Page 110 of Wicked Little Nightmare

Sarah pinched the bridge of her nose. "We can't just charge in blind. They’re too well-connected, too powerful. Think politicians, senators, cops. They’re not a person; they’re a spider web. We need a strategy."

I was about to chime in with my own two cents when Rose's quiet voice cut through the tension. "I... I think I might know someone who could help."

All eyes turned to her, and she shrank back like she wanted to disappear into the couch cushions. Her face looked like she regretted opening her mouth at all.

"It's okay, Rose, you have a voice here," Sarah coaxed, her voice so gentle it made me want to punch a kitten. "What do you mean?"

Rose took a deep breath. "There's this woman... Janine. I think her name was Allamy or something. She used to visit me at the facility sometimes. I think... I think she might be important in Chimera."

Hearing the name again sent me reeling. Janine fucking Almine. Images flashed through my mind – a kind smile, a gentle touch, promises of safety that turned to ash. I'd trusted her once, back when we were first placed with her. Before I learned that she was a Goddamn cunt, and that trust was for pussies and fools.

Lakey went dead still. She was probably thinking about her daughter. Her eyes flashed up to mine, pleading with me not to say anything about her. Not yet.

"Well, well," I drawled, forcing a smirk to hide the turmoil churning in my gut. "Looks like our old friend Janine's been busy. Small world, huh?"

Kyle leaned forward, his expression intense. "You know her?"

I laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Oh yeah, we go way back. Let's just say she's got a real talent for playing mother hen to lost little lambs. Right before she leads them to the slaughter."

Looking back down at Lakey, her eyes burned with a rage untampered.

"Hey, sugar," I said, loud enough for the others to hear. "Mind helping me check the perimeter. All this talk of old ghosts is making me twitchy."

Her lips curved into that wicked smile I loved. "Aw, feeling jumpy, big guy? Don't worry, I'll protect you from the boogeyman."

We slipped out into the cool night air, leaving the others to their conversating. As soon as we were out of earshot, I let out a long, shaky breath. "Fuck." I needed to tell her about what I remembered, but we weren’t much for the feelings type. Felt weird having this pressure sitting in my chest.

Lakey's hand found mine, her touch both an anchor and a reminder of how far we'd come. "Talk to me, Cam. What's got your panties in a knot?”

I closed my eyes, reopening them to see hers fixed on my face. "Thought we could use some air. I’m just… so full of rage. For us, but mainly for you. Janine triggered you; I could tell."

"She deserves to die, but not before we get my daughter." Lakey’s eyes narrowed on my twitching jaw. “What is it, Cameron?”

I nodded, remembering shit Janine used to do to me that I’d pushed so far down it felt like it had never happened. "She will die, babe, that’s for sure. But yeah, there’s more. She used to do shit to me; I didn’t remember it until now. I dunno babe, I just… there’s a lot swirling around in my chest, right now. I need you to keep it together because right now I’m struggling to hold the rage at bay."

Lakey's grip on my hand tightened. "We should kill her. Slowly."

I barked out a laugh, some of the tension easing. "God, I love you. And we will. Soon. She might be useful."

"Always the strategist," Lakey teased, but I could hear the concern underneath. "We get my daughter back and then we peel the skin from her face and feed it to her."

I pulled her close, breathing in the scent of her hair. "I get the sense Kyle and Sarah are genuine, but I still don’t trust them. They aren’t like us."

Lakey snorted. "Spectators, really."

"Exactly," I agreed. "Which means we might need to improvise, if it comes down to it. You with me?"

She looked up at me, those baby blues gleaming with a mixture of love and death that never failed to send a thrill through me. "Always, baby. It’s you and me.”

I kissed her then, hard and desperate, pouring all my fear and rage and twisted love into it. When we finally broke apart, I felt steadier. "Let's go see what brilliant plan they’ve cooked up. And Lakey? If things don’t pan out the way they’re saying..."

"I know," she finished, her smile sweet and soft. "We do what needs to be done. Fuck their plans.”

As we walked back into the main room, the air was thick with tension. Sarah was hunched over a map, her fingers tracing invisible routes while Kyle paced behind her, his face eerily blank. Rose sat in the corner, looking small and vulnerable, but there was a new resolve in her eyes that hadn't been there before.

I cleared my throat, drawing their attention. "Alright, folks. What's the grand plan?"

Sarah looked up; her face reserved. "We go after Janine. It's risky, but she's our best lead on Chimera. If we can get to her, maybe we can finally put an end to this nightmare."

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