Page 56 of Smoke the Enemy

“That’s a vague question. I’ve killed, but so have you.”

“Are you the–”

The voice interrupts me. “But what do titles and names mean? Shouldn’t you be more concerned withwhyyou’re here?”

“Who is the one I wouldn’t let go? Who are you talking about?”

“You’ve had so many that you don’t know who I’m referring to?” I can hear the venom coming through the voice changer.

Instead of allowing me to answer, I feel a blade at my shin. “I’m going to start here. Tiny cuts all the way up your leg. I’m going to enjoy watching the little waterfalls of blood cascade down.”

Blue Rose, Alabama

Taylor

Soren has been missing for two days. God, what’s happened to him. I pray with all I have in me to find Soren and bring him home safely.Don’t take him from me. Please. Don’t take him from Steffan.

I’ve been sleeping in Steffan’s room, and this morning, like the past couple of mornings, I wake to an empty bed. When I enter the main living room of the mansion it’s chaos. Everyone is doing something to locate Soren. My heart breaks when I find Steffan. He looks like a complete wreck. Lee looks like a zombie. He’s lost family members, his girlfriend, and now Soren is missing.

Succo comes to me. Succo reads my thoughts. “Lee is a zombie. He is a shell of who he was. I’m worried about him. If Soren is–” We both turn to look at Steffan. “Steffan is a loose cannon. He is ready to burn the entire world to the ground to find his brother. Son-of-a-bitch still blames himself.”

“We’re going to find him. We’re going to bring him back.” I leave no room for argument. I leave Succo to go hug Steffan. He’s thin and his body quivers under my touch.

“We’re going to your room. You’re going to eat and sleep.”

Steffan takes a step back as though I slapped him. “Eat? Sleep? How can you be so fucking cold right now? Calm. And thinking about going to my room at a time like this. Do you not get it? He didn’t go for a fucking ride or vacation, Taylor. He’s fucking missing! Do you haveanyidea what that means in our world? Do you!”

I grit my teeth and point a finger at him. “How dare you yell at me like this. I know what it could mean. Don’t you think it’s eating me alive as well?” The room goes deathly quiet, and the tension is thick. “I am trying to help you the best I can.”

“Taylor.”

Tears burn at the back of my eyes, but I refuse to let any of them see me cry. “Fuck you, Steffan.” I charge past him and take the stairs two at a time up to Soren’s room. I know Steffan is barely hanging on and stressed behind belief. I’m running away to give him space and also allow myself a moment to break down.

I lock the door behind me. My heart hurts as I inhale the scent of him. I walk over to his desk and pick up a black binder. When I open it, my knees buckle. It’s all black-and-white photos of me. Some have my cheeks heated. The realization that he’s gone and could be gone for good feels like a weight crushing my chest. I collapse on the bed and allow the tears to wrack my body. The pain consumes me, and I cry until there’s nothing left. I know I need to get a grip, but my brain can’t focus on anything but this sense of loss. I run my finger over the edge of the binder staring at his erotic photos.His camera.

Leaving the binder on the bed, I exit the room and rush back down the stairs. “Did anyone get Soren’s camera?”

Steffan clears his throat. “Probably still in his bag. I found it…” He looks up to the ceiling. “It was left with his shattered phone. It’s in my room.”

“I’d like his camera, please.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to develop the film. It’ll be a gift for him for when he returns.” I meet everyone’s eyes full of pity, but I raise my chin.

Steffan hands me the camera. “Do you know how to develop it?”

“No. I thought I’d take it — what? Why are you laughing?”

“Soren would lose his shit if you took his precious film somewhere else to get developed.” His smile becomes tight. I imagine the fact that he’s still missing is still overwhelming him. “Come on. He has a dark room.”

My eyes about pop out of my head. “A dark room?Here?”

“He put a shed out back and turned it into one. He has one at our house, and another one at our vacation home. Come on. I’ll help you.”

When we’re standing in front of the shed, I take Steffan’s arm, stopping him from opening the door. “I’m sorry. For my outburst.”

“Me too. And you’re not. I need to take a breather, which is what I’m doing. My father has his men on it. The entire Brotherhood, The Illicit, and…” He blinks several times, fighting back tears. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight.

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