Page 16 of Scars Run Deep

“Fine,” I muttered. “We’ll deal with that later.”

He took in everything. “Yeah, this current hell on earth seems to be priority right about now. Are you guys all right?” he asked, embracing us, then giving Aurora a kiss, and breathing her in, looking her over for any sign of serious injury, bringing a whole panicked element.

As Jonah and Aurora filled him in, I took in the carnage all around us.

The dropped bodies.

The burned out car.

It was a fucking mess and a half.

Fortunately, it had happened in the middle of nowhere so we had some time to conceal it.

Some time, still not a whole lot.

I pulled my phone out, wincing at the pain in my shoulder when I forgot to take it easy with my sudden movements.

I’d only just unlocked it to call Security for a cleanup when it buzzed with a text notification.

Blocked ID: Leave. Sanitization will be taken care of. Get clear. God speed.

I started, adrenaline sparking.

I looked out in the direction I’d thought I’d caught sight of somebody.

Nothing.

I scanned the area in the immediate vicinity, but all I could see was shadow.

God speed.

I knew that phrase.

I’d heard it spoken before.

It was distinctive to him.

To Revenant.

He was here. He’d done this.

It screamed of his handiwork. The smooth, efficient kill shots. Acting from the shadows. The ability to perform such a major cleanup on next-to no notice. The timing with Olivia.

All of it.

It was him.

He was here.

He still was.

Another text came in before I could tell the old bastard to show himself and end this charade.

Blocked ID: Take the Audi back to Hexwood House. Your extraction is covered so long as you leave now. Don’t take that mask with you. The Heretics aren’t your business.

Asher: The hell they aren’t.

Blocked ID: You want the Infidels, leave the rest, or I’ll render the intel you acquired tonight useless.

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