Page 29 of Tell Me Why
“So, what’s the plan?” Jackson asks.
I shrug. “We hunt.”
He laughs—and it’s an unsettling sound, because Jackson never laughs. “Come on, dude. You think I don’t know you? You’ve got something up your sleeve.”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
Jackson scoffs jokingly. “Come on, man. I saw the pendant. You didn’t think I’d catch that?”
Honestly, yeah. I didn’t think he’d catch the necklace. But, whatever. Doesn’t matter. Jackson won’t derail my plan.
Ash glances at Jackson. “What the fuck are you talking about? What’d you catch?”
Jackson shakes his head, amused by all this. “Don’t worry, man. You’ll see.”
“Just fuckin’ tell me,” Ash says, pissed that he’s being left out.
Jackson ignores him. “Only one guy can win,” he says to me. “What are we gonna do with the others? All this pent-up jizz can’t be good. If there’s no outlet, then fists’ll fly and I’m not mopping up bloodyet againtonight.”
“I’m miles ahead of you, brother,” I say, slapping Jackson on the shoulder. “A bunch of Debs are coming over later so we can continue the hunt after Eve is found. They’re standing by.”
“Nice,” Jackson says.
My phone alarm goes off, and before I can even say, “Let the hunt begin,” the overhead lights cut off abruptly, plunging us into near darkness. The room explodes with activity, fifty horny guys rushing to one of two doors that lead out into the main part of the house.
“You guys are fucking assholes for not telling me what’s up,” Ash mumbles in the darkness, still pissed that Jackson and I are keeping something from him.
I see Jackson’s shadow as he turns to leave. Ash follows him.
“Dude, stop being a pussy,” Jackson says. “You’ll find out soon enough…”
Candles flicker in sconces along the walls, but they do nothing to chase away the darkness in a room this large. Prior to everyone’s arrival, I’d asked a few members to light the candles throughout the house, keeping with tradition. The flickering flames cast long shadows and make the hunt more challenging.
But I’m not here for the challenge.
My purpose is much darker.
Slipping my mask on, I stride out into the heart of the house. Masked figures move through the hallways like ghosts, laughing as they search every shadow and crevice for our little fox.
With one final glance at my phone, I walk into the music room and sit down at the grand piano. I place a finger on an ivory key, and a high C note pierces the silence.
Since joining the Burning Crown officially, I’ve only attended two other hunting parties, and even in this house, there are only so many places someone can hide. The fox is usually found pretty quickly.
Not this time.
As I expected, there’s no one in the music room. It’s not off limits for the hunt, but on a normal day, it’s usually locked to protect the delicate instruments inside, so even when it’s open, people tend to stay out. There’s no real place to hide in here, anyway—it’s a beautiful room, but intentionally sparse. There’s a grand piano, a harp, a couple of antique tables, and a few places to sit. That’s it.
Well, on the surface, anyway.
Pulling a blunt out of my pocket, I light the tip and let it dangle from my lips as I half-heartedly tap out a melody on the piano—Für Elise, the first song my grandmother taught me how to play. I was probably twelve or something, and it’s one of my happiest childhood memories—one of very few.
As I tap on the keys, I realize I’m just stalling. What comes next has to be done. My plan can’t move forward until it happens. I’m aware of that, and yet, there’s a lingering thought that’s been haunting me ever since Eve walked through our front door—once this thing is done, it can’t be undone.
Can I live with what happens next?
CHAPTERTWELVE
Eve
