ROTTEN LOVE - Chapter 32: Chapter 32

My head whips back to Marisa so fast. It cannot be. Marisa doesn't have a fiance.
Besides recently, I have never heard of the Ambroses. Well, that's not quite true. I have heard of them but it was a conversation from afar. One of no importance.
Their line is pureblood. I knew they were always present in the big vampire events but that's pretty much it. Before coming here with Zain, I never would have thought they were responsible for anything against us.
They hated the Malfattos. But it was rumored that they were responsible for their extinction. Maddox never seemed to pay them extra attention.
Surely, something like a marriage proposal would have been of importance. Marisa would have told me.
Marisa's eyes slightly squint. She does not outright deny it which puts me on edge.
She looks past me toward Emmett, "That was a long time ago."
"Yet, I do not recall a note ending our engagement," he keeps his gaze on her.
My mouth is slightly gaped open at the surprise. Her features aren't one hundred percent hatred. To an extent, they are soft. She does not want to be seen by this man but she does not hate him as she should.
I can tell. There is something in her eyes that is all sorts of wrong considering the role this man has played in the kidnappings and torture.
"Please, Emmett, where is my brother? What's with all of this? You seriously had to do with everything," she finally gets off the step of the stairs. Adam tails right behind her.
Emmett's eyes dance with excitement. He smiles slightly, "I love hearing my name come out of your lips. I could hardly wait for the time you and I got to be together."
I feel a light touch across my mind. 'Seems to me like I might not be the only one tied to the Ambroses. Your little vamp has kept secrets.'
I give him a death stare. I don't like his insinuation but can't deny any of his words.
I see her attempt to walk closer to him but Adam grabs her shoulder. She gives him a smug look. One I haven't seen in a while between them. She is pulling rank.
You wouldn't be able to tell that these two finished shacking up moments ago, that she has blurred the lines between them and has gone so far as to share her blood with him.
In this moment, she is his lady telling him to stay put. I see the hurt in Adam's eyes but he complies. He will always comply.
She resumes her gaze towards Emmett. He is satisfied in the viciousness of Marisa's cold demeanor toward Adam.
This time I call out to her. She can't put me in any place. She looks at me for a second but continues walking toward Emmett. She gets directly in front of him.
Her hands reach out toward his chest. She lays her palms on him and looks up at him, "Tell me this isn't your doing. You promised me."
The gears in my head are going on overdrive. What promise does she speak of? Could this have more to do with Marisa than Zain?
I'm starting to think that I can't trust anyone. Emmett's hand comes to her face. He rubs her cheek with his thumb while placing the other gently on her hip. The most astonishing thing is that she allows it. She does not instantly repel from his touch.
She couldn't even drink from Adam but would allow for this man to grope her.
"Little bird, I promised not to hurt you. I have honored that," he caresses her cheek some more.
"Hurting my brother, killing our coven, stealing Jason and I did get stabbed, I would say that promise was anything but honored," her eyebrows tense.
He brings her face closer to his chest and she lays on it. She fucking stays still and wallows in his warmth. He breathes in her scent and rubs her in comfort motions.
He says lowly, "Maddox is healthy, unharmed. So is his witch. The incident at the cabin did not go as planned. You were never meant to get hurt. It was my brother's men that were sent on that mission. I learned too late what had happened. I lament the suffering it caused you... whom they caused you."
I study the way he looks at Marisa. He wants her. But I cannot trust him. I don't know him and I don't know why Marisa is giving him the time of day.
"I want their names," she looks up at him. There is cruelty in her eyes.
Emmett doesn't saunter back. The look in his green eyes, he respects it. Something like adoration. It's all confusing and sickening.
"When I learned of their actions, the extent my brother went to obtain Maddox, I did not stay idle. I can give you all the names but they will do you no good. The dead are as good as nameless," he tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear.
She asks, "Did they suffer," sounds more like a plea.
"Nothing can harm you without retribution, little bird. I know what you had to do to survive... I can't make it up to you, but know that their deaths were slow." He tells her with such conviction. There is a very subtly yet present anger.
Marisa says nothing and I had about it with secrets.
"You would excuse me if I am not eager to forgive. Where is my brother? Why do you want Maddox?" I ask. I don't give more than a second before I start inflicting pain again.
He bends over. Marisa is used as a crutch. She looks at me, "Helena, stop it. You didn't even give him time to answer."
I release him from the pain. My hand in Zain has begun to sweat from the betrayal and utter disbelief. She is advocating for this man, this killer.
I eye her scornfully, "Marisa, I would say this is about the time you need to start explaining as well. You have more relations with the Ambroses than you led me to believe."
"Are you insinuating that I had any part in this?" She asks in disbelief.
"You certainly seem quite smitten with the enemy."
She scoffs, "It's complicated. But if you ask him, he will answer. He's here, isn't he?"
She looks at him, expecting, "Why are you here? What's this all about?"
Emmett gives me a dreadful look. Zain puts his arm around me at the intensity of his stare. Emmett dismisses us and tracks Marisa again.
"My brother heard of the treaty Maddox wished to perform with an alpha. A pureblood, my pureblood, with a wolf, unforgivable. My brother, Charles, knew it was a matter of time before he would approach Alpha Zain. It would be the best strategic move. So we reached out to Zain first."
"How did you know of Helena and Jason?"
Emmett smirks, "You be surprised by how much more we know about your little ciphers than you do."
I ask, "And how is that exactly?"
"We knew your mother, of course," he eyes me.
I step into Zain. "You're lying."
"Whether you believe me or not, is not my concern."
"So all this is to get me from not breaking the engagement," Marisa asks with sorrow in her voice. She feels at fault.
"From my stance, yes. No one will stop this union. From my brothers and family, no. They want to punish your brother. What bigger punishment is there than hurting the little witch, he cannot have," he eyes me.
Zain's hold is tight on me. I can hear his chest rumble in anger.
"You cannot kill him. He is my brother. If you do, then you have to kill me. I was going to go along with it," Marisa starts.
"No, you weren't," Emmett says with such certainty.
She stays quiet. He knows her. More than I do apparently because I did think she was cooperating with this treaty Maddox worked so hard to achieve. Until she decided to trade me for her.
"We won't kill Maddox. And no one is allowed to touch you. This is a lesson of sorts for him."
I roll my eyes, "how benevolent of the Ambroses."
"Yes, you will find that we are the only reason Marisa and Maddox are not dead. The other lines called for their immediate execution."
I scrunch my eyebrows, "If death is what they wanted for them, then I doubt your plan to make Maddox suffer will be sufficient enough to convince the other lines. What are the other terms you worked out to keep the Malfattos safe?"
He smiles, "Correct, clever little cipher. This is why I am here. You are all invited to a feast we are hosting tomorrow night. Everything will be shared. Answers will be given."
Zain speaks, "Why on earth would we trust you? Like I would allow my mate to walk into a pool of vamps."
Emmett raises his eyebrows, "no trust in your witch's abilities," he questions.
"It's not her abilities I distrust. It's the host. You have lied to me. Used me and expect to allow my mate to walk into the vipers' den."
"I didn't expect you to do anything. She is a big girl. She can decide. We assumed she would want to see her brother and you, your sister. Bring your pack if you would like. We certainly can go buy kibble for everyone."
Zain growls and I feel it in my bones.
"What's the point of this dinner?" I question.
"It's not complicated. We will eat and talk about the terms of the Malfatto's survival. It will be your choice what happens next."
"If we don't agree with the terms you gave the other lines, then you will torture us into submission." I challenge.
He laughs, "No, you all will walk away, unharmed. But know this, if you cannot help Marisa, then it will be the last time you see her."
I fist my hands, "and you will enforce that."
"You have no business staying in her life if you cannot protect it. It's as simple as that. Marisa is her own person, however. It will be her choice whether she follows through with my threat. I trust she will see the bigger picture." He eyes her. His hand never left her hip.
I see the wonder in her eyes.
She asks, "We will go to the dinner and no one will harm Helena and her dog. I can go and come as I please," she asks for confirmation.
He shakes his head yes, "Little bird, have I ever lied to you?"
No, just almost killed her. I think to myself.
He continues, "But know that I do not think you will ever see her again if she cannot come to terms. It will be your choice but I'm sure of my statement. I have been here for too long. I must go."
He looks at her deeply and pulls her into him. He smells the top of her head before kissing it.
I see him whisper something in her ear but it's so soft I can't hear a thing. They release and he walks to the door. She stares as he leaves.
My mind in the meanwhile is going to explode. What the hell was all that?
"What the fuck, Marisa? Little bird?! I can barf," I scream, frantic and angry.
She rolls her eyes. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Oh, you don't want to talk about it? You don't want to talk about how you've been secretly engaged, or how you went completely molten at the sight of him, or how about the fact that you can stand be near him knowing what he did." I lecture.
"Emmett didn't do it. You heard him."
"I heard he kidnap Maddox and was part of the incident in the cabin."
"Charles was in charge of the operation not him."
I'm about to lose my cool.
I walk to her, "Are you hearing yourself?"
"Helena, it's complicated. You don't know him."
"I didn't even know you knew him," I say in disbelief.
She walks past me up the stairs. I see her ignore Adam. He is frozen in place.
She turns midstairs, "I'm sorry Helena. I need a minute. I will tell you everything. But I need a minute."
With that, she walks away and I feel like I've lost more than our bond. Our friendship has come to a turning point.