Page 60 of Into The Darkness

“Why?”

“Club rules” was his only response. Maddy and Beatrice appeared next to me.

“What’s up?” Beatrice asked, glancing between us.

“I guess Ash wants me to come by the house?” I told them. Ale grabbed my phone out of my hand, and I shot him a glare before looking back at my friends. “Sorry to cut girls’ night short.”

“Who is this guy?” Maddy asked, her eyes narrowing on him like she was trying to place him somewhere.

“He’s part of the Den,” I responded. This only seemed to add to Maddy’s skepticism, but she was also drinking.

“Ash didn’t come here himself?” she asked.

“I asked the same thing. He is working the party,” I explained.

“You good?” She tugged me back before Ale interrupted.

“We gotta go now, Ember.” I shrugged at Maddy and let Ale pull me back out to the back door.

“The back?”

“Easier for me to park,” Ale responded. The moment the cool rainy air hit my face, I sobered up some. “Get in,” Ale said, then he chucked my phone on the ground.

“Why did you throw my phone?” I asked. I went to dart around, trying to understand what was going on. It felt like I was being pranked, as a bubble of panic stirred inside of me. Something was wrong.

“Safety,” he added, and shoved me into the car, locking me into the passenger seat. In that instant, I knew something was wrong and banged on the window.

“Someone help me,” I screamed over and over, and each time the words left my mouth, the louder my voice became. I knew it was useless because the club was so loud.

When Ale got in the car, I attempted to grab him, but he zip-tied my wrists together.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked.

“Because he is fucking everything up by being with you.” It was the only response I got before we were driving past the bars and down the familiar road that normally took me to Ash’s secret spot, which I knew took us outside of Isles.

“Please don’t do this. He will find out.” My heart was racing. “My brother will find out too. His name is Walsh Solis, and he is the leader of the Alphas.”

“I know who your brother is,” Ale seethed.

“I don’t get it, why are you doing this?” We pulled over just outside of town. One more block and all the rules about neutral territory were out the window.

“Because he is getting too close to you. You are too close to us. You needed to be a—”

Bang.

I jerked my head around just as Ale pulled the car back into drive.

“Game on,” he murmured with a twisted smile on his face. He was waiting for someone to come. I heard a recoil and another shot was fired.

“W-what are w-we doing?”

“He’s going to kill you,” Ale stated. Suddenly, I realized what this guy’s plan was.

He knew Ash would come for me. He was so close to the edge of town, and he wanted Ash there before he drove me out of town and down the . . .

“Don’t throw us down the cliff, Ale. That will only hurt both of us.”

“It’s the only way the plan goes accordingly. I am doing it for Mr. Ortiz.” I blinked a few times.

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