Page 48 of Guarded from Havoc

Niall nods. “Yes. We got confirmation after the guy was stabbed in a prison fight. Xavier even went to view the body, just to be sure.” To Cruz, he explains, “Apparently, one of the inmates was related to one of the victims.”

Cruz lifts his chin. “I don’t advocate vigilante justice, but in some cases… it’s merited.”

“Erik? What game are you talking about?” Confusion clouds Tatum’s expression. “You think this was some kind of game on the dark web?”

Shit. Why didn’t I wait to ask Niall about this later?

But I can’t exactly walk it back now. So I reluctantly say, “Lucy was taken by someone who organized a sick game on the dark web. The details aren’t important right now, but the gist of it was that people could pay to be… involved.”

“So it’s possible this island thing could be something similar,” Niall says. “We don’t have enough proof yet to knowfor sure. But we’ll be scouring the dark web—or rather, Matt will—searching for clues. Checking message boards, underground sites…”

Tatum clutches my hand; her nails digging in. Her breathing quickens. A quick glance shows her the palest I’ve seen yet. She looks on the verge of passing out.

“Tate?” My voice is rough with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“I think a break would be a good idea,” Niall starts.

“Oh, God.” Tate hunches into herself. “What if… I didn’t think…”

She’s not just trembling, she’s shaking all over. “Tate.” I spin my chair so I’m facing her and take both her ice-cold hands in mine. “What is it? Are you feeling sick? Should I call Rhiannon or Jade to come look at you?”

“Erik,” she whispers. Fear and horror war in her gaze. “I might know someone who could do this.”

“What?”It’s sharper than I intend, not from anger, but worry. More gently, I ask, “What do you mean?”

“My ex.” Tears well up in her eyes. “I didn’t know when I was with him. But after… He did things. Things that scared me. And he… was good with computers.Reallygood. I don’t know how the dark web works. But… what if he’s responsible? And he did it to get back at me?”

CHAPTER 10

TATUM

Can this really be happening?

Could my ex be the one behind all of this?

After six months of relative peace, I’d only just started to believe he’d forgotten about me. Or at least, he’d regained some semblance of sanity.

In the beginning, right after my move upstate, Daniel tried to get a hold of me. He called Ally and Julia, badgering them for my phone number, my new address, and where I was working.

But I thought he’d given up. That he’d decided a woman he dated for less than three months wasn’t worth the effort. That he’d gotten tired of coming up with ways to torment me and finally moved on.

What if it was all an illusion of safety?

What if Daniel had been plotting this the entire time?

What if?—

My stomach rolls before I can complete the thought. Bile burns my throat. Sweat prickles like ice against my heated skin.

God. What if Erik was dragged into that nightmare because of me?

Three people aredead.

I still can’t stop seeing the man in the orange sneakers, sightlessly staring, crimson staining the grass around him.

And that spear…

Like a scene from a horror movie, but it was terrifyingly real.

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