Page 60 of Faith and Fury

I catch Caleb’s jaw flex, though he speaks evenly. “What’s the number for your manager?”

The guy scoffs. “You mean the city councilor?”

“Alright. I’ll call her.”

“Good luck with that.”

Realizing the conversation is drawing to a close, Maverick groans. “So that’s it?” He gestures to the manhole, leveraged open against the pavement. “And after me and Delia went all the trouble of opening it.”

I roll my eyes. Jackass could lift that cover one-handed if he wanted to.

“Let’s roll out,” Caleb orders. “Still three hotspots to go.”

Muttering, Maverick crouches down to close the manhole. It’s only when he shifts out of the way, his pheromones shifting with him, that I notice it.

A familiar scent.

Like bleach and nicotine—I’m instantly transported to the arena. The ringleaders rarely dealt with rogues personally, which meant they needed a whole entourage of lackeys. Bringing us meals. Escorting us to the courtyard. Overseeing the showers.

My stomach drops, like the very core of me is still down there. Trapped. Underground.

I don’t let myself think.

I drop to my knees, faster than anyone can catch me. Maverick rears back in shock—

Leaving the manhole wide open.

“Faith—stop! Stop!”

Someone grabs my shoulder, but Caleb’s jacket is so big on me, all they get is leather.

I grip the handles. They’re rusted, like the maintenance guy warned, but otherwise intact.

My adrenaline carries me halfway down. That’s when the panic sets in. Cement over my head. Darkness closing me in. I’ll never make it out. But maybe I just have to be okay with that.

An icy dread of acceptance washes over me. Carrying me further down.

“I’m going after her,” Maverick declares. The ladder rattles.

“Don’t! It’ll snap!”

“Are you lot out of your mind?” the maintenance guy hurls. “Get your omega in order!”

Two snarls answer him, both sharp enough to send a shiver down my spine.

I put my foot down on the next rung, thinking I must be near the bottom. Metal groans against me. I have to be fast—need to move on before it gives. I step down.

And something pops.

My lower body loses all purchase. The shock of it, the weight, throws me off guard. My palms burn against the rusted metal as I try to catch myself.

“Faith!”

For a half second, I’m weightless.

And then I’m on the ground.

Chapter Thirty-One

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