Page 54 of Fatal Vengeance

"I haven't been able to get ahold of Griffin this morning. He never texted me back last night, but with all the shit that happened here, I didn't even think about it until I got up today. I figured they'd be back with the sunrise, but maybe they just… I don't know, slept in?" He cringes as he says that last part, because we both know that's fucking ridiculous.

Unease prickles my entire body, like a shot a pure darkness straight into my veins. "What if something happened to them? Creed wouldn't just sleep in if he knew he could be back with me soon. Griffin, either." As I'm speaking, I get out of bed, not waiting for Asher's reply. No, my guys wouldn't just hit snooze on their alarms like this. They'd have woken up before dawn and rushed back here to be with me. "Asher, this isn't right. You know it as much as I do. Call Griffin," I demand as I grab one of Griffin's spare hair ties on the bedside table and throw my knotted hair up into a messy bun.

I start pacing the floor, the most horrible scenarios flashing through my mind. They could be hurt. They could be dead. That doctor could have called the cops. The Celestials could have found them.

Asher is standing at my side in seconds, grabbing my shoulders to stop my frantic movements. "I've called a dozen times already," he tells me solemnly, and yup, there goes my stomach. I'm gonna fucking puke. "But I'm not going to jump to conclusions yet. Panicking won't do us any favors. I've put out some other calls, people who might be able to track them. So in the meantime, we should get dressed and start packing, be ready to move the second we might need to."

"We don't have a car," I croak as tears blur my vision. "We have no way of going to them if they need us." My heart pounds to an unsteady beat as my worst fears come to fruition. Two of my guys are gone, probably hurt, and I can't help them.

"Hey, shhh," Asher murmurs, pulling me into his chest and holding me tight. He drops his cheek on my head and whispers, "I'm scared too, Prudence. Trust me, I'm fucking terrified. But Griffin and Creed are the strongest, most resilient people I know. If something has happened, they'll be okay. We'll find them."

I nod against his chest, shaking like a damn leaf. "You promise?" I say, my voice quiet and weak.

Asher doesn't even hesitate. "I fucking swear it, baby," he vows before pressing a kiss to my head.

It's been over an hour and nothing.

No news from whoever Asher contacted, no calls from Griffin and Creed, and no reprieve for my aching heart.

"I knew they shouldn't have left," I mumble bitterly as I pace across the living room.

"Creed needed help," Asher tries to reason, but I'm past the point of being reasonable.

I stop dead in my tracks and throw a savage look his way, snapping, "Then we all should have gone! Together. I cannot believe you guys thought splitting up was a good fucking idea."

Asher's brows draw together, hurt and anger flashing across his expression. "And then what, Prudence? If—" He stops with a sharp shake of his head, swiping his hand through his hair, which is the messiest I have ever seen it. "No, if they're really hurt, and we had all gone, then you'd be fucked right along with them. None of us would have allowed that. It was safer keeping you here."

I bark an outraged laugh, storming over to him so I can look right into his eyes. "It wasn't safe here either, or did you forget that someone broke in and shot you? I'd rather us all be together, no matter the danger, than separated like this. The not knowing is killing me, Asher." My voice cracks on that last sentence, and his stony expression softens.

Asher nods stiffly, biting his bottom lip while he takes in a slow, deep breath. "I know, alright?" he says softly, his shoulder deflating like he's accepting this massive failure. "But I promised you we'd find them, and we will. And after that, the four of us will never split up again."

My sister's bedroom door opens a second later, and I look over my shoulder as she walks out. I have no doubt that she practically overdosed on sleeping pills last night after disposing of a dead body and cleaning up the blood, so I'm not surprised she's just now crawling out of bed. She looks a little pale and honestly a bit like death, and guilt eats at me. I did this to her. Brought this fucking mess into her life.

She takes one look at me and then frowns deeply, coming over to stand with Asher and I. "What is it now? Has another creepy fuck shown up to kill us all? There's not another dead body hiding somewhere, is there?"

I open my mouth to explain, but nothing comes out. My bottom lip trembles, but I bite it until I taste blood. I will not fall apart right now. I have to be strong for Creed and Griffin.

Asher pinches the bridge of his nose as he mutters, "Griff and Creed are missing. And we're stranded here like useless fucks unless I can find someone to bring us a car."

Genevieve pushes a hand into her hair and walks over to the window. She taps it a few times before turning back to face us. "That dead asshole got here somehow, right? He sure as fuck didn't drop in from the sky. I bet he parked at the bottom of the hill and walked the rest of the way here."

Hope blossoms in my chest and I smile as I catch on to what she's saying, rushing to the window beside my sister. "So all we need to do is find it and then we can go help Griffin and Creed."

Asher hums in thought behind us, and I turn to look at him, hoping like all hell that he's on board. If not, I might be firmly back on team kill the asshole. To my relief, his eyes are alight with the same hope flaring within me, and he nods slowly like he's mulling it all over and liking what he finds. "That could work. The keys are either on his body or in the vehicle. And at this point, we have to assume The Celestials are behind this mess, so our best bet is heading back to Blackwood. As long as we have wheels, we've got a destination."

I smack his chest, maybe just a little harder than I should have. "Why the hell didn't you think of that?"

My sister snorts a laugh when Asher blinks at me incredulously. "Me? I was almost killed last night. Sorry if I'm a little slow today. Why didn't you think of it?"

I cross my arms over my chest with a sheepish shrug, because honestly, I feel fucking dumb. "I was too busy panicking to be smart, okay?" I mumble.

Genevieve smiles at me, rubbing my back. "Good thing you've got me, then. Go get your guys, Prudence. And, you know, come back for me at some point. Don't leave me stranded here forever."

I throw my arms around her in a fierce hug. "Never," I laugh. I peel myself away from her, so goddamn glad to have met my sister. "I'm going to go save the day, and then you and I have a shit ton more bonding to do, so don't think you're getting rid of me yet."

She tucks her red hair behind her ear with a small smile. "More like never. You're stuck with me. Now hurry up. Those two idiots have grown on me. The next time I see them, they'd better both be in one, gorgeous piece."

Asher shakes his head at us, biting back his smile, and then takes my hand, urging me to move. And god, I fucking do. I practically run to get my guys.

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