Kellin's POV

"You guys have too much stuff!" Jude exclaims as he flops onto the couch after getting the last box inside. His head lands in my lap and Adrian gives me a serious look. I push Jude off me and stand up pretending that I need a drink of water.

"Do you know which box had cups in it?" I ask Adrian who shrugs.

"Maybe this one," He kicks the box in front of him and leans down to open it. He pulls a knife out of his pocket and flips it so the blade is out. He cuts through the tap and groans. "That would actually be pots and pans."

"How about this one?" Jude sits up and uses his keys to cut open the box in front of him. Adrian and I notice which box it is at the same time.

Adrian leaps forward and rips the box out of Jude's hands and take it from Adrian. "That's a private box," I say as if that explains our bizarre behavior.

"Now I have to know." Jude unaware of the tension walks towards me but Adrian blocks him. "Come on. It's can't be that embarrassing." He tries to peak over Adrian's broad shoulder. Jude may be taller but Adrian has probably 100 pounds of muscle on him so Jude can't get past him or even see much.

"It's," I try to think of a good reason to hide something.

"Porn?" Jude rolls his eyes and cocks a perfect eyebrow at me. He's taunting me.

"It's religious items. They're very sacred." I finally say. It's not a complete lie, just not the truth either.

"Ooh," Jude looks embarrassed. "Sorry. I thought you were just messing with me."

"We don't mess around when it comes to our religion," Adrian says with a sternness in his voice that would warn anyone that knows his to back off.

"I'm sorry. I won't mess with it." Jude crosses his heart with his finger. "Promise."

"Good." Adrian takes the box from me and puts it into his room before locking it and putting the key in his pocket.

Jude seems like he wants to make a comment about Adrian's extreme actions but chooses to stay silent then gives me a funny look. "I really am sorry if I offended you. I've never been religious but I was raised to respect all. I mean unless you're one of those Promise people." He chuckles and I touch Adrian's arm to keep him still. "I heard that one guy cut his fingers off or something. Crazy? Right?"

"So crazy," I chuckle even as I remember the exact incident that he's talking about.

"You know what you did," My father's voice boomed, echoing off all the walls and ceiling of the great room where all meetings were held. The room was packed with all of our members because whenever someone was being punished for breaking a law we all had to be there to witness it. "You shamed us all. Your hands are meant to do our work and yet they failed us."

"I'm sorry." My uncle was crying and trying to take hold of my father's hands. My father kicked him so he skittered across the marble floor until he stopped against my legs. His eyes plead with me to help him but he knew that I couldn't help him. "Please, brother, forgive me."

"You ask for forgiveness, but you have not shown your commitment." My father said and the crowd quieted. They were sick people, all waiting, hoping for blood to spill. My mom sat in the chair next to where my father stood. She didn't show any emotion as usual, even as her brother crawled to her husband on his hands and knees begging for forgiveness.

"I give you all of me. I promise that I will never be mistaken again." He pleaded and kissed my father's shoes. My father raised his hand and a man, chained and beaten was brought through the crowd to the stage he was on. "Craig! No! Please, he isn't a member. He didn't know any better. I love him, please." My uncle started sobbing uncontrollably.

"You will end him just as you have the others who disobeyed." My father used one strong hand to lift my uncle to his feet. He handed him a sharp knife and pushed him towards the man who was crying and trying to scream through his bonds.

"Please, oh great one, please give me strength and help me." My uncle couldn't do it. My father had a nasty gleam in his eye and winked at me. He knew that my uncle would fail. My father took the knife, slit the man's throat, and handed it back to my uncle.

"You will now show your commitment." My father raised both of his arms like he always did when teaching his disciples. They watched him in awe. I wondered how they could fall for my father's crazy teachings but it wasn't hard to understand. He didn't start with public murders; no, he started with kindness and love.

"How may I show you my commitment?" My uncle called out. "I will do anything."

"You haven't used your hands in the correct way and so you will lose them." My father smiled down at my uncle and lifted his face with a finger under his chin. "Three fingers for your indiscretions."

"What say ye?" My father called out to the crowd.

"Three fingers!" They chanted as one. "Three fingers! Three fingers!"

I forced myself to not look away and to not throw up as we all watched my uncle use the knife on himself. Normally my mom would help to bandage him but I saw the pain she tried to hide so I went to her and got the supplies. I had seen her do enough and had bandaged myself plenty to know how to help him. I wrapped my uncle's bleeding hands with care and my father pushed me out of the way as soon as I had tied the last bandage. My father lifted my uncle back to his feet and hugged him tightly.

"Welcome back, my brother." He said and the crowd chanted after him. "Welcome back, my brother!"

"I wonder whatever happened to that guy," Jude rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"He died." I blurt out and Adrian hisses. "I mean, he had to right. Those people are crazy."

Jude smiles again and nods. "Seriously."

"Oh, it's my girl again," Adrian hurried to the door and I saw the blue-haired girl from earlier walking outside. "I'll be back later. Stay here." He gives me a serious look and I nod my agreeance before he leaves with a slam of the door.

"He's intense," Jude points out and takes a seat again on the couch.

"Yeah, a bit." I nod.

"I've got to ask," Jude says as he plays with the silver feather dangling from his ear, "what are you to each other?"

"What do you mean?" I am taken back by his question.

"You act like a couple but you're clearly not."

I choke on my spit. "We're brothers," I say through the coughs.

"Ah, I see." He nods but is still watching me with those dark eyes intensely. "You know, it's not wrong."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lie because I innately know that he's talking about the chemistry between us that has been growing exponentially since Adrian left the apartment.

"You do," Jude stands up and walks towards me. I should move. I try to move, but I can't. His finger touches my chest and I can't breathe.

A knock at the door makes me jump. I hurry to open the door half expecting my father to be there with a knife.

"Hey," Lydia smiles at me. "Sorry, I'm a bit late."

"That's fine." I smile back at her. "We just finished moving stuff in actually."

"How's it going?" She asks and I force myself to forget about Jude even though I can feel him watching us.

"Great. Ready to go?" I grab my keys from the table and notice that Jude is gone. I feel a pang of guilt but don't have the time to deal with it so I shove it down and let Lydia lead the way.