Page 43 of The Aftermath

“Yeah?”

“We don’t say this kind of shit to each other,” I tell him, gasping for air as my ribs scream in pain. “You’re my brother, Ry. I love you, man.” I need to say it just in case I don’t make it.

“Fuck you, Silas.” He breathes heavily. “You don’t get to do that shit now, man.”

“It needs to be said.” I wait a long minute before I finally hear him speak.

“I love you too, brother.” A sense of peace washes over me. It’s like everything is going to be okay now.

But I know that’s not right. What if whoever this is gets their hands on Angel and Tamsyn? What if they know where they are? Now, too much is running through my head, making the pain worse.

We bump along a little more when the van finally stops. I’m thankful the movement is done, or I might not have been able to hold back the vomit much longer.

I hear the doors open, then the grunts and groans as Ry is pulled out before I feel hands on me. It hurts. It hurts so fucking bad, but I don’t show I’m in pain. Fuck them.

I’m dragged out of the van and then taken somewhere else. I can’t see shit with this hood on, and they know that.

Wherever we are, it’s air-conditioned. The cool air is welcome as sweat drips down my temples.

“I thought you were going to get them? Not fucking killing them?” Is that? No. It can’t be. That can’t be him.

“I never said they’d be in one piece.” My dad. It’s my fucking dad. The other voice?

It’s Hunter.

Chapter 22

Angel

We sit with the drinks in our hands that Tamsyn mixed for us. I hated the idea of sitting and doing nothing while the guys were out doing God knows what. I still don’t like it, but what can I do except wait it out?

Tamsyn has been talking my ear off, which is a welcome reprieve from thinking about everything. The urge to call Silas just to hear his voice is strong, but I haven’t done that yet.

“Can I ask you something personal?” Tamsyn asks me.

“Since when do you ask permission?” I laugh.

“Well, never usually. Anyway, have you thought about maybe adopting?”

“Honestly, I have a few times, but I’ve never really thought about what Silas would think of that. I don’t know why, but I just always assumed he would want a child of his own,” I admit to her.

“Have you talked to him about it?” I shake my head and take a drink.

“Not yet. This is all so new, and I don’t really want a child this early in life.” The thought I already have one sits heavily in my chest. There are days I wonder about her. Is she happy? Is she doing okay?

“I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“No. You didn’t.” I smile at Tamsyn, and as I’m about to bring my drink to my lips, the door bursts open. We both scream as masked men come barreling into the room with guns drawn. This isn’t Silas, and it’s not the guys. Tamsyn and I both stand and start to run, but we’re quickly knocked to our knees. A sob rips out of me as I try to stand back up just to have someone kick me back down.

“Stay down,” the man yells. A few of the men come toward us, sliding a hood over our heads. I know this isn’t going to end well. I can feel it.

“What the fuck do you want?” Tamsyn yells.

“The two of you.”

“You know when they find out you took us, they’ll kill you!” Tamsyn screams louder this time.

“Do you think so? Or do you think I already have them?” Now, my heart leaps into my throat. What if they’re telling the truth? What if they already have them? A soft sob leaves my lips, and the asshole hears it. One leans down; I can hear him breathing near my ear.

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