Page 184 of Brutal Prince

Where in the fuck is Marcus Baker?

* * *

Indi

“Ready for your play date, Addy?”Marcus says.

I shift on my hard seat, turning to the sound of his voice. Addy lets out a muffled sound of protest before shuffling closer to me. Things crunch and crack under her feet as Marcus brings her closer, and then the heat of her body warms my legs.

“Sit up. There we go. Now put your head in her lap.”

A heavy weight rests on my thighs. Addy’s body trembles against me, and it’s mere seconds before there’s a damp spot on my jeans where her tears have wet the fabric.

She moans and shifts as Marcus does something behind her. I sit up straight, straining to see something through the sack over my head.

No, not a sack — it’s a pillowcase. If I look down, I can make out the seams. I turn, and glimpse the vaguest suggestion of a big shape to one side.

A wall. Possibly one of those that fell over when the church burned down. It looks monstrous from my seat on the pew, as if it’s about to tumble onto my head.

When I look forward, I can almost make out a shape in front of me too, but the light’s all wrong, the fabric too dense, my head too sore.

“Shh,” Marcus murmurs when Addy starts sobbing. Something drops to the floor nearby, and I flinch at the sound. Then another.

Shoes.

He’s taking off her shoes.

I shift a little and lean forward, resting my head on Addy’s — cheek to cheek. I don’t know what comfort it will bring her, but at least she’s not alone.

At least I won’t be alone either…except if he kills her first.

A sob wracks through me at the thought, and then there’s nothing I can do to stop the tears.

“Bunch of babies,” Marcus says with a laugh in his voice. “Don’t be sad. It’ll all be over real soon, okay?”

But that only makes me sob harder. Above all else, I know Marcus is a fucking liar.

* * *

Briar

As I turnthe last corner toward my house, my foot slips off the gas. My Mustang grumbles sulkily at the loss of power, and threatens to cut out. I guide her onto the side of the road and shut off the ignition.

Five cop cars with flashing lights line the road outside my house.

Shit!

Even if my father doesn’t accuse me outright of stealing his shit, the cops will want to talk to me. And they’re not gonna figure out where Indi is any sooner than I can, that’s for sure. We’ll all just be wasting more time.

More time for Marcus to toy with Indi.

More time for him to kill her…if he hasn’t already.

And why are they even here? Just so my father can prove what a delinquent Marcus was? Shouldn’t they rather be calling all those clients of his, and letting them know there was a breach? That they should consider moving house.

Because if Marcus knows where they live, Brandon Baker knows where they live.

Christ, of course.

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