“What do you think is going on?” Caz asks, taking his eyes off the road for a split second to look at me.
I drag a hand over my shorn blond hair. “I’ve no clue. This is Galen we’re talking about. His recklessness is legendary.”
“Or maybe, Sinner sent a tail, and he’s taking necessary precautions.” It’s no surprise Caz jumps to Galen’s defense, because he is loyal to a fault.
“I have a bad feeling,” I admit, hoping my gut is wrong. But it rarely is.
“How do you plan on keeping her away from Sinner?” Caz asks, taking the exit off the highway for Prestwick.
I sigh, kicking my booted feet up on the dash. “I’ve no clue,” I admit. “I’m winging it here. I just know she can’t undergo initiation. I don’t want that for her.”
“It’s fucked up, dude,” he agrees. “What is Sinner up to?”
“I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”
We don’t talk again until we reach the hidden entrance at the far side of Prestwick Forest. Caz puts my Land Rover in park, hops out, and slides the gate back. I scoot over into the driver’s seat and drive the car forward. When Theo is inside, Caz closes and locks the gate and hops in the passenger seat.
I drive us along the narrow dirt track for a few miles until our place comes into view.
Theo found it a couple years ago, and it was exactly what we’d been looking for. Someplace close by, under the radar, where we can disappear to when we need to regroup. Theo handled all the paperwork, purchasing it under a pseudonym, so it can’t be traced back to us. We got it for a song which meant there were funds left to do some repairs, because the barn was basically a shell when we bought it. Thankfully, the structure and roof were sound, but we had to replace all the windows, and the interior was just this giant open space that needed work. Now, we’ve added bedrooms and bathrooms in the loft area, installed a basic kitchen, upgraded the rudimentary heating, and fashioned a living area and game room, complete with a pool table.
It’s not plush, by any means, but it’s home.
And Sinner doesn’t know about it.
I’m sure he’s figured out we have someplace we go to, or maybe, he assumes we’re crashing at chicks’ houses, but he hasn’t asked, and we’re not volunteering.
I park in front of the large wooden structure beside Caz’s Mitsubishi Eclipse—the car Galen was driving—and kill the engine. Even though I’m wound up over this unexpected development, a sense of calmness washes over me like always when I’m here.
Towering trees surround us on all sides, hiding us from prying eyes. It’s at the far side of Prestwick Forest, miles from the areas normally frequented by partygoers and nowhere near the section Sinner uses to bury his enemies or conduct initiation tasks.
Still, we know not to take chances, so we used the last of our change to install a few cameras on the perimeter and a wireless alarm system. Theo has it set up to activate remotely, and if anyone should happen across our place, the alarm will trigger a warning that will be sent to all our cells.
I get out the same time Caz and Theo do, and we stride toward the door together, all alert and on edge. It’s fucking Arctic out tonight, and my balls are freezing. I open the door and step inside, spotting Galen standing by the window at the far end of the barn, staring out into the darkness. His spine stiffens as he hears us approaching, but he doesn’t turn around.
Caz closes the door, frowning.
My eyes scan the room, but I don’t see her. Theo keeps pace beside me as I advance toward Galen, his gaze growing in concern along with mine.
Galen slowly turns around, jutting his chin up and spreading his legs a little, standing tall, holding my gaze confidently as I walk up to him. A muscle clenches in his jaw as we square off.
“Where is she?” My voice betrays no hint of my escalating fear.
“Not here” is his clipped reply.
“What the fuck did you do?” Theo demands, nudging me aside and shoving Galen’s shoulders.
“Something you three pussies were too weak to do.” His lips curl into a snarl as my hands automatically clench into fists at my side.
Theo shoves Galen again, but I pull him back, putting my face all up in my cousin’s. “Where is Lo?”
“She’s with Knight. He’s probably put a bullet in her skull by now.”
I ram my fist into his stomach, and he stumbles back. He lifts his head, smirking. “When you remove your head from your ass, you’ll see I’ve done the right thing. She betrayed us. She played us. And she had you all under her thumb. That shit would not end well.”
I slam my fist into his face this time, and blood bursts from his nose. “You’re a fucking idiot.”
His laugh is bitter. “Bullshit.” He spits blood on the concrete floor. “You’ve lost your touch. She made you weak. I eliminated the issue. Feel free to thank me anytime soon.”
His arrogance will be the death of him someday and if he doesn’t shut his stupid fucking mouth, that day might be today.
Caz charges past me, leveling Galen with one of his signature punches. Galen falls back, crashing awkwardly to the floor. “You’re all overreacting,” he shouts, losing the smirk. Anger flares across his face. “And you’ve forgotten the brotherhood! Forgotten what’s important!”
I lean over him and punch him in the gut again. “She’s one of us, you reckless fucktard.” I slam my fist into his ribs, and a cracking sound reverberates through the cavernous space.
It’s telling that he’s not fighting back. He knew to expect this. He’s taking it like a man, but he fully believes he’ll be vindicated once we cool down.
“She’s a hot piece of ass!” he yells. “That does not make her one of us.” This time, Theo gets one in, pummeling his jawline. Galen spits more blood out.
“Sinner branded her with our mark when she was thirteen,” I explain, thrusting my fist in the other side of his ribs. “And he ordered us to take her to the training facility to start initiation.” I slam my fist into his face as Caz paces, pulling frantically at his hair, and Theo pulls out his tablet.
“What?” Galen croaks, his brow puckering in confusion.
“It happened after the ambush, when you were nowhere to be found.”
“Because you were busy making plans to hand our girl to the enemy,” Caz says, grabbing Galen up by the shirt and punching him.
“I didn’t know!” Galen yells between punches. “And I was also responding to Theo’s text. Retrieving the body.”
I glance at Theo, and his expression conveys it’s not important and he’ll fill me in later.
Caz punches Galen again, and Galen’s head whips back as blood flies everywhere.
I yank Caz back. “I want him conscious.”
For now.
I glare at a bloody Galen. “Where is Knight? Where was he taking her?”
“I don’t know.” He shakes his head, and Caz raises his fist again. Panic flares in his eyes. “I swear! I don’t know where he planned to take her.” His eyes plead with me for understanding, but I’ve got none of that in supply.
“Where did the exchange go down?” I ask.
“Prestwick gas station,” he blurts. “The one on the outskirts of town.”
“Shit,” Theo exclaims without looking up, fingers flying over the keypad. “They don’t have any working cameras.”
“Try the street cams in the area. Check all directions,” I instruct. I stab Galen with a venomous look. “What car was Knight driving?”
“A silver BMW six series.”
“I’m on it,” Theo says.
“If anything has happened to her,” I say, grabbing Galen up and shoving him against the wall, “I will kill you.”
“She still betrayed us,” he protests, but his voice lacks punch.
I kick him in the leg, and his knee buckles. He falls to the hard floor with a grimace. “She wasn’t the one who told The Arrows about the location of the fake warehouse. Lo only caved on Thursday after she overheard
a conversation between me and Sinner, but she regretted it almost straightaway. She came to me Friday after school and fessed up to everything.”
“You fucked up, asshole.” Caz delivers a swift kick to Galen’s ribs, and he cries out. I’m sure at least a couple are broken, and he’s in obvious pain. “And I’ll be helping Saint with the killing if Lo isn’t okay.”
“You should’ve told me,” he shouts, clutching his stomach and rolling around in agony.
“You should’ve obeyed orders,” I snap.
“I’m sorry!” His worried eyes dart among us, and I see the fear simmering under the surface. He knows he’s fucked up.
“I’ve got them,” Theo yells, and Caz and I race to his side, eyes glued to the screen.
“She’s not in the car,” Caz says.
“She must be in the trunk,” Theo supplies, and I want to hit Galen all over again.
Caz darts for him, but I hold him back. “Enough.” As much as I want to pummel my cousin until every bone in his body aches, I don’t want to kill him.
At least not yet. However, I won’t account for my actions if Darrow Knight has killed Lo.
“Can we trace his cell?” I ask, because trailing him via street and traffic cams will take too long. Also, we have no way of knowing if he ditched that car for another one.
“I’d need his number to trace it.” Frustration oozes from his tone. “If you hadn’t destroyed Lo’s cell, I could’ve tracked them that way.”
“You think I don’t know that!” I roar, throwing my hands up.
Theo’s gaze is cold as he glares at me. “This all could’ve been avoided if you’d just updated Galen.”
I push my face into Theo’s, and my knuckles blanch white with the effort involved in not hitting him. He knows Galen was with Lo today while I was running errands for my psycho dad and there hadn’t been time to fill him in. I planned to, but I didn’t think it was urgent because Galen usually obeys my commands. I had no clue he’d gone rogue, or I would’ve made it a priority. And Galen disappeared after the fight at the warehouse. If he’d stuck around, he would’ve been with us in the basement when Sinner revealed all. “This could’ve been avoided if Galen had done what he was fucking told to do!” I shout, adding, “I don’t have to explain myself to you or anyone!”
Theo’s gaze bounces between me and my cousin. Galen is sitting, propped against the wall, clutching his ribs, his face contorted in pain.
Good.
He deserves to suffer.
“If anything has happened to her, I’m blaming both of you.” He points his finger between us, like we’re naughty children, and I see red.
I grab his tablet, thrusting it at Caz before I ram my fist into Theo’s face. He ducks at the last second, so it grazes the side of his jaw. He springs up, grabs the nape of my neck, and slams his head into mine.
I stumble back as splintering pain rattles around my skull. “Fuck.”
“This isn’t helping find Lo,” Caz says, stepping between us. “And that bastard could be out there killing her right this very second, so focus, assholes!”
“I have his number,” Galen rasps between long breaths. He holds out his hand. “Here.”
I swipe his cell, growling at him. I show the number to Theo, and he gets to work while I press the call button. It rings out, so I try again, over and over, slamming my fist into the wall when it continues to go unanswered. “Keep looking!” I scream at Theo when he lifts his head from his tablet.
He scowls at me, but says nothing as he refocuses on his task. I keep my finger pressed to the button as I pace the room, growing more and more agitated as the call goes unanswered.
Pick up, you asshole!
“Saint, I—”
I level my cousin with a lethal look, and he instantly clams up. “Do not even attempt to speak to me right now.”
“I’ve got them!” Theo calls out, and I rush to his side.
“Where?”
He scratches the back of his head, frowning. “At the hospital.”
“That makes no sense,” Caz says.
“I know,” I agree, “but it’s the best lead we’ve got. Let’s go.” I move toward the door.
“Hold up a sec,” Theo says. “Let me pull up the cam outside the hospital.”
“We don’t have time to waste,” I shout, hustling toward the door.
“There!” Theo shouts. Caz leans over his shoulder, his gaze darkening.
“What?” I race back to their side.
“That’s Bryant Eccleston with Darrow,” Theo says, pointing to where Knight’s number two is helping him out of a car and into the hospital.
“But no Lo,” I add, kicking the wall in frustration.
“He’s injured,” Theo says, glancing up at me with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Maybe, she got away.”
“Lo has proven she’s resourceful, so it’s possible,” I agree, hope blossoming in my chest.
“Or she fought back,” Caz says, more quietly, not completing the end of the sentence.
“She’s not dead,” I blurt, feeling it in my bones.
“Then where is she?” Caz asks. “If she’s still alive, why hasn’t she contacted us?”
“Because she doesn’t trust us anymore,” Theo says, pinning me with a troubled expression.
The three of us look at Galen, and panic skates across his face. The reality of what he’s done is fully sinking in.
“She thinks you were acting under my instruction,” I growl, lunging at him and kicking him in the leg. “This is all your fault, and I will never forgive you if we’ve lost her.”
CHAPTER 3
Harlow
I REACH THE cabin in less than two hours, having ditched Dar’s BMW at a gas station and hot-wired a battered old Chevy I found lying idle. I couldn’t risk driving Dar’s car here in case it had a tracker. I head straight for the shower the minute I step foot inside my safe haven, properly breathing for the first time in hours.
After I’ve washed the blood and grime from my skin, I change into sweatpants and an oversized sweater and pad downstairs. Putting a frozen pizza in the oven, I pour a glass of water and head into the living area. I drop on the couch, leaning my head back as I contemplate one of the longest days of my life. It’s after one a.m., and I should be exhausted, but adrenaline still pumps through my veins, and I’m too wired to sleep.
I can’t believe Galen traded me to Darrow. That he was so cold and callous. So insistent that Darrow kill me. What the fuck have I ever done to Galen Lennox to deserve that? I know he thinks I betrayed them. That he believes I have the evidence proving Sinner and his buddies killed Daphne Leydon, the police commissioner’s wife and the woman who was also the niece of the newly elected president of the United States, and that I intend to use that to bring the organization down, but why would he make such a call without verifying the truth? And would he go against his cousin like that?
That’s the part that has me most tied up in knots. The thought they were all in on it—that the emotional goodbye at the forest was an act. That this was their plan all along, because it honestly doesn’t seem like their style.
Things were different with Saint and me last night. I know the emotion I saw on his face was real. Why would he give Caz a Kevlar vest for me at the fight if he was planning on killing me? Surely, it would’ve been easier to leave me unprotected in the hope a stray bullet would do the job for them?
I don’t think Saint wanted me dead. But I’m also struggling with the notion Galen would go behind his back and do this without his knowledge.
Ugh. I bury my face in a cushion, wishing I had a crystal ball or a hotline to their minds. The timer on the oven pings, and I grab my pizza, cutting it into slices as I contemplate where I go from here.
I sit on the couch with a plate in my lap, munching on pizza, as I consider my options. I only have a short window to decide, because Sinner is expecting me to show up for training and initiation, and questions will be asked if I don’t m
ake an appearance soon.
I remove the burner cell I purchased on the way up here and tap out Diesel’s number. Thank fuck, I had the smarts to memorize all my key contacts. He answers almost straight away. “I need you,” I say before he has uttered one word. “I’m at the cabin. How soon can you get here?”
“I’m on my way.”
Diesel shows up four hours later, and I’m roused from slumber by the simultaneous beeping of the alarm at the front gate and my ringtone. I’m spread-eagled across the couch, where I nodded off. Hauling my weary limbs up, I head to the study and grant him entry. Then, I make a fresh pot of coffee and leave the front door ajar, stifling a yawn as I wait for my badass trainer to arrive.
“Are you okay?” he asks, striding toward me and sweeping me into his arms.
“Define okay,” I mumble against his chest, sinking into his warmth and his familiarity.
“Is this something to do with what went down in Landing’s Lane?”
My eyes widen in shock. “How do you know about that?”
He purses his lips. “I keep an eye on you, Lo. You know that.”
I’m sensing that’s not the full truth, but whatever. “I was there,” I confirm, because there’s no point asking him to come here and then lying. “And Sinner pulled me aside after the fight ended to tell me he’s claiming me. Saint was supposed to take me to their training facility to start initiation, but he wanted to take me to a safe house. Galen took me to Darrow Knight instead. Passed me off in some kind of sick exchange. Darrow was meant to kill me, but I talked my way out of it, stole his car, and came here.”
Diesel’s jaw slackens. “What the actual fuck?”
I sigh, shuffling to the counter and pouring two cups of coffee. “It’s a fucking clusterfuck to end all clusterfucks, and now, I don’t know who to trust.”
“Back up there a sec,” Diesel says, accepting the cup I offer him. “Sinner is claiming you?”
I nod. “He says they’re admitting women to membership now. It’s a ploy to keep the heat off the guys who are apparently coming under more scrutiny from the authorities.”
“This is tied into your kidnapping.”
The Sainthood : A Dark High School Romance (The Complete Series) Page 31
