Page 8 of They Will Fall

Because his fate has already been sealed. Someone else killed him to avenge her. But who?

My mind swirls around a million different questions, while I try to process the information. I gasp for air, feeling like I've been submerged underwater and I'm now resurfacing.

Shock shifts to clarity. And this newfound knowledge sends heat rising from my stomach, as if a raging fire had been sparked.

I regain my focus and return to listening, hoping for more information.

“What about that morbid boy of hers, Ridge?” Marta asks, and any sympathy I felt toward her for being married to a fucking dickwad has diminished.

Stanley will defend me. I’m confident he will have my back. He raised me after I lost my mom. He’s a second father to me.

“I’ve thought about that,” Austin chimes in. “But he and my nephew are like brothers. Have been since they were tots. I don’t think it was him.”

Although I don’t like the asshat, I’m grateful he’s relieved me of suspicion because he’s got one thing right. Lev and I are like brothers. However, had I known then what I know now, I would’ve got to Donald Pemberley—and Donald alone—before anyone else had a chance to end his life.

“Anything’s possible,” Stanley says, and my jaw returns to its dropped state. “I’ve considered Ridge for a while now. If he caught wind of Donald taking out his mom, I don't doubt for a second, he’d take matters into his own hands.”

Un-fucking-believable! It feels like the floor has been pulled from beneath me.Fire burns the backs of my eyes, but I refuse to let these assholes have any power over me anymore.

Maddox's dad practically threw me under the bus. Lev's dad killed my mom. And an unknown person killed Lev's family out of revenge.

Is it possible this all stemmed from something I did when I was eleven years old? Did all these people lose their lives because I killed a man out of anger as a child?

“How about a deal?” Stanley says, and my ears perk up.

“A deal with you? Not a chance in hell.”

“Might be easier to put all this shit behind us if we work together.”

I hold my breath and lean in, not wanting to miss any of his words. I can feel in my bones the gravity of what he’s about to negotiate for. My eyes dart among them and I try to get a read on Austin. His guard is up, but he looks intrigued.

“If it benefits you, fuck no. If it benefits me, let’s hear the terms.”

“You want your nephew found, correct?” Stanley asks him, and Austin's response is a stern nod. “And I want that Cross girl. I know damn well she’s behind the governor’s death, and chances are, she’s holding on to a lot of information that could harm other members. We can’t let that happen.”

My teeth grind together and my fists clench into tight balls as I listen to them speak with such familiarity about the woman I love. My vision goes red with anger at the realization that this man, who I thought was a good, honest Elder, is just as crooked as the rest of them.

“So you want me to help you find the Cross girl, and you’ll help me find Lev?”

“Something tells me when we find Lev, we’ll find the girl, too.”

The deal hangs heavy in the air as all three people remain silent. Each passing second has my heart racing with anticipation.

Then, Austin extends his hand, sealing the deal. “We better fucking find him.”

I have to get to her.

Anger and frustration boil inside me, ripping away any thought of getting supplies and food. All I can think about is getting back to my Riley and Maddox so I can tell them everything.

My pace quickens as I resist the urge to go back and hear more. I clutch the straps of one of the bags and hurry away from The Elders.

I can't risk them knowing I eavesdropped on their conversation. There is no doubt they’d have me hauled away, and there is too much at stake for that to happen.

My feet feel like they're on fire as they pound out a rhythm on the path behind the building.

Once I’m sure there is enough space between me and the school, I haul ass toward the trail, not stopping until I’m hitting the gravel road.

“Fuck!” I shout, hating that there are so many people searching for my girl. Maddox and I are only two people. How the hell are we supposed to hide her away from all of them?

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