Page 68 of Wicked Revenge

“So,” I say when we are all standing around the island, staring at each other. I’m getting more anxious with every minute that passes. “What’s the plan?”

Chapter 35

“We are getting nowhere,” Alek says for the third time since we’ve been down in the basement, trying and failing to come up with a solid plan of finding Em. His hands run down the length of his face, like he can wipe away the tension twisting his rugged features. We are all stressed.

Raena is sitting on the small lounge chair behind the table with her legs folded under her. She has been frantically chewing her bottom lip and picking at the non-existent lint on my shirt. Maddox is pacing in front of me, trying to contain the chaos inside.

As much as I don’t want outsiders involved, especially someone we haven’t worked with before, he’s right. We can’t do this on our own. We need help.

“Okay,” I finally conceded. “We need help.”

Alek looks at me with relief. He has been saying this for weeks now. I just find it hard to bring new people into our circle. I have trust issues, I can admit that. I blame myself for bringing King into our lives.

If I wouldn’t have accepted his offer, Alek and Maddox would have never been exposed to him. We could have survived foster care together. I could have gotten them out when I turned 18. Our lives could have been completely different.

I’m so lost in my thoughts, I miss what my brothers are saying. Shaking the self-deprecating thoughts from my head, I try to focus on the suggestions they are throwing out there.

“I’ll put some feelers out with our people. See who they know,” Alek says, digging his phone from his pocket.

“Um, I think I can help,” Raena says, bringing all of our attention to her. She must see the look on my face that says I’m not going to allow her to put herself in danger because she quickly adds, “I mean, I know someone who I think can help.” She stands from the chair, walking over to the table where we are at.

“Who?” We all ask in unison.

“The people who helped me when I escaped King. Have you heard of the Huntsmen?” She asks, nervously chewing on her lip again. The name sounds familiar, but I can’t place it.

“In White Harbor?” Alek asks, confusion furrowing his brow.

“Yes. I met them when I ran. They took me in. Helped me heal from my injuries, and when I was ready, they trained me to be a hunter. I worked for them until I was ready to come back here. I think they can help find your sister.”

“Didn’t they kidnap the daughter of a powerful man to take over his businesses?” Alek asks, jogging my memory of where I’ve heard the name before.

“Years ago, King told us about a group of men who kidnapped this man’s 18-year-old daughter. No one has seen or heard from the man since. It was rumored that they killed him and his entire family,” I tell them.

“Don’t believe everything you hear. The daughter of that man, Aspen Snow, is the one who helped me. Those men saved her,” Raena says, jumping to their defense. I can immediately tell these people mean a lot to her.

“Easy there, Cherry,” Maddox says, coming behind her and rubbing her shoulders. “We know better than to believe anything that comes out of King's mouth. Even still, if they have the capabilities to overthrow a major criminal organization like the one run in White Harbor, maybe they are exactly who we need to help us.”

“So, I’m curious. What’s the real story on the Huntsmen?” Alek asks.

“It’s kind of a long story, but before Snow and her guys took over White Harbor, her father was murdered. Her stepmother wasn’t a good person. She married Snow’s father for his money, but that wasn’t enough. She wanted to run drugs out of her father's businesses. When he wouldn’t allow it, she killed him. Snow was only 16 at the time. She lived with her stepmother until she turned 18. That’s when things escalated,” she sighs, walking back to the chair and folding herself back into it.

“At 18, all her father’s businesses went to Snow. Her stepmother didn’t like that, so she sent three of her Huntsmen to kill her. They saved her instead. Snow took over the businesses, and her stepmother fled White Harbor.”

That makes much more sense than the lies King tried to spin. He wanted to expand his territory and was looking into White Harbor. He needed a story so he didn’t look weak for not being able to follow through.

“Where did you fit in? What kind of work did you do for them?” I ask, curious as to what she is capable of. Considering the files I’ve seen of her handiwork, I’d say they trained her well.

“After the takeover, most of White Harbor was full of people her stepmother was involved with. Criminals, rapists, drug dealers, and the like. I hunted them, took them out to protect the sanctuary Snow was trying to build after her stepmother destroyed everything her father worked for,” she says, her smile beaming with pride.

“We’ve seen what you can do. We saw pictures of three men you took out before we found you. And then with Doc. No doubt you’re a badass, Cherry,” Maddox says, rubbing his hands together in excitement.

“They deserved everything they got,” she responds with a fierceness I’ve only witnessed down in the playroom. She is unapologetic about what she did, and that makes all three of us smile proudly at her.

“Damn right they did, Baby Girl,” Alek says, and Maddox and I nod in agreement.

“So, how do we contact these Huntsmen?” I ask. The sooner we find Em, the sooner we can take out King. Then our lives with our sister and our girl can truly begin.

“They gave me a phone to contact them, it’s in my bag upstairs. They are going to be mad. I haven't checked in with them since I got back, but they’ll forgive me,” Raena says, an excitement coming over her that I haven’t seen before. It makes me smile.

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