Page 51 of Forever Midnight

“Vinni?” Tru asks, appearing next to me with a towel around his waist. “Did you find him?”

“No,” Syn answers. “But we have concerns that he’s in trouble and someone else is going to get to him before we do.”

“I can’t let that happen,” Tru says.

“That’s why we’re here, little madman,” Thorn says.

“Who are you calling a madman?” I ask.

“Tru, obviously. Dude is feisty for a little guy. It’s not an insult.”

“I can live with that nickname,” Tru says, “but we gotta find Vinni.”

I blow out a breath. “Give us five minutes to put clothes on.”

“Sorry,” Bowie groans.

I wave my hand to dismiss his apology. Syn was right to interrupt. Everything we’re working for goes to shit if someone takes out Vinni before we get the answers we need.

“Raincheck to continue this conversation when we get back,” Tru says, kissing my cheek. “Let’s go find us a piece-of-shit gang member.”

ChapterTwenty-Two

TRU

Barely thirty minutes later, Syn stops the SUV near the North Bridge and we all pile out onto the sidewalk. Fuck, I forgot how shitty this part of town is after being insulated from it at Midnight’s place. The smell of urine and body odor is a scent I could do without for the rest of my life. It must be awful down here at the height of summer.

Midnight has his hand wrapped around mine as we all walk together like one big shadow. It doesn’t take long for me to notice that the guys don’t make any sound. No loud breathing, barely any footfalls. The only person making noise at all is me. Weird.

We make it to the bridge and the metallic smell of blood mixed with dirt makes me gag. Midnight rubs my back, unaffected, but that makes sense given his profession. The two bodies are mutilated—missing fingers, numerous slashes covering visible skin, and their faces are close to unrecognizable. But they both have the telltale Malice tattoo on their necks, the giant M with a dagger through it.

Thorn kneels down beside one of the bodies, sniffing at it, then looks up at Syn and Midnight and nods.

“What does that mean?” I ask.

“What?” Midnight asks.

“Why is Thorn nodding? Is there a question I missed?”

Thorn, still kneeling, tilts his head, a borderline manic smile on his face. “Do tell, Midnight.”

“Stop it, Thorn,” Syn growls.

“What is going on right now? I feel like I’m being left out of an inside joke.”

“There is no joke,” Midnight says, glaring at Thorn before turning to me with much softer eyes. “Apologies, Tru. Given our work and the amount of time spent together, we’re often able to understand unspoken words.”

“Uh huh.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Go on.”

“We discovered some unwelcome visitors to New Onyx, also looking for Malice. We think they’re behind this killing.”

Narrowing my eyes, I step back. “And you didn’t think this was information I needed?”

“No, because Yves made an arrangement with them to leave Malice to us.”

“Well, obviously that worked out great.” With a huff, I stomp off, unsure where I’m going, but so close to falling apart that I don’t know what else to do.

I reach the end of the parking lot just as my legs fail me and I drop to my knees, giving in to the pain in my chest. My entire body shakes with unshed tears. I’m not gonna be able to fix this. Then what?

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