Page 39 of The Preachers' Promise
20
MALACHI
As the menfrom the institute recede into the distance, and I swerve the car around a sharp corner, I keep my eyes on the road. Once we hit a quiet patch of long road, I glance at Roman again and take in what a mess he is.
“What the hell?” I mutter under my breath.
“Later, like I said.” Roman stares straight ahead. His face is almost serene, but he’s tapping his index finger fast against his thigh, and his knee is jiggling, too.
He’s jacked up on adrenaline, and he looks like he’s a moment away from blowing, so I shrug and don’t push it any further. Glancing in the rearview mirror, I take in Ophelia. My Little Ghost really does look like an other-worldly spirit right now. She’s paler than she’s ever been, her eyes are huge, and she keeps biting her bottom lip. There’s a speck of blood on it, but I don’t know if that’s from her biting it, or from whatever blood Roman has all over him. I don’t like how she seems, as if she’ll start screaming at any moment and never stop.
I’ve got Roman sitting beside me like an unexploded ordinance, and her behind me, like something about to implode.
Did Roman hurt her?
No, he wouldn’t. But as I glance at her, I notice her watching him furtively. Cain’s gaze meets mine in the mirror, and he mouths,what the fuck?
Yeah, what the fuck indeed.
“So, where the hell are we heading?” I ask. “Didn’t you say those men at the fight club know a place we can hide out?”
“Yeah,” Cain says. “It’s the owner’s place. He showed me pictures of it a long time ago. It’s fancy as fuck for a hideaway in the middle of nowhere. The perimeter is guarded at all times by two men, and he can give us more if we want them. It is fenced off, and the guards have dogs, but it’s private as fuck inside the grounds, he says. Let me message him now and make sure we can still use it.”
He sends the message, and I focus on the road. I really hate the loaded atmosphere in the car, but I’m so relieved to have my Little Ghost back with us. I loathed the thought of her being all alone and vulnerable. It twisted me up inside.
I’m not a man who cares easily about things, or at least that’s the impression I give, but this girl has worked her way under my skin and burrowed deep. She’s in my fucking heart now, stamped on there forever. Whatever happens in the future, she’ll always be a hugely important person in my life. I hope she’s always with us, but even if she chose not to be, I think I’d still love her. And Idolove her, even if she doesn’t know it yet. Will she be happy when I tell her, or will it scare her? It scares me, but the best things in life are the things that scare us a little.
The roads are quiet, and I glance at the GPS on the dash to see where we’re headed. “Cain, an idea of a direction would be good right now.”
“On it.” He messes about some more on his phone. “He’s typing something back in reply to my message.”
“Can we trust his guards? I say we let them go, so we can look after Ophelia ourselves.” Roman’s voice is heavy, different to the way he usually sounds.
Cain sighs. “He’s letting us use his place, and I doubt he’d be happy for us to just fire his guards. They won’t be up near the house, and wecantrust them. They are at the entrance to the property and not near the actual house.”
I catch sight of Cain in the driver’s mirror as he scrubs a hand over his face, his expression impatient.
Cain continues, “Didn’t we say how stupid it was for Ophelia’s father to take her from Verona Falls to a safehouse when it would just be him and a few men? That’s the exact same way it will be for us, if we go there totally alone. Wait, he’s replied.” Cain reads the message before laughing. “He says there’s a fully stocked refrigerator and a fully stocked arms safe, and he’s sent me the code. Still think we can’t trust him?”
“I just feel antsy,” Roman growls. “This is all kinds of fucked up.”
I’m aware as I drive that the one person staying silent is Ophelia. “Little Ghost, you get the deciding vote.” My eyes meet hers in the mirror. “You want the guards to stay or not?”
Her own gaze leaves mine for a brief second to land on the back of Roman’s head. “I think it’s best if we have extra help,” she says softly.
Holy shit, what the fuck happened in there? She’s definitely acting nervy about Roman.
“Okay, I’ve got coordinates. Let me put them into my phone and I’ll direct you,” Cain says.
“Can’t you just give him a zip code?” Roman snaps.
“It hasn’t got one, fucker.” Cain pushes the back of Roman’s seat, hard. “It’s a safe house, secret, known to only a few people, not an official address. There’s a long dirt track up to it once we get near.”
“Fine.” Roman opens the glove compartment and pulls out a pair of ear buds. He puts them in, turning some music on via his phone.
“You okay, baby?” I ask Ophelia, watching her in the rearview mirror once more.
“Yes,” she whispers.
