Page 27 of Hayes
“What’s up?” I answer, doing my best to keep my voice light and the pain out of my voice.
“Harvey, Daniel, and Jonathan are dead.”
Holy shit!
I don’t respond as I stare at the knife sticking out of my chest. She killed them, yet I was an easier target. I should be dead right now. Instead, she only aimed to injure me.
My grin grows wider, and my eyes light up at that. It’s not a confession of her love for me, but at least she doesn’t want me dead like Harvey and Daniel. And Jonathan? He never did anything to her. I’m not even sure she knew who he was.
“Hayes, are you listening to me? What the hell happened? Are we—”
“How were they killed?” I interrupt.
“Harvey and Daniel were stabbed. Jonathan was shot in the back of the head. My best guess is at least two attackers.”
My gut says she didn’t kill Jonathan. How would she have gotten her hands on both a knife and a gun? Even if she didn’t do it herself, is she working with someone else? Or was it friendly fire trying to take out the attacker?
“Are there more attackers coming? Who killed them?” Gage asks with a panic in his voice.
“No, we’re not under attack. We have nothing to worry about. If anything, this is a good distraction while everyone tries to figure out who killed them. I can complete my mission without anyone noticing me.”
“You know who killed them?”
“Yes,” I confirm.
“And?”
“And it doesn’t matter. They aren’t a threat to us.”
“How do you know that? You can’t complete your mission if you end up dead! Get out of there. Stop fooling around at this stupid auction and leave the girl alone.”
“I can’t,” I say.
“You can, leave. Stop thinking with your fucking cock for once.”
I frown. “This isn’t about my cock, and you know it. If I leave now, everyone will suspect I’m the murderer, and Titus will no longer trust me.”
“Fine, but keep a low profile and tell me what the hell’s going on when you get a chance.”
“You can trust me to do this, Gage.”
He sighs. “I know—we’re just so close. So fucking close…”
“I know, and I want this as badly as you do. As Lennox does. As we all do. I’m not going to fuck it up.”
I end the call and then rip the knife out of my chest before thinking twice. Blood begins to gush out, but I grab a washcloth and apply pressure before picking up my shirt and tying it tight around my chest.
My shirt quickly soaks with my own blood but then stops. I won’t bleed out. I need to get the wound cleaned and stitched up as soon as possible, but I have something more important to worry about first.
I yank on my pants and then start running. Scanning the hallway, there’s no sign of Lilith.
Where would she have gone? If she was smart, she’d have left. She’d be in hiding or have whoever she’s working with rescue her and send her far away.
But she’s too stubborn for that. She went back; I know she did. She’s back in that room, even if it risks the others figuring out what she did and eventually killing her for it.
I hope I’m wrong, but I have to go back too to prevent anyone from thinking I had anything to do with this.
My mind races with a hundred questions as I head back to the top floor. When I step into an elevator, an older couple looks at me—my blood-soaked shirt, naked torso, and sweat-drenched hair. The man lifts his nose in disgust as he grabs his wife and yanks her off the elevator before the door closes.
