Page 87 of Savage Scream

Breaking the kiss, I give him a nod, and we move together to the side gate. While I silently unlatch it, he shoots Griffin a text, and then we sneak through the backyard together.

Happy that I left my window open earlier, we slip in through there, and I draw Thana from my back holster as I approach my bedroom door.

A quick glance back shows Jared has the same gun raised that he had earlier, and I frown, wondering why he didn’t leave it in Griffin’s car when we swapped them out on the way back here.

Cracking my door open, I listen to make sure I can’t hear anyone near, and when I know it’s clear, I swing it wide and move out into the central living area that the kids’ bedrooms surround. Rhys’ bedroom door is shut, as is the twins’ door, but Charlotte’s is open, which likely means she’s not home. Probably at her girlfriend’s again.

The door to the main living area is also closed, so I approach it and listen, and I can faintly hear noise coming from the front of the house.

“What’s the plan?” Jared whispers, and I dart my gaze around before answering.

“We get the twins, Rhys and whichever guys she has with her out of the house, and then we go kill us some uninvited guests.”

Jared smirks. “You’re so fucking hot right now.”

I grin, shaking my head before gesturing to Rhys’ room.

“You go wake Rhys and your mates up. I’ll get the twins and bring them to Rhys’ room. Make sure they have their dicks covered before the twins get there.”

Smirking, Jared nods before taking off in the direction of Rhys’ room.

I watch him silently open the door and slip in, and then I do the same, slipping into the twins’ shared space.

Their beds are side by side, close enough that they can reach out and touch if they want to.

I rush forward, flicking on their bedside lamp, thankful that the glow is dim, before shaking their shoulders until they rouse.

Slowly, two sets of dark brown eyes blink open, and they both start to squint, which is when I realise they can’t see me properly. They need their glasses.

I hand each of them their glasses from the shared bedside table, and they slide them on, half sitting up, their little faces creased in confusion.

“Dee?” Connor asks, so I nod.

“I need you both to listen very carefully,” I whisper, and both sets of eyes widen.

“You can talk?” Archie asks, and I press my finger to my lips.

“Shhh. This is an emergency, so I need you to listen. Ok?”

They nod quickly, shifting to the edges of their bed.

“Don’t panic. I need you to stay calm, because calm is the way to stay safe. Understand?”

They nod again.

“Ok. There are some bad men in the house talking to your mum and dad. I need to get you to Rhys’ room, where she will sneak you out of the house, to somewhere safe. Ok?”

Their little lips quiver as fear kicks in, but they nod.

“Ok. Let’s go. Hold hands, and no matter what happens, you run as quietly as you can to Rhys’ room, and you stay quiet until she says you can make a noise, ok?”

They rush their nods, holding each other’s hands before Archie grabs mine.

Shit.

It’s so little and trembling in fear. They are only nine years old. Too young to be this scared.

My heart pangs at the reminder that Travis was the same age when I killed his mum.

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