Page 13 of Deadly Rival

“Of course. I’m looking forward to it. Thanks for your help.” My jaw aches with the effort of forcing another smile, but the doctor can’t see how phony it is. His answering smile is warm.

“No problem.”

Oh, there are lots of problems. They just all belong to me.

***

Half an hour later, I’m seated in Gabriel’s living room, surrounded by a jury of my peers. As I finish my sorry tale, Eve’s monstrous black cat, Belladonna, plonks her giant self on my lap. Thank Christ I’m still wearing my “rough kidnapper” costume instead of something designer. I start to pet the thingagainst my better judgment, and she lets out a giant, rumbling purr.

It’s soothing. Maybe this is why people have the stupid creatures.

Gabriel’s new place is bright and cozy, thanks to Eve. She’s filled it with squashy sofas and bean bags, and every wall is covered in funky art, draped with fairy lights. A bit too first-year dorm room for my taste, but still better than Gabriel managed.

The guys both sit on a gray suede sofa, staring at me with identical alarmed expressions, while the girls sit together on a giant bean bag, legs curled under them and faces wary.

Jacob shakes his head. “You’re a fucking idiot, mate.”

“I know.”

Gabriel taps his fingers on his knee, a nervous habit he’s never managed to shake, and there’s a hard crease in his forehead. “So, this could fuck everything up. We could be in danger.Evecould.”

“Gabriel, don’t—” Eve interrupts, but Gabriel holds up a hand.

“No. He needs to hear this. If anything happens to you, I’ll—“

“I know. I’m sorry.” It’s not good enough, but what would be? Absolutely nothing.

“I’ll speak to Candice. She’ll help. She can delete all their files so they don’t know where anyone lives.”

Quinn’s confidence in her virtual friend is touching but misguided. “Their cybersecurity is first-rate now. They upgraded after they got hacked last year. Everything on separate servers, away from the main web. She won’t be able to get in.”

Quinn flicks her hair behind her ear. Green now. What would Ophelia look like with green hair? Awful. She’d look awful.

“She might surprise you. She got into a big tech firm just last week because someone’s kid brought in an iPad.”

“We can try. Though I bet Randall Calder has paper copies of everything important.”

Quinn’s face falls. “Oh. Not much she can do about that.”

Jacob gets to his feet. “I’ll go and see Kendrick. There are a few strategies we can use to hit them first, before they get a chance to come at us.”

Quinn jumps up, setting a hand on Jacob’s arm. “Woah. Settle down, He-Man. He’ll need to cool down first. Don’t bother him yet.”

Jacob grunts but thumps back down onto his seat, fists clenched. “It won’t take them long to figure out Seb nabbed her. Once they do, it's game on. We lose the advantage of surprise.”

“And Kendrick knows that just as well as you do.”

Jacob huffs out a long breath as my phone rings. I jump out of my seat, snatch it from my pocket, and answer without looking at the caller. “Hello?”

“Sebastian.” Kendrick’s voice, stern and clipped. “I’ve reviewed my options and decided to honor the ancient law of the Brotherhood. We’ll deliver your Ward to your room. I hope you’re prepared for the consequences.”

Six

Ophelia

Consciousness is a slowdrip, creeping back in drop by drop. Everything feels so heavy. I must have taken one of the good sleeping pills last night. My alarm hasn’t gone off yet. Maybe I’ll just lie here a while longer.

I do, half in and out of sleep, until something starts to nag at me. What is it? A tick. A clock with a loud, irritating tick. Not mine. What the hell?

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