Page 71 of Wicked Devotions: Part 2

“Do you remember anything about Russell White? Anything that might indicate he’s behind all this? Or involved in any of the nefarious things Scott did behind closed doors?” Dad asks Annabelle.

“I wasn’t privy to much of what Scott did, as you know. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Russ did have something to do with it all. I mean, he knew all the church financials. I’ve always thought it was strange that he walked from everything with no charges.”

She’s right. It is very suspicious for him to walk away free from any charges or even the slightest hint of guilt. Everything has to be connected somehow. Part of me wonders if we shouldn’t bring in the police because maybe they would be ableto put the pieces together. But then again, the police down here are as crooked as the people they claim to be protecting us from. Plus I don’t want this asshole to live long. I want him dead at the bottom of the swamp he crawled out of. Ideally at my hands.

“There’s two cars at the gate,” Felix says. “Should I open it?”

“Yes. It’s my nephew.”

Over the next few minutes, the house fills up with Sawyer, Nolan, and Lake, as well as a small team of three of his guys. They’re all dressed in all black utility pants and tight black long sleeve shirts with guns on their hips except Sawyer, who’s wearing a suit and looking like he just walked out of a courtroom.

Dad fills them in on what we know. Sawyer asks Annabelle a few questions while Lake and Nolan circle up with their group. The guys and I walk over and join in the circle to find out what the plan is.

“I’m not sure you should go with us,” Lake says. “If she’s in danger, you being there could make things worse.”

“We’re going.” I look him dead in the eyes, so he sees how serious I am. “I don’t care what we have to do, what crime we commit.”

“How much blood we spill,” Cy adds. “It’s not my first rodeo.”

I know he hopes it’s his last, though.

“Have any of you, aside from Cyrus, done anything like this before?” Nolan asks. “Because hurting and killing are one thing in theory, much different in reality.”

“You have to follow orders,” Lake says sternly. “No going rogue and putting yourselves in danger, so we have to step in and save you from.”

“We can do that,” Emerson says.

I remain quiet because while I plan on doing as I’m told, I’ll also do whatever the fuck it takes to get Harper back. Cyand I exchange a look, silently agreeing we’re on the same page. Emerson and Banks tense up beside us but don’t say anything.

“I trust these guys with my life,” I tell Lake. “I know we all just want to get Harper back.” And kill the people responsible for hurting her.

“Alright. Change into dark clothes you can move quietly in and get back down here in five. We’re heading out as soon as the sun goes down.”

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

HARPER

The sound of water gently lapping at the wooden pillars holding the shanty up above the marsh is the only thing I hear. Everything is so still and rapidly turning cold. The damp floor has seeped into my clothing and bones, leaving me stiff and my nose running. Dried blood sits on my face and mats my eyelashes.

I can’t do anything but lie where I am with the zip ties digging into my skin. The few feeble attempts I’ve made to get up have been thwarted by the pounding ache behind my eyes. I most definitely have a concussion, but hopefully that’s all that’s wrong with me.

In the distance I hear the motor of a small boat. I go still trying to figure out if it’s coming toward me or away. Maybe I could yell, and they’d hear me? I don’t have any other options, so I start yelling, hoping they might be able to hear me over the noise from their engine.

Hope swells in my chest when the motor dies and I hear boots on the dock. I keep yelling for help. My throat is raw as I see a beam of light from under the door.

Someone is coming. I refuse to think that it might be the man who took me. I’m going to be rescued. It’ll all be okay. It has to be.

Banks.

Cyrus.

Emerson.

Declan.

Mom.

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