Page 115 of Conquered

“Hello?”

“I’ve been watching and waiting. It’s time we talk.”

Easton

By the time the three of us returned to the deck, I was feeling much better, more at peace than I had before.

As we headed up the stairs, I realized I’d finished my drink. Now it was time to celebrate.

Suddenly, both Bella and Emily flew out of the house.

“What’s wrong?” Creed demanded.

“It’s Sara. She got a weird phone call and said her friend was dead. Then she disappeared.”

I glanced at Bella, who was obviously distraught. “Did you see where she went?”

“The other direction toward the woods,” Emily said. “We tried to stop her, but she was running toward them.”

“Stay here,” Creed growled. “Do not leave this house. Do you ladies understand?”

“Yes,” Bella whispered. “What’s going on?”

“We were duped,” I said and flew off the stairs, headed toward where she’d pointed out. By the time I reached the trees, my two brothers had caught up with me. All three of us had weapons in our hands as we moved in our old perfect tracking form.

Maybe some things we’d learned would come in handy. If her friend was dead, that meant Josie. Unless I was nuts, I knew who was responsible.

Or maybe I just believed in ghosts after all we’d been through.

One thing was certain; the fucker wanted me to suffer the most.

We remained quiet, moving stealthily, acting as one core unit. It was good to have them by my side. I honestly believed that as a team, we were much stronger.

But as a family, we would continue rocking the world.

And the worthless man bent on revenge would not take that away from me. From either one of us.

A single crack drew our attention and we paused. When I heard another noise, I threw my arm back, keeping the other two from moving at all.

This was the type of moment the three of us had learned patience for, even if as we’d grown older it had become a lesser virtue.

Today, I was rewarded for remembering my training.

The single scream was short, cut off almost immediately, but it was all the three of us needed. We moved like a team of Navy Seals or Army Rangers through a group of trees we knew far too well. Within seconds, we’d isolated the noise, surrounding our prey.

The whiff of my little fawn’s perfume was all I needed to confirm what I already knew.

I nodded to the other two before stepping into the small clearing. Fortunately, the three of us had garnered an element of surprise.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the prodigal sons,” Marcus said as he laughed. In his hand was a carving knife, one with a jagged edge.

Just like our father had used on his father. How he knew or if it was a coincidence didn’t matter. What did was that he had the blade positioned against her throat.

“Put the knife down, Marcus. Or should I call you by your given name? It is Sergio Rossi. Right?” I asked the question with a smile on my face.

He grinned as if I’d just found him hiding in a closet. “I knew you’d figure it out, although it did take you long enough. I had to admit I did enjoy getting to know you, buddy. You were a fount of information, yet you had no weaknesses. That forced me to keep up the charade. But no longer.”

“Who died in that explosion?” Styx asked as Creed did what he always did so well, move silently into a more strategic location without being noticed.

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