“How many?” Dev growls behind me, and I swallow, trying to gain control of my emotions.
“F—four,” I whisper.
They both curse, but I shake my head. “There’s another reason you may not want me,” I admit.
I pull away from them so I can face them to see their reactions.
“You can tell us anything, Brie,” Dyl says, bracing himself for what I’m about to say.
“I’m going to kill them all one day.” I say it with the most certainty I’ve ever felt in my life and watch as my words sink in with each of them.
Dylan looks sad, but I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve declared I’m going to become a killer someday, or if he’s still stuck on what my father and his friends have done to me.
Devon, on the other hand, is staring at me with a heat I’ve never seen in him, like he’s pleased with my admission.
“I’ll do anything for you, Brie. But we need to be smart,” Dylan says. “You’re fourteen, and can’t live on your own.”
I nod my head. “I know. Trust me, I know.”
“I don’t want you to suffer anymore,” he whispers back, stepping into me and holding my chin to kiss me gently.
“I can take it.” It’s a promise I know I can keep. I’d rather it be me than another little girl they find somewhere else… if there isn’t already one.
“Can you give me names?” Dylan asks, and I tilt my head.
“Why would you want to know that?” I question, and he smirks. At this moment, he looks more like Devon than ever before.
“I’m insanely good with computers,” he states proudly, and I feel myself frown.
When Devon sees me struggling to understand, he adds, “He’s a hacker, baby.”
Shit. I knew he was getting really good on the computer, but I hadn’t thought about him being that good.
“Can you find out if—” I trail off, unable to stomach the rest of that sentence.
“I’ll find out everything. Even if it means I have to stalk them and never sleep.”
Devon laughs, coming toward us and pulling me out of Dylan’s arms. “He’s lying. He won’t lose sleep. He’s way too good at that shit. It’s creepy what he’s capable of, actually.”
“You really don’t see me differently?” I ask them, stunned that they don’t seem to care that I’ve admitted I’m going to kill four people one day soon. They know me well enough to know I never say anything without thinking it through, and I never back down.
They know I’m going to do this one way or another.
“Tell me when and where, and I’ll be right by your fucking side, princess.” Dev grabs the back of my neck, squeezing tightly before lowering his mouth to hover over mine. “You’re never getting rid of me, Briar.”
It’s the last thing he says before slamming his lips against mine.