Page 21 of Adored By Them
“Yes, it fucking was.”I want to laugh, but I don’t have any more time to waste.Danica is waiting for us.“Sure, Sergey, let him go.”
“Let him down.”Sergey nods to one of his guys.
The beefy man unhooks Caleb’s cuffs.Caleb drops to the floor in a heap.He holds his face in his hands, crying.“Thank you, thank you, Edmund.”
Nothing to see here.Just a useless maggot of a traitor.
“You two.”Sergey nods at Troy and me.“You’ll rescue my granddaughter.Do you need some men?”
“We’ll take any you want to spare.”I glance at the big guys already here.
“Dominic, Stov, Peter, and Kovich, you will go with Mr.Layton.”
“Thank you, Sergey.”I shake his hand, and Troy does, too.
We turn to leave the garage when two things happen: I realize I’m still holding Sergey’s crowbar, and someone shouts in alarm.
I whip around to see Caleb on his feet and holding a lug wrench.He pulls back his arm to swing the wrench at Sergey’s head.
I don’t stop to think.I swing.
The crowbar connects with Caleb’s temple.He topples to the concrete floor again.
This time, he doesn’t move.He doesn’t cry.His brown eyes stare sightlessly up.
I killed him.I fucking killed him.Blood answers with blood.Always has, always will.
But he was my friend, at one point.For over a decade, I trusted him.I laughed with him, shared drinks with him.I confided in him and let him confide in me.
I drop the crowbar and kneel down.I shove at his side.His limp body rocks back and forth.“Why the fuck did you do that?Why did you make me do this?”
Troy grabs my shoulder.“We gotta go.”
“I’ll take care of the body.”Sergey’s face is pale but resolute.
I don’t move.I’ve never killed anyone before.Sure, I’ve been around death.I know my father has had men killed.
But now I’ve killed someone—and he used to be my friend.
“Edmund.”Troy shakes my shoulder.“Let’s go.”
Sergey leans down to stare into my eyes.“You saved my life, Edmund.Now go save my granddaughter.”
I stand, my eyes stinging.He’s right.Danica’s waiting for us.
When we reach the driveway, a black vintage Mustang is parked behind Troy’s truck.Dmitri leans out the window.“Do you know where she is?”
I pause before getting into Troy’s truck.“We’re on our way to her now.”
“I’ll follow you.”
* * *
Danica
“Kellen.Kellen, please—please don’t be dead.”
Uriel has left me alone in this creepy-ass office with a dead man.
