Page 111 of Pope's Penance

Badthingshappeninthrees.

I don’t know how I forgot that.

We haven’t caught anything suspicious on the hidden cameras, so I relaxed.I let my guard down.

Between spending time with my family and torturing Frankie, my brain and my body were exhausted.No matter what I do to him, it doesn’t seem to appease the hunger in my soul.There’s a demand for his blood that claws under my skin, but with every drop I pull from him, the need for it grows.

Death is too quick.

It’s too easy for someone like him.

There’s not much longer that we can hold him at the slaughterhouse.Butcher came up with an excuse that gave us a week with our clients, and tomorrow, that week ends.As much as I want to continue to draw out Frankie’s pain, I have a club and a family to consider.

I’m going over paperwork in my office at the clubhouse when my phone rings.

Hannibal’s name flashes across the screen and I don’t hesitate as I reach for it.

He was supposed to be relieving Tonto from guard duty on Frankie.

“Yeah,” I answer.

“We have a problem,” Hannibal states grimly.

“Talk to me,” I order, climbing to my feet and hurrying out of the office.

“Tonto and Biggy are dead, and Frankie is fucking gone.”

My body jerks to a halt.“What the fuck do you mean, Frankie is gone?”

“He’s not here.The chains are on the ground and he’s disappeared.”

Motherfucker.

I rub my forehead and close my eyes as I try to process what he’s said.“We’ll be there shortly.Lock everything down and search that goddamn place.”

“Understood.”

“And Hannibal, stay cautious,” I warn before hanging up.

How the fuck did this happen?I check the fucking chains every day before I leave.There’s no way Frankie would have the damn strength to pull this off on his own.

Could Hannibal be playing us?Could he be calling to throw us off his trail?To make it seem as if he’s not the one responsible?

My hands carve through my hair, tugging it harshly until the bite of pain helps clear my head.Then I release it.

Straightening my shoulders, I step into the common room.“Cyanide and Manic, come here.”

I mentally run through everything I know about Hannibal, trying to find anything suspicious that would make me believe he’s the one who did this.That he’s the one who has been helping Frankie.He can’t be the one Birdie is worried about because he wasn’t around seven years ago.

That’s what I latch onto, because my gut tells me that whoever facilitated Frankie’s escape is the same person who helped Spunky create a believable scenario for Birdie in the past.

“What’s going on?”Cyanide asks when they stop in front of me.

“Need you to gather the men you trust the most and get them to sit with my family at the house.”I peer around us to be sure there isn’t anyone paying too much attention to us before continuing in a lower tone.“Frankie has escaped.Tonto and Biggie are dead.”

“Fuck,” Manic mutters.

“Shouldn’t you be the one to guard them?”Cyanide asks, referring to Birdie and the twins.

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