Page 69 of Wicked Little Nightmare

Lakey's eyes snapped back to mine, that razor-sharp focus back and ready to play. "Always," she whispered, and I felt that familiar pull, like gravity drawing me into her orbit.

I grinned, pushing away the doubts. "Then let's go raise some hell."

She nodded, her lips curving into that wicked smile. "Raising hell's our specialty, darling." But even as she spoke, her fingers drifted to the photograph sitting on top of the stack of papers. She didn't pick it up, just traced the edge, like she was afraid it might vanish if she touched it too much.

"Right so, what else do we need," I said, trying to keep her mind on the job. "Surveillance gear if we wanna watch what goes in and out first, maybe some of that fancy tech Skeeter has listed in his recon file."

"Mhm," Lakey hummed, her eyes still fixed on that damn picture. "And weapons. Can't go in unprepared."

I watched her, feeling that familiar mix of fascination and unease. The way her shoulders tensed, the slight furrow between her brows – I knew every inch of her, could read her moods like a book. And right now? She was a cunt hair away from exploding.

"Lakey," I said softly, leaning in. "You with me?"

She blinked, looking up at me with those big blue eyes that could go from innocent to ice-cold in a heartbeat. "Yes, of course. Always got your back, babes."

But I could see the weight settling on her, her shoulders tensing ever so slightly as her back straightened, pushing her chest out a fraction. The past was a bitch, and it had its claws in her deep. I'd seen Lakey tear men apart without breaking a sweat, but this? This was threatening to tear her apart from the inside.

I was afraid of what I’d find if she fell apart. What monsters were still locked in Pandora’s Box, just waiting for a weakness in her armor. Would they rip her apart, or would they take vengeance on the world who did us so dirty?

"You on board with all this?" I asked, studying her face. She was with me, mostly. It would have to be enough.

"Oh, absolutely," she chirped, but her gaze drifted back to the photo. "We'll find what we need there. Information about Chimera, and..." she hesitated, then added softly, "...and maybe about her."

I felt my jaw tighten. This obsession of hers was dangerous, for both of us. But pushing too hard would only make her dig her heels in deeper.

"One step at a time, sweetheart," I said, keeping my tone light. "Let's focus on not getting our asses shot off first, yeah?"

Lakey's laugh was like bells tinkling over broken glass. "Yes, sir," she purred. "Always looking out for my fine ass."

She turned and started rummaging through our chest of fun. Explosives, vests, guns… You name it we had it. Almost everything, anyway. We should grab night sight, and some other top tech items. Skeeter had a whole list of ways to recon at night and we didn’t have any of it. Problems for another day, I suppose.

"Hey, sugar tits," I called out, whistling to get her attention. "Don't forget the C4. Never know when we might need to make a big boom."

She flashed me that million-watt smile, all sweetness and light. "Already packed, darling. Right next to the chloroform and zip ties. Dunno why you want all this. We never bring this shit."

I chuckled, “You never know what we’re gonna find. I have a feeling this is gonna be epic.”

Twenty-Six: Lakey

The memories flooded me as we sped down the deserted highway.Flashes of a swollen belly, aching breasts, tiny kicks from within. Then searing pain, blood-soaked sheets, hands ripping my baby away. My baby girl.

Doctors. So many men in white coats, stained with my blood. A nun. Anne? No, not Anne… someone else. God, why can’t I see her face…

I gripped the steering tighter, knuckles white.Who was the father?I searched the foggy recesses of my mind but came up empty. Fucking blank. My body wasn’t recoiling, it wasn’t reacting. I wasn’t raped… something else.It’s right there, why can’t I reach it?

"You okay, doll?" Cam's deep voice cut through my headphones, interrupting my spiraling thoughts.

I grimaced underneath my helmet. "Oh, I’m great. Thinking about all the fun we're gonna have."

He slowed to match my bike’s pace and turned his head. "That's my girl."

The dilapidated orphanage loomed before us, a decrepit monstrosity of crumbling brick and shattered windows. As I killed the engine, a chill ran down my spine. This place... I knew it somehow.

We approached the building, gravel crunching under our boots. The stench of decay and mildew made me wrinkle my nose in disgust. A rusted sign creaked in the wind: "St. Mary's Orphanage."God, why are all these places named so pretentiously?Who the fuck were all these saints, because so far, I’ve not met a single one.

My gaze was drawn to the cracked concrete steps. For a split second, I saw a little girl with pigtails sitting there, knees pulled to her chest. She looked up at me with familiar blue eyes. My eyes.

What the fuck? I shook my head, trying to dislodge the unsettling image.

---