Page 140 of Into the Woods

He paled.

“Cami’s downstairs in a cage,” I added. “She’s been sold off to some sick freak who plans on doing God-knows-what to her. General Woods is about to do the same to me. So, you need to ask yourself—can you handle going to prison if it means saving me? Saving Cami? Or are you going to tell your friend Jasper that he’s about to be in a world of shit?”

Dad looked horrified. “I can’t… Becca, you don’t understand the—”

“I understand plenty.” I cut him off, bitter and hurt. “I understand more than you could ever know, but now you need to make a choice, because Court is coming for me.”

Clearly conflicted, Dad looked everywhere but at me.

It was like being stabbed in the heart with a rusty knife. “What am I worth to you, Dad?”

Finally he looked at me, hopelessness in his gaze. “I’m sorry I’m such a disappointment, Becca. I’m so sorry for the pain I’ve caused you. Your mother. All I ever wanted to do was help people.”

“You can do that now,” I insisted, tears blurring my vision as I laid my heart on the line. This was my dad. The guy who’d taught me how to ride a bike. The one who’d read me bedtime stories. I had to believe there was something in him that would do the right thing.

Shoulders slumping, Dad turned to the desk and peered at the screens. He enhanced one, showing an image of several men sneaking along a shadowed brick wall, balaclavas covering their faces and weapons drawn.

“They’re here,” he said in a wooden voice.

“Dad, please,” I begged.

He reached forward, turned off the screens, and shut down the computer just as someone welcomed the outside room to the auction over a microphone.

Clearing his throat, Dad met my eyes. “I choose you, sweetheart. I’m sorry if I ever made you doubt that.”

Relief hit me as I heard the first loud bang ring out. Someone screamed… and all hell broke loose.

CHAPTER 43

BEX

I raced across the room and pressed my palms flat against the window. All the assholes in their finery were starting to freak out.

Smoke billowed in from the emergency exit, and several men with guns ran from different areas, converging around General Woods, who looked pissed as he barked orders.

My gaze jerked to the door. This might be my one chance to get to Cami, but I’d need help getting past the guard.

“Dad.” I turned, my heart plummeting when I saw Dad’s laptop open and him typing furiously, his fingers flying over the keys. “What are you doing?”

He hit one last key and flashed me a grim smile. “The right thing. I just sent out an alert to local and international law enforcement. They’ll be here in minutes. Then I sent out a tip to local news syndicates. The bigger the impact, the less likely they’ll be able to hide.”

I knew my dad was good with computers, but that was some Ash-level hacker shit. “You did that?”

He hung his head. “The disbelief in your tone tells me all I need to know. I’m so sorry I’ve disappointed you, sweet girl. I’m sorry I let you be hurt by this world. Hurt by my actions.”

Emotion clogged my throat, and I had to try several times to swallow it down. “Thank you.” Gunshots peppered the air in rapid bursts. We both dropped to our knees on instinct. “I need to get to Cami before someone else does.”

“You can’t go out there,” Dad insisted, crawling to me.

“I have to,” I replied, pushing up into a crouch.

“Rebecca!” he hissed as I crept toward the window again.

The guard was gone, likely having abandoned his post to join the others in fighting. A few people were hiding under the seats, but for the most part, the main room had cleared. I could hear pandemonium in the foyer and wondered how bad the room where the girls were was.

Another round of shots cracked through the night, followed by a boom that sent shudders through the building.

“Holy shit,” I whispered, wondering if the plan was to bring down the whole warehouse.

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