Page 23 of Sinful Little Lies

“Bullseye. She fucking loves me.”

I’ll happily take my delusions and let them burrow inside my heart. Wiping my bloody hands down on my pants, I reach into my pocket to pull out my phone. I’m pulling up my messaging app to notify The Brotherhood’s cleaning crew that their presence is needed, when my fingers pause on the screen.

My blood turns to ice and I feel my heart stop as I stare down at the message on the screen.

Verena

*Drops Location*

Verena

I'M HERE. HELP.

13

GRIMM

With my hearthammering against my chest, I bolt downstairs and rush to Eli.

“Can you do you techy shit on your phone or do you need a laptop?” I rush out. My voice sounds far away, as if I’m not the one speaking.

“Yeah, my phone works fine. What do you need?” Eli questions, already whipping his phone out, loading up his system.

I turn the device and show him Verena’s text message. “That address; we need to go there now. Hack into their cameras. See if there’s any movement around the house. We need to leave.”

My vision turns red. I knew something wasn’t right.Fuck.I hope I’m not too late. I can’t be. The one time she flat-out asked for my help and I wasn’t there because I was too busy fucking around with a human dartboard.

“FUCK!” I shout. Bolting out the front door, I hear footsteps behind me and shoot out a command. “Call Barron, have him send someone to clean this up.”

“Grimm, you need to breathe. She’s okay. We’ll get you to her. I promise.” Emmett tries to soothe my anger but it does absolutely nothing. Why would Verena call for help if it wasn’tbecause of fucking Leo? I’m itching to paint my skin red with his blood.

“Let’s go,” is all I let out, before darting to the car.

I don’t care about the blood splattered along my skin or staining my clothes. I don’t care that someone could see me. I only care about one thing right now and that's getting to Verena.

Climbing into the car, the guys follow and I practically speed off before their doors are closed. The speedometer climbs at a fast rate. I whip in and out of traffic, never slowing down from the steady hundreds as I zip towards the address on my phone. I know how dangerous it is riding like this, that I could die in a split second, but with the way my heart slams in my chest and the fear that etches itself into my soul I'm certain that will kill me first, if anything.

That if Verena was hurt in an unfixable way, I would take this death over that one.

Showing up to the apartment,I find a fire escape and jump up, beginning my ascension to Leo’s apartment. It’s a three-story building and Leo is on the second floor. I had Eli confirm the details on the way here. With those cyber nerd skills, he secured Leo’s door number, making my job that much easier. The cameras were clear. We had seen Leo leave a few minutes before Verena had texted me.

What did you do, you little shit?

Looking for the door number Eli gave me, I stop when I reach apartment eight. Of course his apartment number would be oneof the most unlucky numbers. Standing in front of the door, I didn’t stop to think about how I would get inside.

“V?” I call through the door, hoping she'll hear me and respond. When I’m met with silence my etched panic spikes again. Banging my shoulder against the door, I do it again and again until it becomes loose on its hinges. Pain radiates through my shoulder blades but I don’t let up.

I lift my foot and kick my boot into it as hard as I can until the door breaks and I’m rushing my way inside. “Verena!” I shout, running through the apartment while trying to find her. Panic bubbles up in my throat, making me feel like I’m choking for air as I rush down the hall trying to find her.

Dots of blood trickle along the floor of the apartment and I barrel through every room trying to find her. The last door is locked and I don’t let a single cohesive thought run through my brain before I’m pounding my body against the door to get it open.

“VERE-” My words die when my eyes catch on to the bruised and bloodied body laying in a bed. “Fuck. Fuck, fuck, FUCK!” I rush over to her, crouching down to her still body. As I bring my hand to her neck, I pray to a god I don’t believe in, as my fingers press against where her pulse should flutter through.

“Please. Please don’t take her from me,” I whisper, bargaining with the man who many have and failed to get through too. I promise him, and myself, that if he lets her live, if I feel that pretty pulse against my fingers, I’ll rid the world of evil in all forms.

I hold my breath and wait for what feels like hours until the faint bump of her pulse drums against my fingertips. “Shit,” I curse. It comes out choked and cracked, a lump forming in my throat with emotions.

“I got you, baby,” I whisper, my voice still cracking despite how hard I try to shove down the feelings flowing through me. Itdoesn't matter if she can’t hear me, I have to be strong for her. I gently reach under her and lift her in my arms.

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