Page 70 of Wicked Revenge

“Oh, I’m going to touch more than the hair on her head if you don’t bring me that Hunter. I’m going to slit her throat like I should have done to her mother.” My facade slips at his ridiculous threats before I smooth it out once more. “Sooner rather than later, son.”

“We will bring you the hunter, Dad.” Venom drips like bitter poison from his tongue, and I end the call before I say too much. I might enjoy pissing him off, but he pisses me off even more.

I swipe Em’s picture out of the way, pulling up my obsession again. It won’t be long now until she is back where she belongs.

Chapter 37

Daddy King?

King is their fucking father?

That one word has me frozen midway down the stairs. What did I just walk into? I heard the phone ringing when I was coming down the stairs, and Maddox’s words stopped me in my tracks.

I should have known not to trust them. They pulled me in under a spell of lust covered in tattoos, and I let myself feel something for the first time since I lost my daughter.

“Well hello to you too, son…”

Son? I’m so fucking stupid.

Icy tendrils of fear wrap around my spine at the sound of his voice filtering through the phone. The blood swooshes in my ears, and my vision starts to darken. I need to breathe, but I can’t seem to force the needed oxygen into my lungs. I need to get out of here. Sucking in a deep breath, I force myself to move. I can’t listen anymore. I can’t bear it.

Turning back and silently climbing back up the stairs, I quietly shut the door to muffle any sounds. I know the playroom is soundproof, but I don’t know about the basement area. I take off in a run for the garage. I already have my riding bag, I just need to get Nightshade and figure out my next move.

When I slip into the garage, I head straight for Maddox’s bike. I saw him push a button to open the outer gate when we returned the other night. I find the magnetic fob attached.

Snatching it off, I push the button to open the garage, before sprinting to Nightshade. I drop my bag on the seat to dig out some pants and my boots.

Slipping on the leggings and half-ass lacing up my knee-high boots, I shove my helmet on my head. I’m thankful for the sound modifications when I start her up with a light rumble. Hoping they haven’t come upstairs to find me yet, they shouldn’t hear me leaving. I’m going to need at least a small headstart to outrun these Shadows.

Just a few moments later, I’m speeding down their driveway, approaching the gate. The stolen key fob does its job, the gate opening before I make it to it so I don’t even slow down. The road is blurry from the tears I didn’t know were building, but I blink them away. I can process how stupid I was later. Right now, I just need to put some distance between us.

Realizing I can’t go to my cottage because it will probably be the first place they look, I head to the only place I know I’ll be safe from both them and King.

The parking lot at Twisted is deserted. I see Ella’s truck parked in the alley that runs beside it. I need to find a place to hide Nightshade. I didn’t think this through with my mind running a million miles an hour trying to process the betrayal and pain consuming me. This is my first time driving into the middle of town on my bike. My hair isn’t even tucked into my helmet.

Driving along the back side of the businesses that line the town square, I find an old loading dock that looks derelict. The back roll-up door is busted in several places and open enough that I should be able to slip my bike through.

Taking the concrete ramp that leads up to the door, I slip off of my bike to take a look inside. The building is abandoned, broken down boxes and busted furniture litter the space. This will work. Sliding the door up a little further, I go back to my bike and ease her inside.

Finding a dark corner away from the busted windows, I shut off the engine as I climb off. I dig through my bag once more, pulling out my black hooded jacket.

Tucking Royal’s shirt into my leggings, I slip my jacket on and tuck my unruly red curls in the hood. When I am finally comfortable with my concealed identity, I slip back out the back door, making sure to close it all the way.

The walk back to Twisted gives me time to run back through every mistake I’ve made in the last few days. I allowed myself to be caught by King’s sons. Nothing was real.

They lied to me about protecting me. About how they felt about me. I should have known it was too fast for it to be real. I should have listened to the voice in the back of my head that told me I was too broken, too damaged, for anyone to love.

Goddamn it! I’m so fucking stupid. They would have turned me over to King. He is their father. They owe me no loyalty. We just met. I am nothing to them, and he is their family. Oh god, their poor sister.

Was any of it real?

My mind races faster with questions I don’t think I’ll get answers to. I’m so caught up in my head that I walk right through a crosswalk, and in front of a blacked-out SUV. My hands slam down on the hood as they come to a screeching halt, barely stopping in time to avoid plastering me beneath them.

My heart pounds out of my chest as I look up to apologize to the driver, but the windshield is so dark, I can’t make out anyone behind the wheel.

This vehicle looks similar to the Black SUV parked in the guys’ garage, so I half expect them to jump out and grab me. But no one gets out. I stare into the window for a few moments, squinting my eyes as if that will help me see through the darkness. My hand presses into my chest, trying to calm my racing heart.

“I’m so sorry,” I yell, but I get no response. The SUV slams it in reverse, backing up enough to swerve around me and speed off.

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