The Last Hero (Villains & Monsters #2)

Chapter 2

- Three months ago -

Every few minutes or so, he recited his personal rules in his head.

Rule number one: There is always someone keeping an eye on you, so don't do anything stupid.

Rule number two: Unless it's anyone in that circle addressing you, always stick to your new name. Blend in as much as possible.

Rule number three: When given a job, do it without asking, and do not speak unless you're spoken to.

Rule number four: If you somehow manage to piss her off, start begging. She likes that kind of thing, and it'll make it hurt way less.

The last rule never hesitated to send a shiver down his spine.

Jamie liked the way his bracelet glowed in the fancy nightclub's neon blue and purple lighting. It took him a while to figure out that all of the henchmen wore one identical to it, silver and etched with Simon's symbol. Nearby, a few other henchmen were talking amongst themselves as they drank, still putting their job above everything and anything else -- making sure the Reids and their friends weren't bothered.

The clock on the wall read a little after midnight. The club was loud, but thankfully, the reserved space on the second floor brought just a tad bit of quiet, though it was besides a loud dance floor. A champagne bottle popped open, and he heard another round of joyful laughter.

He turned his head towards the longue where the commotion commotion, and saw Luca -- wearing a dark suit -- holding a bottle that was just opened, cheering as he poured champagne into a glass. Besides him was Adrienne, wearing a gold dress and matching heels, with stunning makeup and her hair styled into a high ponytail. She scoffed at his antics, and sipped from her own glass with a smile on her face. On the other side was Wylan, and after he had downed another lemonade, he tapped on Adrienne's shoulder to excitedly tell her something.

"And I thought I was going to get drunk too quickly," Simon laughed as he readjusted one of the multiple rings on his fingers. He was also wearing a dark suit, and his dress shirt was a deep red. Right next to him was Austin, wearing a similar suit with a dark dress shirt.

"Simon, please," Austin scoffed, but also laughed. "You're about two more drinks from getting to where he is."

"Aren't you the lightweight of the group?"

"No," Wylan chimed in. "That's Tony."

"Speaking of, where is Tony?" Adrienne asked.

Simon gestured to the dancefloor that was behind a sparkly, beaded curtain and down a short hallway. "He's with the other three. They went to dance some more. They should be back before the cake arrives."

Jamie looked down again, counting the larger neon specks to distract himself. It was small and simple interactions like those that sometimes made it hard to believe that they were all experienced killers, some way more scarier than others.

He thought about the heroes, who he spent six years around. He always saw them like lions -- proud, bold, and often announced themselves with a roar. Simon and his team, however, were snakes. Scheming, sneaky, and you won't know that you're trapped until they want you to know.

"Hey, Jason," another henchman called to him. It sounded like Victor -- someone he met during training. "Did you want a drink? You haven't had any yet."

It took him a little while to get used to the new name he gave himself, and the fact that he dyed his hair to completely hide the natural red he wore from birth. Before he moved out of those terrible cells that were a living nightmare, he was told that most of the entire world knew who he was -- and that there were other people at base that would kill him without a second thought if they recognized him. So, he had to change.