The Joy of Revenge

CHAPTER 121 The World Has Seen
Joy
my pillow, I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. I covered my head with praying the sound would just go away.
too
The knocking, however, turned into incessant banging. I quickly sat up, my tussled hair falling over my face as I scowled.
“I’m up, I’m up!” I yelled, hoping the sound of my voice was good enough to stop whoever was on the other side of my door.
But it wasn’t. The banging continued.
Wait just a second… If I was at home, why would someone be banging on my door?
I flipped my hair away from my face and opened my sleepy eyes… just a tiny bit… and realized I was in my office.
I forgot. Cristos stowed me away in one of Bo’s delivery trucks after Xavier successfully rescued Sebastian from the Huff Hills mansion. He told me to spend the night at my shop because going home was way too risky.
I slipped into my bunny slippers, groggily walked towards the door and slightly opened it, peeking through the tiny slit with one eye open. It was Xavier still dressed in his tactical gear. He must have just arrived back from Bismarck.
I swung the door open and allowed him to enter
“The hero’s finally back. What time is it anyway?” I asked, walking back to the sofa so I could go back to sleep.
“Almost two in the morning I think,” he said, entering my office and closing the door behind him. “Sorry to wake you, but I need you to get dressed and come with me.” I stopped by the
side of my sofa and sniffed. He smelled like smoke and urine.
“You smell funny,” I said, yawning. “Why don’t you go take a shower and come sleep with
me.”
“I’d love to, but we have somewhere to go,” Xavier said.” Come on, Virtue. Be a good girl and
CHAPTER 121 The World Has Seen
“Someone’s waiting for me at two in the morning?” I asked, sounding skeptical. I was fully awake now. Maybe it was my dad? Or maybe my mom?

“Yes… and no, it isn’t your parents,” he answered, reading my mind. I pointed at the direction of the warehouse thinking that someone was waiting for me in his office, but he
shook his head.
“Where then?” I asked.
“Mandan HQ,” Xavier answered. “I, uhm, I did something incredibly st upid… out of anger. I’m terribly sorry that I did this to you… Unfortunately, there’s no turning back now.” He sighed, apparently frustrated, like a heavy burden lay on his shoulders.
What was he talking about? He was speaking in riddles.
I shrugged. The man in front of me was Xavier, the hero. I wanted to hug him for saving Sebastian, but he smelled awful. He was actually already starting to stink up my office.
“Do we have to do this now?” I protested.
“Yes. We need a decision from you now. Chip and Dom are waiting. While you get dressed, I’m going to take a quick shower. I’ll meet you outside.” He turned and left.
After spritzing my office with air freshener. I went to the bathroom to wash my face and my business. Then, I put on a pair of jeans and a plain white T-shirt, then twisted my into a messy bun. After putting on a pair of white sneakers, I grabbed everything I need placed the items in a small tote bag and went to the warehouse through the wall panel.
Xavier was already waiting for me beside a black BMW holding two disposable cups of coffee and a paper bag, his hair still damp from his shower. He was wearing a dark blue T-shirt, black jeans, and a shiny pair of black boots.
I stopped and looked down at what I was wearing. He looked dressed up considering he was only wearing a plain shirt and jeans.
“Should I change?” I asked.
“No, you’re beautiful,” Xavier said, walking towards me and giving me a kiss on my forehead. “Coffee and donuts for my queen.” He lifted the bag in front of me then pointed at the car. “As well as a chariot, my queen.”
“Seriously? A black BMW?” I asked, my eyebrow raised while I took a cup off coffee from hi
12:02 Mon, Apr 1
CHAPTER 121 The World Has Seen
and the paper bag. My stomach suddenly grumbled at the mention of donuts. I was hungry.
“People will think it’s Liam driving at this ungodly hour and won’t even dare try to stop us, he replied, gesturing to the passenger side of the car. “Get in. Chip is getting antsy and as for
my coffee, Dom, well, let’s just say he’ll feel much better with you by his side.” I took a sip of realizing it was my favorite… a cappuccino. I closed my eyes in bliss, savoring its delightful cin namon flavor.
“Mmmmm… perfect,” I purred before opening the car door. After I was seated comfortably inside, Xavier turned on the ignition, clicked on his small remote, opening the giant warehouse doors in front of us, and drove off.
“Where are we going?” I asked as we exited the boundary of New Salem.
“Mandan HQ, sleepyhead,” he answered, chuckling. Oops. “I drove here to come and get you after Chip told me he sent you here through a delivery truck of mine.” I noticed the angry tone in his voice. “I had thought he would listen to me after I explicitly told him not to leave your side. But what does he do? He sends you back here… alone.”
“Bo, I was tired and needed to get some sleep. You’ve seen Chip’s office… it doesn’t have anything to sleep on,” I argued.
“Then he should have gone with you…period, Xavier argued back. “We can’t afford to be reckless anymore. If anything were to happen to you, I know I won’t be able to stop mysel
“You won’t be able to stop yourself from what?”
“From killing everyone in New Salem, that’s what,” he admitted. “All this is getting ridiculous. Dom’s hurt, you’re engaged to a man who raped you, there’s an angry underboss hunting you down and there’s an unknown capo who’s an even bigger threat to all of us because we don’t know who the hell he is. It’s getting dangerous and I don’t know if I still have it in me to wait until the Spring Formal. I’m on edge… this fear I feel is beginning to swallow me whole. You know me… I’m usually as cool as a cucumber, but tonight, I couldn’t stop myself. I gave
in to the fear… and my anger.
“Bo, you’ve been speaking in riddles since you woke me up. What are you talking about?” I asked, confused.
“You’ll see,” he said. “We’re almost there.”
3/5
“No, Bo. You woke me up at two in the morning, so you owe me an explanation,” I said,
CHAPTER 121 The World Has Seen
turning in my seat to look at him. “Why don’t you just say it? Hmm…. Everything is my fault. Yep, I was the one who got everyone into this mess. But I just wanted to stop them from hurting more people. Sure, it may include making them pay for all the pain they’ve caused me, but I deserve it.”I pointed to my face. “You probably think just because I’m beautiful now that I’m okay. No, Bo. I am not okay and will never be okay until I get the justice those pr icks owe me.” I turned around to look out through the window hoping he wouldn’t notice the angry tears that were about to fall. “If you don’t want to continue with what we first set out to do, fine… all of you can go home. I’ll do this myself.”
“Joy,” he uttered, reverting to my real name. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. I just want to be done with this whole masquerade. You know what I want to do? I want to grab a gun and just shoot all of them in the head. Including Veronica Ortiz. That b itch was in on this the whole time. She earned money from all those sick m otherf uckers who like watching all that horrible stuff happen to all those girls Pete and Cris abducted. When we’re done with New Salem, I’m going to Houston to make a house call.” I turned my head to look at him, a stunned expression on my face.
“What do you mean she earned money?” I asked, urging him to explain. He sighed.