Page 254 of Entangled

Bentley’s gaze swings round to Lucky, and the scowl fades into an appraising smirk. “I could be.”

Lucky glances back at him with a startled grin.

Jasper strolls up behind him. He grasps the back of Lucky’s neck in a cruel grip and brings his mouth to his ear. “I’m going to need to get you a collar.”

Lucky’s dimples make a slow, bright appearance.

A collar? Like a... dog?

I’m trying to puzzle that out—and why it might make Lucky smile like that—when Dom stands, snapping the safety back on his gun, his jaw tight.

“Remind me again why we’re trusting you with a sneak attack?”

Bentley wipes the resigned look off his face at Jasper and Lucky’s flirting, and he gives Dom a long look. “Because I know how to get into their Den.”

Dom’s eyes harden on him for a moment, as if assessing the truth of that. Finally, he nods.

Bentley nods back. “You have the inhalers?”

Beau steps out from behind Dom, where he’d been covering him watchfully. He swings his pack—much larger and heavier than mine—and pulls out a carefully packed bag. The half a dozen inhalers are clearly visible.

He holds up a bottle. “I also brought some oral corticosteroids. I’m assuming if you want the inhalers this badly, the asthma has to be acute.”

“Thank God,” one of the men breathes.

Bentley claps the man on the back, but he’s staring at the bottle like it’s the elixir of life.

“Thank you,” he says, his voice thick, and quieter than I’ve heard him speak before, and Beau gives him a half-smile, his eyes soft with understanding.

Breaking the moment, Bentley glances around at all of us. A wily grin eases across his face.

“Follow me, little ducklings. Make sure you stay nice and close to Mommy. One wrong turn and the Sinners will make confetti out of your brains—and that’s not even counting all ofmyfun surprises.” Bentley winks, then turns back to the city. “Welcome to Cyanide. Try not to die.”

Chapter56

Eden

Survival tip #121

Loud ≠ right

Red Zone base is a fortress. They’re set up in the once-grand City Hall building—because their medieval society’s headquarters was apparently too close to the Sinners’ Den for comfort—and it is three glorious stories of wounded elegance and history. There’s a gaping hole in its roof where a strike decimated part of the building, but somehow it looks hardier for it. A building that has seen battle and survived.

I adore it instantly.

I adore it slightly less when Bentley has to disable the “gas bomb” from his secret underground entrance—the one that would save us from having to navigate the two hundred yards of wire fences, landmines, pit traps, trip wires, and leg-hold traps that surround the building on all sides.

They might have fewer explosives than we do, but Bentley’s creativity leaves Bristlebrook in the dust.

As soon as we arrive inside, Bentley directs us over to a small basin, ordering us to remove our dusty shoes and wash up before he allows us any deeper into the building.

I quickly see why. It’s pristine. There are no carpets or rugs to be found, and the hardwood gleams like it’s brand new. I spot at least three air purifiers purring away—they’re not plugged in, so I can only assume they’re battery operated.

Odder still, we’re the ones who stand out here.

Every other person we see is carrying some form of sword or bow or strange dagger. They nod to us, friendly enough, clearly having been given word of our coming, but they continue on with their business. Red Zone is as restless as Bristlebrook, and they’re clearly readying for a fight.

But the strangest thing about this place is a simple yet special one.

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