Typhon

Chapter 8

Rylee~

I didn't care for this man, and I wasn't going to pretend that I did. If there was one thing that I hated, it was being spoken to as if I were stupid or weak. Even when we'd arrived, Laney had asked me what I was doing when I'd started reading through the NDA. When I'd told her what I was doing, she had looked at me as if I were a simple country bumpkin in a room full of debutantes. Nevertheless, I had ignored her, then had continued to read the damn thing anyway.

It hadn't been until Kincaid Black had arrived and had seen what I'd been doing that I knew that I'd done the right thing. Though she had signed her NDA without even looking at it, she had winked at me on her way in, and I knew that it'd been in some strange kind of approval, though I hadn't been looking for it.

Thankfully, my confidence had held steady until I had walked into the atrocious ballroom and had seen Stone Lexington standing there, waiting for me. Knowing that Stone had been behind the demand that I attend this-whatever this was-had thrown me, so now I was more nervous than ever. However, I wasn't going to let this asshole see that.

"Not at all," I replied with as much conviction as I could muster.

I was also sorely out of place with everyone dressed like they came from money, which I supposed that they probably all did. However, I had dressed to run for my life in case this thing had turned out to be some sort of sacrificial ritual, or some stupid crap like that. In my mind, that thought had been no more far-fetched than the idea of a secret society; a secret society that had invited me to be a part of it.

Alexander smirked, then gave me an acknowledging nod before returning to the stage where three other people stood, including some chairs and a small table.

Satisfied that I wasn't going anywhere, Alexander resumed his little speech. "The gentlemen behind you already know everything that I'm about to tell you," he said. "So, this is all for your benefit, ladies, so I suggest you pay attention." When none of us commented, he continued with his presentation. "The Order of the Cronus. Who knows their Greek Mythology?"

Kincaid spoke up, and I wasn't surprised. "Cronus became ruler of the Titans by overthrowing his father. His wife was Rhea, and he had swallowed his offspring as she birthed each one. Of course, except for Zeus, whom Rhea had saved. Eventually, Zeus had forced Cronus to regurgitate his siblings, then, together, the Olympians defeated the Titans. Cronus was also known as the King of the Titans and the God of Time."

Alexander's smile resembled that of a shark's toothy grin. "The beautiful Kincaid knows her mythology," he commented before his eyes scanned the rest of us as he got back to the topic at hand. "The God of Time," he said. "The Order of the Cronus was founded in 1953 by Gerald Hale, and appropriately named, it is standing the test of time. The Order has been solid and prosperous for decades, and it's because of the dedication of its members with their like minds and determined visions."

Was this guy for real?

Determination and dedication weren't qualities that had been invented by an organization. Everyone had those characteristics within them-some more than others-so they surely weren't new concepts invented by this stupid organization. Plus, truthfully, I couldn't care less about this little introduction. I was more concerned with Stone Lexington, and why he'd chosen me to be a part of all this.

Why me?

"Meaning?" Alexis Wyatt asked, and I was kind of impressed. Granted, I didn't know any of these girls well, except for Laney, but I was sure if anyone was going to ask questions, it'd be Kincaid or myself.

"Meaning, Ms. Wyatt, that individual goals and success are all well and good, but when you have a network of endless successes, the possibilities are unimaginable."