Ruin (Rhodes #1) by Rina Kent

                             “Does that mean you and I are the same?” She licks her lips. “You know, since we’re paying with our souls and such.”

                             Screw this game. “What are you plotting, Mae?” I snap.

                             “I was joking.” She releases an exasperated breath and focuses back on Silver. “You’re no fun.”

                             That’s it. I’m going to slip my knife into her neck. And for the gates of hell’s sake, people need to stop telling I’m not fun.

                             My phone vibrates, saving her.

                             An unknown number flashes on the screen. I answer. “Who is it?”

                             “Are you ready to meet our peers in hell?” Celeste’s excited voice causes an uncontrollable tensing in my limbs. “Your number wasn’t easy to get, Aaron, why are you this unsocial? I thought I taught you how to have fun. Remember that time in Hungary—”

                             “Get to the point, Celeste.” I cut her off.

                             Mae’s eyes widen, probably in recognition. I don’t know how much she watched of the surveillance camera but she must’ve caught Celeste’s name. Thankfully, she keeps her loud kitten’s mouth shut.

                             “How was the night after I left?” I can almost see the sadistic smile on Celeste’s face. She knew Hampton’s intentions and I’m sure she was the one to form the idea in his head. He was too dumb to plot such a plan on his own.

                             Celeste’s blood will have to pay for hurting Mae.

                             “Either cut to the chase or I will hang up,” I say in my calmest voice.

                             “Bugger all! Fine. I have a suggestion to make.” Celeste’s voice takes a serious turn, the monotonous one she’s used twice in the long years we’ve spent together in The Pit. The first was to ask her father why he sold her and the second was to tell him goodbye before she held a gun to his head. “After you snobs escaped The Pit, I became a veteran. I’ve met the head of The Pit— personally. I can tell you who he is and how to find him. That way, Tristan and Dylan get their revenge.”

                             Too good to be true. The Pit’s head is practically a ghost, no one has met him personally, but this is Celeste, she wouldn’t offer a losing deal. “Your conditions?”

                             “You do know me.” She laughs, genuinely this time. “That I would have many conditions, not one, I mean.”

                             “What are they?”

                             Her voice goes back to its seriousness. “First is obviously money. You’re rich, I’m sure you can pay me whatever price I name.”

                             I meet Mae’s slightly spooked eyes, and she reverts her attention to Silver. Even if Celeste is the key to bloody salvation, I’ll still kill her. She dared to hurt someone under my protection.

                             Besides, she said it herself, it’s Tristan and Dylan’s revenge, not mine. True, it would be thrilling to hunt the nameless ghost and kill him slowly for taking Uncle away, but I’m sure there’s another way. I play along nonetheless. “Second?”

                             “We take off!” There’s excitement in her voice. “I assume you got bored with your pet already and will kill her soon. Therefore, nothing would tie you down anymore. It’s going to be fun, Aaron. Just you and me. Solo. Like the good old days. You must miss that freedom.”