The Diabolical Conspiracy Read Free Page B

can say anything I want and not get the crap kicked out of me because I’m not a member.”
    Nadia smiled again. “Not a member…yet. And, yes, that is essentially correct. As I have already said, you may speak freely without fear of retribution.”
    Mike nodded and put a hand to his mouth as he cleared his throat. He glanced at Marnie, who was watching him carefully, a very intent look on her face. But there was nothing troubled in that expression. The violence visited upon Blake--her friend--appeared not to have upset her in the least. And Mike again had to question how well he really knew this girl. Nothing in all their countless hours of intimate conversation could have prepared him for her stoic acceptance of what had happened. He remembered feeling like he had never been so open with his thoughts and feelings with anyone else. And he had foolishly imagined it had been the same for her. But it was clear now there were large parts of her true self she had been holding back.
    He dropped his hand from his mouth and looked at Nadia again. “Okay. I guess I’ll take your word for it. I can speak freely. Awesome. So let me ask you this--can I just go ahead and leave now? Because this…” He waved his hand around at the circle of seated cult members. “…and again, no offense, but I want nothing to do with it.”
    This elicited a softly petulant sound from Marnie.
    Mike didn’t look at her, keeping his gaze resolutely focused on Nadia.
    To his relief, the group’s gorgeous leader did not seem angry with him. If anything, she appeared faintly amused. “No offense taken, Mike. Speaking just for myself, of course. Marnie, however, seems…displeased.”
    Yeah, well, tough shit for her.
    “ I feel bad for her, of course.”
    Mike frowned. “You do? But…why?”
    One corner of Nadia’s mouth quirked slightly. Was that a…smirk? “Because, Mike, she expended so much time and energy cultivating your interest in her. She was so certain you would do absolutely anything for her. Apparently she was wrong about you. She’ll pay a price for that.”
    He sensed Marnie leaning closer to him and felt that too-familiar physical tension he experienced any time that happened. His breath caught in his throat and he tried hard not to shake. And then he felt her warm breath against his ear and heard her hushed voice: “Change your mind. Now. Please .”
    Mike sat forward in the chair. “Whoa. Hold on. What do you mean by that? What kind of ‘price’?”
    “ I mean she’ll be punished, of course. Severely.”
    “ Because I don’t want to join your group?”
    “ Precisely.”
    “ Well, that’s some fucked up shit. What are you gonna do to her?”
    Marnie sniffled. “Let it go, Mike. It’s too late now. You’re only making it worse for me.”
    Mike felt a surge of anger at this. The feeling was intense enough that it at least temporarily vanquished his fear of Nadia. “This is some bullshit. You’re not doing a damn thing to her.”
    “ Oh, but I am. And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
    “ We’ll see about that.”
    Mike clasped hands with Marnie and began to rise out of his seat, intending to pull her along with him. He meant to get her away from these crazy people and God help anyone who got in his way. He was scared and his heart was going a million miles per hour, but he no longer felt like a coward. Not even the heartbreaking revelation that Marnie had been using and manipulating him all along could break his resolve. It didn’t matter that their ‘friendship’ had essentially been a lie on the most fundamental level. He cared for her anyway and would not allow her to be hurt.
    Except that, apparently, she had no interest in being rescued.
    She jerked her hand free of his and folded her arms beneath her breasts as she stared up at him. “I belong here, Mike, and I’ll take the punishment I’ve got coming.” Now she looked at Nadia. “I’m sorry I failed you.” She looked around the circle.