Page 110 of Revenant

Ellis purses his lips, then glances at Hicks. “It could work.”

Hicks grunts, his hard green gaze landing on me, and my spine straightens under his critical perusal. “We would be a fool to trust her.”

I huff and cross my arms. “No kidding.”

“Yet you still want to try it.” He cocks his head, curiosity sharpening in his eyes. “Why?”

My attention slides to the twins and Gunner, and I wave my hands in their direction. “Because if we don’t find a solution, one of these idiots is going to take it upon themselves to murder him.”

“And that would be a problem?” Hicks leans back, relishing the prospect as well.

“If it were so easy, don’t you think I would’ve done it before now?” I lean over, placing my hands on the table and glaring at the idiots. “Tell me, what happens when a person dies?”

Everyone is silent for a beat.

“We run the risk of him turning into a ghost.” Ellis curses viciously and rips off his glasses.

I press my finger to my nose. “Got it in one. My old man is an ornery fucker and would haunt me just out of spite.” I glance away, dragging my hair from my face before sighing in defeat. “As much as I want to say that I could banish him, I can’t guarantee it.”

“So the best option is to trust the bitch who already tried to kill you?” Jaceson tightens his grip on his coffee mug as if struggling against the need to throw it across the room.

“That’s plan A.” I glance toward Hicks and narrow my eyes. “I suspect Hicks and Ellis have been working on an alternative option behind my back.”

The guys don’t bother denying it, not even wincing when I call them out on their scheming.

Silence fills the room, the guys glancing at each other, then their focus returns to me. “When did you want to leave?”

“Now.” I straighten, eager to cut my father out of my life once and for all. “The longer we wait, the more time my father has to plot. As soon as he discovers I’m alive, he won’t hesitate to come after me.”

Not ten minutes later, we all pile into the truck and drive to the cabin where Crystal is staying. She is lying almost peacefully on the bed, the IV in her arm keeping her hydrated. The woman in question is standing in the corner, her expression subdued, her gaze solemn as she stares down at her lifeless form.I know you don’t believe me, but I intend to keep my promise.

Jaceson narrows his eyes menacingly, touching the planchette under his shirt, and dark ribbons of red and black swirl around him. His glare promises that if she tries anything, he will find her and she willwishshe were dead.

I approach the bed cautiously, filled with more than a little trepidation. I call my powers to me, almost basking in the chill of the afterlife. With one more pointed glare at Crystal, I place my hand on her arm.

A draining sensation fills me until I sway. Something clicks inside of me, and Crystal pops out of existence. Before I can figure out what just happened, a gasp is torn from the body on the bed. Crystal bolts upright like a corpse sitting up in a coffin, and she clutches her chest. Tears fill her eyes, and she blinks them away, her movements stiff as she looks around, as if to reassure herself that she is back and whole.

I hastily step back, not wanting to test if her abilities can affect me, and I wipe my fingers against my jeans to rid myself of the feel of her skin under my touch.

“Everything okay?” A furrow appears between Jaceson’s brows, and he nudges me even farther away from the bed before stepping protectively in front of me.

“All good.” I hide my grimace when my knees wobble. Knowing Gunner is hovering near, I lean against him gratefully.

Crystal claws at the needle in her arm and yanks it out, not even wincing when blood dribbles from the wound. Throwing back the blankets, she drags herself out of the bed, then staggers to her feet on unsteady legs. Determination darkens her eyesas she slowly straightens. She glances in my direction, and her voice is raspy from disuse when she speaks. “I’m ready. Let’s do this now. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can be done with each other.”

Though I agree with her sentiment, her promise sounds a little too good to be true.

Chapter Forty-one

RUE

Four hours and multiple stops to change our vehicles later, we are finally fifteen minutes from my father’s office. My skin bristles, ready to crawl off my body the closer we get, and I am ready to throw myself out of the window to escape.

Since Hicks is the only one who has met my father, we decided to take two vehicles, part of a contingency plan in case things go to shit. I’m not naïve—the instant the men came into my life, my father would have compiled a whole dossier on each of them, digging out any secret he thought he could exploit.

Only I’m not going to give the asshole a chance.

This ends now.

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