Page 76 of Kill Me Sweetly

“I have no real use for you, actually, and I can’t let you leave.” He stepped closer, and the mask dropped completely, and in front of me stood someone more demon than man. “Some of my boys have been in serious need of a live specimen to practice with. John here will bring you out to the training room. It was nice meeting you.”

“Wait.” I grabbed his arm. He stopped a guard from approaching.

“Release me.”

“Answer something first.”

“What?” Harper’s voice, while calm, held a certain amount of sternness.

“Why? Why take little kids and mold them into weapons?”

He pulled free of my grip and stepped away. “You make it sound like I kidnap children. On the contrary, I rescue them.” I opened my mouth, but he held up his hand to stop me. “Let me finish before you blubber on with some snarky remark.”

I mimed zipping my lips. I just wanted to buy time, and I’d seen enough bad-guy movies to know to let them monologue.

“These are kids who had no futures, no homes. They were burdens to their parents. Each boy and girl is legally adopted by a person in the consortium. Here and at Alicia House they are cared for, fed, all their health needs met. In return I give them purpose.”

“No.” I pointed at him. “You’re a liar. You kidnapped Maxwell’s daughter, made him believe you rescued her, then set him up to fail. What purpose is that?”

He was silent, whether it was because he hadn’t realized I’d figured out he was full of shit or I’d just pissed him off.

“Money is made in all sorts of ways. I found one that gives these kids purpose and lines the pockets of people who can change the world.”

“That’s not an answer, Harpy, that’s an excuse. You’re finding a reason for what you do when there is in fact none.”

In a flash he was on me, pressing me to the mattress, his hand around my neck and squeezing. “I don’t expect someone like you to understand the mechanics. I’m a god; you’re a peasant. I saved these kids and for that reward, they happily do my bidding.”

My vision was starting to dim, and I could barely breathe, let alone talk.

“Those girls in Alicia House will grow up and be conditioned perfectly. And they’ll get to be on the arms of rich and powerful men and women of the world. Live in the lap of luxury and never want for anything.”

For a price, I thought and wanted to say. But everything was getting fuzzy and while I tried clawing Harper’s hands off me, it was useless. A moment later the world went black, and I fell into oblivion.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

SHEP

Four ledus straight to where two looming statues of angels stood. They were hunched over, each surrounded by water, tears leaking from their eyes.

“Lying in a pool of tears,” Mason whispered.

“Where the angels wept is what the artist calls them,” Four corrected.

“You know the artist?” Gabe asked.

“No, just heard people talking about him.”

“As cultured as this conversation is,” I interrupted. “We need to figure out how to get in. With the twins having no luck or time in figuring this place out, we’re stuck.”

“You need to walk around the house on the left side. The door is in the back but closer to that side.” Four pointed to where we had to go. “If you use the forest for cover, you’ll be okay.”

“What’s going to greet us inside?” Gabe turned in his seat to look at Four.

“People…maybe Weapons. I don’t know the schedules, they change regularly.”

I quickly called Nick. “Update me. We know how to get in, but no idea what we’re facing in there. I’m not good to JJ if I’m dead before I reach him.”

Nick cleared his throat. “Right, so, he’s unconscious right now. Harper Reese got a bit pissed after JJ ran his mouth. He strangled him, but he’s alive.”

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