Page 26 of Reed

I shake my head, confused by the word brother. I didn’t know Dennis had a brother or what said brother has to do with me. “What are you talking about?” I flick my eyes to Dean, who is still standing in the doorway, watching all this unfold. “Dean, why are you doing this?” Dennis has his reason and no matter what I say won’t stop but maybe I can convince Dean to let me go.

“Ah, my motive is simpler than his,” he points toward Dennis. “See, I can’t stand Reed Black. So when I was approached by a guy offering me five grand just to help him track down a whore, I told him I would think about it but then he told me that you were with Reed and well that made my decision easier. I was also told I could have a little fun in the process.” His eyes land on my chest, and my stomach sinks, bile works its way up my throat. I know what he means, but I will die before I let anyone touch me like that again.

“Yes. See, it was my brother who found you. You might have changed your name, moved away, and tried to stay off the radar. But you slipped up. It took him longer to find your mistake, buthe found it.” Dennis throws his head back and laughs. It sounds like nails on a chalkboard to my ears and I lock my muscles up so not to flinch.

I take the opportunity of his eyes being on the ceiling to move closer to the doorway. Dennis is a big guy, bigger than Dean. He stands a little over six feet and weighs nearly two hundred and fifty pounds, while Dean is closer to my height and lacks muscle. I figure if I use all my strength, I can hit Dean hard enough to get away. The plan is simple: run through the dining room, out the kitchen, and through the back door. I can get lost in the woods behind Reed’s house. I just have to draw Dennis into the room more.

“What mistake?” I ask, bringing his attention back to me.

When he sees that I’ve moved, he does exactly what I want him to do. “You stupid bitch. They publish births in the paper around these parts. So when my brother stumbled across an old news article last month about a young eighteen-year-old girl giving birth to twin boys, he would have thought nothing of it if there wasn’t a picture. There you were, smiling at a camera, holding the boys. So he started to plan, but because of your big mouth, he was killed.” Dennis’s voice grows until he is yelling.

“I didn’t do anything. I didn’t even know you had a brother, Dennis,” I yell back.

Dennis’s brown eyes darken, and a sinister smile spreads. “Oh, you foolish girl. I’m not Dennis. No, Dennis is dead.” He points to his chest. “I’m Linus. His twin brother and the one who will take everything from you like you did to me.”

Everything moves in slow motion. Linus lunges toward me, but I kick the couch into his knees. When he stumbles, I run toward Dean, and with as much strength as possible, I hit him in the head with the tool behind my back. Turns out it is the poker, and when it connects with Dean’s head, the pointy end stabs him. I don’t stick around to see what happens next; I run like I’venever run before. I make it to the kitchen before I hear a shoe hitting the floor behind me. I throw open the back door and dash off into the woods.What the fuck am I going to do now?I think as I’m swallowed up by the shadows of the trees.

Chapter Fifteen

Reed

As we pull up to the old Drendel barn, I decide to check in on the boys and Ali. I pull out my phone and send a message to Grandmama. I wasn’t shocked to see her standing at Ali’s front door this morning because, thanks to my digging and stalking, I knew she was the person who was watching the boys already.

Me

How are my little men doing?

Grandmama

Great. What are your plans with Ali? Is this serious, Reed?

Me

Have you known me to be anything other than serious?

Grandmama

No, but I don’t want to see her, or these boys get hurt more than they already have.

Me

I don’t plan on hurting them. I plan on giving them the world like they deserve.

Grandmama

Good.

“He’s here,” Max says, shutting off his truck and pocketing his keys. As I leave the back seat, my phone alerts me that someone is at the gate. I open the app, ignoring everyone around me, and see a delivery truck. I watch as the man leans out the window and presses the intercom button. I don’t have anything set to be delivered this morning. Everything I ordered for the boys is coming later this evening. I pray that Ali denies entry to whoever this is but in horror I watch the gate slide open.

I switch the camera and watch as the man drives up and stops in front of the house. When he steps out he keeps his head down. I can’t hear what is being said because I haven’t engaged the speaker on the app. But I don’t need to because soon my front door slams shut, and then the guy pulls off his cap and looks up to where I can see his face.

“What the fuck?” I say. My heart slams against my ribs and my vision tunnels as I stare at the video feed.

“Reed, what’s wrong?” Gabe asks, coming to stand next to me. He looks over my shoulder as we watch Dean get out of the passenger side of the truck, and together, they kick in my front door. “We have to go now,” Gabe yells to everyone around me.

Demon, the guy we are here to meet, comes to stand next to me as I switch to the inside cameras. “How the fuck is he in my house if you killed him?” I ask, pushing my phone toward him. It’s a struggle to keep myself from lunging at the guy standing next to me but I do it.

“Come with me, and I’ll explain on the way,” he says in a deep tone. Gabe, Nick, Max, and Ash get into Max’s truck, but Jessie pivots and follows me.

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