Page 43 of Unhinged Cravings
“Like I said, they’re off,” Casey’s voice came through the phone.
“Hey Case!” Riley added over my shoulder.
A round of shouts of her name followed, and I rubbed myhead. “Can we focus? Tell me why again. Run the facts by me.” I hadn’t been involved in the Armina situations, so everything I knew came from Mason. Pacing, I listened to what she said, putting her on speaker when Riley threw her hands on her hips and gave me a look that told me I’d regret not including her. Since I had plans for her after this, I acquiesced to her demands.
Casey explained her thoughts on how sloppy the last attacks had been, confirming my thoughts on what had happened with Riley. Telling us that given everything she knew of the Bad Omen this didn’t hold up to the reputation. There were too many mistakes, and they were too easy to defeat.
I scratched my head, her suspicions voicing my own.
“Rogue,” I muttered, repeating what I’d said when Emerson had first taken Ava. It was a dangerous word in our world. “Clint Randall was the key. The place everything started. I know my brother. We’ve been enemies for longer than we were brothers, and he doesn’t put up with sloppy men. Randall would have been dead after screwing it up the first time.”
“So he went rogue,” Mason said.
“Or maybe he didn’t. If it’s anything to know about Emerson…Cade, it’s that he doesn’t screw around and he doesn’t make mistakes.” Even when we worked together, he had been relentless.
“Then what’s going on?” Mason said. “Both attempts in Armina failed and the reputation of the Omen is that they don’t fail.”
“Exactly.” Riley let out a little whine when I released her, and I gave her a scolding look. “There’s something off. The Omens don’t give time, and my brother doesn’t give a shit about anyone but himself.”
“Yet he called you about Ava’s stepfather,” Riley mused aloud.
“What?” Raines was so loud, he sounded like he had grabbed the phone.
“Settle down Raines. Ava’s stepfather was a bastard who myman cut down when she was a teenager. But it’s not something anyone knows. Not even Riley.”
Silence on the other end lasted longer than I had expected, which told me they were all as confused as I was by the question.
“What did he want to know?” Angie asked.
“He wanted to make sure he was dead.”
“How does that make any sense?” Raines asked, and I heard someone take a hard seat.
“So…” Casey started. “Either he’s torturing her or falling for her.”
Just like Riley had said. “What is it with you women that that’s where your mind goes?”
“Let me guess, Ri said the same thing?”
“Yup,” she answered Casey.
“Forced proximity, kidnapping. The perfect combination!” Casey’s excitement was too much, and I had the urge to hang up on them.
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” grumbled Mason.
“I’m inclined to agree, Brinks. But his tone wasn’t menacing. If anything, it was protective.” And he had to have known I would catch the difference. My head shot up, and I met Riley’s eyes. “Maybe this is all connected. My brother wants to talk to me. That was his reason for the kidnapping. If someone’s gone rogue…”
“Then he wants to ensure he takes them down without getting pinned for the sloppy mess they’ve made. The tarnished reputation they’re making of the Omens,” Mason finished.
“Exactly.”
“And where does Ava fit into this?” asked Angie.
“I’m not sure, but if Casey and Riley are right, then this just got even more complicated and dangerous than it already was.”
Riley’s eyes grew large, as if she hadn’t considered it.
“What do you suggest, Tides?”
