Page 18 of The Wayward Sons & The Vampires of Fortune
“Which is a fuckin’ problem,” I replied. “I know.”
“We have vampire-killing bullets.”
“You should’ve led with that.”
“They’re only so effective.”
“How the hell are vampire-killin’ bullets only so effective?”
“You have to hit them in a specific spot.”
“Lord and Uriel help me, you’re a pain in my goddamn ass,” I muttered. “Y’know, I always hated how you never said what you fuckin’ meant. I don’t need all this hemmin’ and hawin’. I need to know the plan to get him out of there.”
“And I need you to know that we’re better equipped to handle this situation than you are,” Sam said. “You don’t have the same resources we do, and you’re too emotionally invested to be leading the charge on this.”
“I’m aware.” I didn’t need him telling me that I was too emotionally invested. I knew exactly how emotionally invested in Ryder I was.
“While I know you don’t trust me—”
“Damn straight.”
“—you did trust Riley enough to call him for help.”
“Ryder trusted that kid, not me,” I corrected.
“Then I need you to trust Ryder.”
“I do.”
“And know that I’m only telling you what you need to know—”
“Bullshit!” I interrupted the second he said it.
“Gray—”
“There ain’t no way I’m lettin’ you help if you ain’t goin’ to tell me what the hell is goin’ to happen.”
“You know what I always hated,” he snapped, “is how you always jumped to conclusions.”
“I don’t—”
“You did, and you are,” he said. “We’re going to save Ryder, but we’re also going to kill the vampires. And yes, Ryder will be safe in the end, but that’s a secondary benefit. What that means is that our plan circles around killing the vampires and not around prioritizing getting Ryder the hell out of there. He’s their focus, which makes him a tool.”
“I don’t like you callin’ him a tool,” I growled.
“He’s a damn good sniper, and we plan to use that as we take out the vampires.” He crossed his arms, those vivid blue eyes considering me. He had me there, and he knew it. “At least I told you.”
That wasn’t the flex he thought it was.
“What the hell can you tell me?” Just because he told me didn’t mean I had to go along with it. I wasn’t sure what the hell I’d do, but if I had to figure it out myself, I would.
“First things first, we labeled Ryder as a serial killer.”
“Youwhat?” I demanded, my voice rising a notch.
“It’s fabricated,” Sam assured me, as if that somehow made it better.
“We don’t need the fuckin’ feds chasin’ us down too!”
