Page 124 of Choices

“But he is responsible for many like her,” he reasons, placing his boot back on the gravel.

A light turns on in one of the other rooms, and the drapes twitch.

“This is bad fucking news.” I don’t like hiding this kind of secret from Callan—especially after everything with Kitty.

“We have a solid lead. We lay bait then hook the fucker. I’ve done it a million times.”

“And what if it doesn’t work and something happens to one of them?” I flit my gaze to the motel room I left Kitty in.I’d tear the world apart if something happened to her.

“It won’t,” he says confidently.

The idea of them coming here without me leaves an unwanted chill in my chest.

Rubbing my eyes, I push off the hood and point toward the motel. “I need to know the plan down to the last detail.”

“Fair enough.” He engages the locks on the SUV and strides to room two, rapping his knuckles on the door.

A heartbeat later, Rogue opens it with a smile on her lips. Her gaze moves to me over his shoulder, and her face falls. “She told you, didn’t she?” she summarizes, blowing out a frustrated breath.

“Fucking right, she did,” I say, pushing past Monster into the room.

“By all means, please, come in,” she scoffs sarcastically. Her room is a replica of ours. Only her duvet is purple and covered with papers and images of women. Each one is blond, young, and has a medium to slim build. I finger through them, my muscles tightening.They could all be Kitty.

“We believe he may have killed more, but what we know for sure is these girls went missing in the same manner and within a couple hours’ drive from each other.” Rogue frowns down at the pictures, her stance rigid. “We managed to find him on the dark web. He openly boasts about his kills—what he does to them and how long he keeps each one.” Rogue’s eye twitches. “He was in a chat with another sicko talking about their likes and dislikes and how they should meet up and find a girl together, but they decided to take their conversation over to phone calls.” Rogue blows out a breath and looks at Monster, her lips turning down at the corners.

“The man he was talking to isn’t as skilled as our killer with security, and I managed to track him into the real world, getting into his email and tracing his IP address,” Monster informs me.

“So, you know where he lives?” I cross my arms, studying Monster.

“He doesn’t live anywhere anymore,” Monster grunts. “I did get information on a meet he had planned with our killer, though, and that’s why we’re here.”

“Where is the meet?” If he says this motel, I’m going to explode.

“A twenty-four-hour dive bar three miles from here.”

“So, you’re going to go in this other guy’s stead?” I conclude. I’d do the same thing. It’s a good plan but fucking reckless to bring Kit and Rogue and not any brothers for backup.

“They didn’t exchange pictures, so I’ll be Trevor, and Kitty will be the bait.”

Boom. Boom. Boom.

“What?” I balk, almost knocking into Rogue. Has he lost his mind? “No fucking way.”

“She’s perfect, Cutter. She looks exactly like the girls in the photos.” Rogue waves a hand toward the bed.

“I don’t give a fuck.” Is she forgetting her sister’s death? Putting Kitty at risk is unacceptable.

“She won’t be alone. I’ll be there as bait too. Plus, you’ll be there. And all she has to do is walk out of the bar, luring Trevor—a.k.a Monster—and him with her.”

“No,” I say more firmly, swiping a hand through the air for emphasis.

“You don’t get to decide this for her. If she doesn’t want to do it, I’ll be the bait alone.”

Yeah, because Callan won’t kill us all if something happens to you.

“Why aren’t you the bait alone anyway? Less risk if there’s only one of you we have to keep an eye on,” I rationalize.

Callan is going to cut my head off.

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