me quicker entrance to the island.

My phone vibrates in my pocket when I reach the gate to the estate. If I weren’t alone, I might be embarrassed about the way I jump, but I use the time it takes the metal entrance to peel back to look at the screen.

Unknown: Program my number so you can keep your end of the bargain. Night, night, Nova.

I glance into the rearview mirror, wondering if the timing of his text is a coincidence or if Nox knows I’m home. I’m thinking it’s the latter. I’m tempted to flip him off, but it seems childish. He probably wouldn’t be able to see through the windows, and he hasn’t really done anything to piss me off like his brother has.

As I glide down the smooth drive all the way to the coast of the island where the house sits, an eerie awareness settles in my stomach. The most reasonable answer to my question of why it’s dangerous for me to be here lies straight ahead. I knew before coming here that there had to be a reason my mom left and never looked back, but I never thought it was because she was in danger here. I just thought maybe she didn’t agree with their rules or something mundane, but Alden hinted that it could be more, and Lucian is convinced my grandparents had something to do with the death of his parents. What could they be hiding?

I look up at the house. Several of the lights are still on, even though it’s pretty late. As I scan the windows, I notice a curtain to the left shifting as if someone was just peeking out at me. Now more than ever, I need to know why my mom left and stayed away. My life might even depend on it.