God of Ruin (Legacy of Gods #4) by Rina Kent

Eli: Not to mention, give him a dedicated section on some people’s shit list. He’s too blasé for his own good.

Landon: He doesn’t know how to keep his thoughts and tacky jokes to himself. For the record, you’re not funny, Remi.

Creighton: I agree. No clue why girls think of him as funny.

Remington: Spawn! How dare you turn on me and take Eli and Lan’s side over mine?

Eli: It’s the sensible thing to do. My little bro has superior taste, as expected.

Landon: Everyone but Remi does.

Remington: You jealous bitches can go die. The fact remains that I’m besties with all of your girls and always will be. Muahahaha.

I’m going to kill the bastard.

*Creighton King has left the chat*

Brandon: You shouldn’t have fanned the flames, Rems.

Eli: You made a terrible mistake. You better watch your back.

Landon: Should’ve said goodbye to your beloved Jordans while you had the chance. RIP.

Remington: It’s you! I swear to fucking God, Lan, if you don’t give them back…

I don’t read the rest of the texts. One, because I have no mind for Remi's over-the-top dramatics. Two, because the person I’ve been stalking better than an MI5 agent walks around the corner, watching her surroundings with eyes as big as a sewer rat.

I slide my phone back into my pocket and move to a hidden spot by a gigantic tree to the side.

Nila stops upon seeing my McLaren, her face pales to a pallid white.

Her heels scratch against the asphalt as she makes a run for her car. I follow behind her, and the moment she opens the door, I slam it shut and say in cold words, “Running from something, Nila?”

She slowly turns around, doing a poor imitation of those horror film airheads. She plasters a smile that’s more fake than her lashes and releases an annoying chirpy noise.

“Lan! I didn’t see you there.”

“Naturally. Since you’ve been making it your mission to avoid me.”

“What…? No, of course I wasn’t avoiding you.”

“Is that why you haven’t been acting like my designated shadow the past couple of days?”

“You said you didn’t like that.”

“Didn’t stop you before.” I step closer so that I’m staring down my nose at her. “So let’s hear it, Nila. What’s the reason that pushed you to be so transparently avoidant of my company?”

“I just have a lot of schoolwork.”

“Are you sure that’s the only reason? It couldn’t perhaps be due to a certain fuckup on your part, now, could it?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about—”

Her words are cut off when I grab strands of her hair and pull until tears gather in her eyes. “The time where you can bullshit me does not and will not exist, Nila. Did you possibly think I wouldn’t find out that you were the one behind Rory’s foolish idea about Mia? He’s as thick as a brick, but you’re not. You’ve always been a conniving little bitch who uses your looks and resources to get anywhere you want. But here’s the thing, Nila. I taught you half of what you know, which you should’ve thought about before you went against your fucking maker.”

Her face reddens as I pull harder with every word. She tries to claw my hand free, but it’s no use. If I choose to, I can squash her faster than a cockroach.

“You’re the one who turned your back on the club and us for that bitch!” Her voice grows in volume as she lets her true face show through.

Greed and contempt stare back at me like a disgusting mirror of my old self. I’m no saint and fortunately never will be, but these types of frivolous, shallow emotions Nila represents have long since been washed out of me.

“So you decided to inflame Rory’s rage and point him toward Mia. Is that it?”

She purses her lips. “So what?”

“You had the audacity to touch what’s mine, Nila, and as I’m sure you found out through Rory’s state, I don’t react well to anyone threatening what belongs to me.”

Her lips lift in a snarl. “What does she have that I don’t?”

“Figures. One thing’s for certain, you fucked up and this is me telling you, I’ll fucking destroy everything you stand for. The friends you think you have? They easily switched to my side after a few words from yours truly. Your beloved papa’s company can effortlessly be crushed if my dad somehow pulls his investments. So here’s a helpful suggestion. Be afraid, Nila. All your worst fears will come true.”

I release her and she crashes against the side of her car, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“She’ll eventually see you for who you truly are and abandon you, Lan!” she shouts at my back. “You can never maintain a relationship, not with her or anyone else!”

I don’t listen to her blabbering as I head to where I parked my car and pull out my phone.

Eli was a good sport and sent me some information. Though it’s not much and by no means concrete evidence, coupling his findings with what I discovered on my own, I’m getting close to the whole truth.

Another text pops up at the top of my screen.

A smile lifts my lips when I find it’s from Mia. She attached a picture of the flowers she’s grown in the garden.

Ever since I found her there three days ago, she’s been going to the haunted house—that’s not so haunted anymore—whenever she has time.