Page 78 of Hers To Keep

I sit straighter, Alek’s gaze meeting mine. “Maxwell and I discovered it was Wesley who had him killed, and it was Lilith who pulled the trigger.”

One WeekLater

Telling Alek that my Uncle Wesley was the one who devised the murder of his beloved grandfather was enough to get him tosee things our way. He’s always known the extent of his corruption but seeing how he single-handedly went against a member of his own group of elitists was crossing the line. Wesley is a deadly disease that’s spread like a virus amongst all of Hillcrest and its surrounding towns. He must be stopped before there is no turning back.

Which brings us to today. It’s been about a month now since I last saw Scarlett. I’ve taken a leave of absence from school, and my duties as a Horseman. Let’s face it, I have far more important things I need to take care of. I’ve done my best to give her the space she thinks she needs to keep her safe and keep my Uncle Wesley’s suspicions at bay, all the while I figure out how to free her from all of this, and what exactly it was that made her run to him.

Maxwell has reached out to her a few times but has had no luck. She’s closed herself off from everyone, leaving the academy, holding up residence at my family’s home, avoiding anyone and everyone she ever cared for.

Jade’s gone ballistic, calling me every day, and coming down with Bass every weekend. She’s even gone as far as getting the damn dragon boy involved. He’s obviously furious that we let things get this bad but relieved she threw me to the curb.

Bottom line is that it’s too damn dangerous for us to be near her right now, especially after Alek told my uncle that Scarlett and I were still working together to bring him down. Wesley’s on high alert and if either of us steps foot in Hillcrest right now, we will be ambushed upon entry.

The guys and I sit in Maxwell’s living room which has turned into our new hangout spot on the weekends when they drive out to Pleasant Hills. According to them I’ve been insufferable the last month, sulking around, throwing, and breaking things right and left, and just snapping at any and everyone.

What the fuck do they expect?My girlfriend is in enemy territory, figuratively sleeping with the enemy, while another fucker isforcing her hand. All the while I sit here helpless and no closer to discovering a way to get her out of it.

“Where are we with tracking Marchesi's phone records?” I ask the guys, pouring myself another glass of bourbon. The cabin we’ve been staying in is nothing compared to our usual luxury dwellings, but we’ve managed. A fully loaded bar is one way we’ve kept sane.Have I mentioned I’ve adopted somewhat of a drinking problem now?

“Andre hacked into her prepaid cell phone using the chip you asked Remi to sneak onto her new phone,” Beck says, as he walks over to join me where I’m standing. Andre is the guy we use for all our tech shit. He’s a genius and certified underground hacker who’s a year behind us at the academy, but we keep him on our payroll for instances like this. He’s done everything for us from hacking into the phones we got Scarlett and her friends when they first arrived at the academy, to sending the fake blackmail message out to my uncle’s phone. “I told him to send the signal directly to your phone, so as soon as she gets any messages or calls, we’ll know.”

“According to Remi, Wesley hasn’t been around much, which is good news. If he’s not around her, at least things aren’t as dangerous for her,” Bass says, as he moves to grab a slice of pizza we just ordered for dinner. The living room of the cabin looks like what our dorm rooms first looked like when we started at the academy. Boxes of pizza and beer cans are lying around, and the intense smell of weed floats in the air.

But he’s right about what Remi says. She’s been my inside man, well in this case woman, for the last month. I’ve hired her to watch over Scarlett and report back any suspicious activity and/or problems she encounters with my uncle or any of the other patrons of The Gallows.

Seemingly, Wesley hasn’t been as eagerly pursuant of her in the last few weeks, and with her mother permanently gone from The Gallows, she’s been mostly alone. She’s made somewhat ofan unlikely friendship with Remi and her sister Lexi and has been focusing mainly on making sure the girls are not being taken advantage of. Remi says she’s trying to convince them they deserve better, and they need to leave. She doesn’t have any official role there other than being his new Mistress of the Night, which is just a title for his latest madam. She’s just his arm candy, the trophy he has hung up on his wall behind a glass window.

But at least the bright side to that is she’s untouchable.

I nod my head relieved that I’ll at least have some answers soon, but not where they are needed. “Yeah, well, we’re no closer to cracking down on Marchesi, so that means nothing to me,” I groan as Maxwell enters the room to join us at the same time someone pushes the front door open.

Jade, Kai, and the damn Dragon himself come barging inside like it’s no fucking problem. Jade waltzes in like she owns the place, her usual fuck you attitude, and loathing glares directed at us as she settles down on the couch beside Bass wiggling her ass and making herself comfortable. However, it’s the Dragon who comes straight for me with Kai closely behind him. Glaring daggers in my direction, he steps eagerly toward me but doesn’t make it far before Beck and Alek move to stand guard before me.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I shout, my anger directed at Jade who sits on the couch helping herself to the pizza we just ordered, still sitting warm on the coffee table. She’s the only one that knew where the safe house was, meaning she led them here. “I knew we should have placed a bag over your head so you wouldn’t know where you were going,” I groan, as she flips me off, ignoring me and biting into the slice of pepperoni.

“You’re lucky we haven’t come here sooner. Jade said we had to sit back and wait, apparently you had things handled,” Drake says, as he steps in closer pushing through Alek and Beck but not getting any closer to me. Fury rages in his eyes as he watches me, a look of disgust visible in his stare. “Well, I’m done fucking waitingaround. It’s been a month since Scarlett’s gone missing, and you fucking dumb fuckers have yet to get her back!”

“You watch your fucking tone, Dragon,” Alek sneers, stepping toward him, grabbing him by the neck of his shirt. Drake doesn’t cower down or even flinch at Alek’s feeble grip on him, dude’s a fearless fighter. I’ve heard from a few of our guys he’s been coming down to Pleasant Hills weekly and is back in their underground cage fighting scene, where apparently he’s undefeated.

“Back off, bitch, if I’m not mistaken, you’re the one who should watch your back. You’re the traitor, right?” Alek’s body stiffens at Drake’s comment. I mean he’s not wrong, but I’ve put Alek’s indiscretion behind us as long as he swears from here on out, he’s done with Wesley.

“Enough, both of you,” I demand, pouring another glass of bourbon and handing it to Drake. He stares down at my hand reluctantly. “Take it, you fucking need it.”

I move around them, sitting back on the couch beside a very uneasy Maxwell, who’s been watching this unfold before him.

“Maxwell, this is Damon Drake and Malachi Saint, your daughter’s foster brothers. Boys, this is Maxwell Smoak.” Both Drake and Kai look to Maxwell but not with a look of surprise or shock at my admission. “Evidently Jade’s informed them of your relationship to Scarlett,” I say, glaring at her.

“What, they needed to know,” she scoffs, rolling her eyes. “You try not telling these possessive fuck heads anything about where she’s been for a fucking month. They’re relentless.”

“It doesn’t matter what she told us, what I want to know is why the fuck haven’t you gotten her out,” Drake snarls, and I’ve just about had it with him.

“You two might want to sit down for this.” They reluctantly agree while Beck and Alek move out of the way, heading over to the bar behind us, letting Drake and Kai sit on the couch across from me. They want to know what’s been going on, well then, they’re about to find out everything.

They watch me with deep hooded eyes, confusion clear on their faces as I tell them the same fucked up story I told Bass and Jade. The long history between Lilith, Wesley, and Franco Marchesi. Who Marchesi was pretending to be, and of course why he’s blackmailing Wesley. A look of shock and disbelief flickers across their eyes.

“So, what does all of this have to do with Scarlett now working at The Gallows?” Drake asks, confused.

“Bottom line is that Wesley and Lilith are responsible for the death of Marchesi’s sister Gianna.” Drake’s eyes show no reaction after what I’ve mentioned.

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