Page 44 of Rescue Me

I snort, shaking my head. “Sounds like a ‘them’ problem. Maybe they should’ve thought about that before roping me into a fake contract.”

Hollis glares at me for a long moment before focusing back on the road. “You don’t get it, do you? You blow this up and it’s not just a problem for them. It’s a problem for anyone connected to it. You’re talking about a domino effect that could take out half the damn system.”

I bark out a laugh, though there’s no humor in it. “Good. Maybe the system deserves it.”

He doesn’t respond to that, his jaw tightening as the silence stretches between us again. I know I’ve hit a nerve, but I don’t care. I’ve been biting my tongue for months, letting the Wilhelms walk all over me, letting everyone else decide my life for me. If there’s a chance to rip this whole thing apart, why shouldn’t I take it?

However, the sinking feeling that it could blow up in Zana and Ethan’s faces is why I stay quiet. If I can legally get out of the contract, it won’t matter anyway.

The rest of the drive is quiet, the tension so thick it feels like it’s pressing down on my chest. Hollis doesn’t say another word and I don’t feel like starting another fight. My mind spins with possibilities, with what-ifs and maybes, but every scenario ends with the same thought—I’m still walking back into that house. Still walking back into hell. I just hope that I’m strong enough to walk back out of it.

As the Wilhelm estate comes into view, the dread in my stomach twists tighter. “You’ve only got a few more days until that investigation is buried under paperwork and whatever else,” Hollis says finally. “They’ll play nice, for now. Don’t give them a reason not to.”

“Thanks for the pep talk,” I mutter, shoving the door open and stepping out into the cold.

“Hey, Reid,” he calls after me, his voice softer now. “Be careful.”

I nod, not trusting myself to speak, and turn toward the house. The doors swing open before I reach them, Jackson’s towering figure filling the doorway, his smirk sharp enough to cut.

“Welcome home,” he says, his voice dripping with fake warmth.

I clench my jaw and step inside.A few days.That’s all I have. To survive, to figure out a way to tear this whole thing apart.

To find a way back to them. To my real home.

Little do the Wilhelms know I’m not fucking staying.

“Miss me?” I ask, my voice dripping with fake cheer. “Bet you’ve been lost without me.” It dawns on me that I haven’t washed one shred of laundry in the past few days. Other than washing a few dishes, none of the chores fell at my feet with Zana and Ethan. It was a group effort. Nothing was ever forced on me.

Jackson’s smirk falters for half a second before he recovers, his eyes narrowing. “Nice to see you haven’t lost your attitude from a few days ago,” he says, his tone cold.

“Oh, it’s thriving,” I shoot back, my smile razor-sharp. “Thanks for your concern.”

Before either of them can respond, Hailey rushes in from the other room, her blonde curls bouncing as she makes a beeline for me. She’s already crying—or pretending to, anyway—and her hands reach out like she’s some tragic heroine in a soap opera.

“Reid!” she gasps, throwing herself at me. “You’re back. I’ve been so worried about you.”

It takes everything in me not to laugh. Her scent is sharp, laced with irritation and barely masked disgust, but she’s trying to smother it with sweetness. It doesn’t work. I can smell the lie from a mile away and the way her eyes flicker toward Jackson and Lyle before settling on me only confirms it. She’s putting on a show. The way her nose turns up at Ethan’s scent lacing my skin also cements my thoughts.

“Hailey,” I muse as I awkwardly pat her on the back. “So... good to see you too.”

She pulls back, her hands clutching my arms as she stares up at me with wide, watery eyes. “I’ve missed you so much,” she says, her voice trembling. “I—I didn’t realize how much you meant to me until you were gone.”

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. Her act is almost convincing—if you didn’t know her. But I do. I’ve spent months cleaning up her messes, taking her insults, and watching her twist people around her little finger. She’s good at playing the victim, but she’s slipping now. Her nose wrinkles ever so slightly, catching Ethan’s scent again. It’s driving her insane and I love it.

“That’s... touching,” I say, forcing a tight smile. “Really. I’m moved.”

Her grip on my arms tightens and she glances back at Jackson and Lyle. “Can we have a moment?” she asks, her voice soft and pleading.

Jackson raises an eyebrow but nods, gesturing for Lyle to follow him out of the room. The moment they’re gone, Hailey drops the act. Her face hardens and she pulls me toward the couch, pushing me down before sitting beside me, far too close.

“You’re going to make this easy for me, aren’t you, Reid?” she cackles, the sweetness gone. “You’re going to be good and loyal, just like you always have been.”

I blink at her, my lips twitching with barely contained amusement. “Is that what you want? Loyalty? Funny, because I don’t remember that being part of the job description. I thought I was just here to clean up after you.”

Her eyes narrow and she leans in closer, her grin sharp and predatory. “If you don’t start showing some loyalty—and affection—I’ll make sure you don’t leave this pack in one piece.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “What’s the point, Hailey? You’ve made it perfectly clear you don’t care about anyone but yourself. Why bother pretending now?”

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