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And ring.
“Goddamn you, C,” I whispered. “Don’t you know we need you?”
He didn’t answer, so I left a message, short and to the point. “Call us back, asshole or the next time I see you, I’ll throat punch you.”
If that didn’t do it, then I didn’t know what would. I walked through the house, scanning the skeletal remains of what had been our home for the last eight months, and walked out, heading to the Range Rover. Ryth was already in the passenger’s seat, watching me as I opened the door and climbed in.
Nick’s Mustang started with a snarl. He waited for me to start the engine before he opened the towering steel gate and backed out into the street of this quiet middle-class residential suburb. I shoved the four-wheel drive into reverse, gripped the back of her seat, and backed out after him. Only, Nick turned one way and we turned the other.
“Are you going to finally tell me what happened?” she asked quietly.
My…perfect…little…mouse. I glanced her way, reached for her hand and gripped it tightly. “I don’t know myself. All I know is that something is going down with the Rossis and it’s bad. Ben said he has to take care of Kat and the baby. He has to make sure they’re safe.”
“Safe?” Her eyes widened as I drove, taking the back streets and watching the rear-view mirror. “Something’s happened.”
“I agree.” I knew right now Lazarus must be losing his goddamn mind. “But like the man said, we have to take care of our own.”
I gave her hand a gentle squeeze and let it go, focusing on the streets as they became busy. There was no way Hale or his fucking men were getting anywhere near us. We needed a plan…and we needed to know where the fuck he’s hiding.
My cell rang. I glanced at the caller ID. Riven Cruz. That motherfucker was lucky he was alive. If I had my way…Ryth’s gaze was fixed on the screen. “Aren’t you going to answer that?”
Fuck him.
I fought the need to snarl.
But I couldn’t, because somehow the vile motherfucker had found some good in that black heart of his. Enough good to make Ryth’s sister fall in love, at least. With a growl, I leaned forward and swiped to answer the call. “What do you want, Principal?”
There was silence on the other end of the line.
The name hurt.
Or pissed him off.
I was good with either of those.
“Benjamin Rossi,” he started. “Has he contacted you?”
My gut clenched tight. I wanted to tell him to go to goddamn hell before I answered any of his questions. But one look from Ryth and I clenched my jaw. “Yes.”
“And he told you it was me, I assume?”
“Assume all you fucking want.” My anger spilled over.
“It wasn’t me.” His voice broke. “Do you hear me? It wasn’t ME. I’d never hurt Helene like that. I’d never…never hurt her like that. The video was doctored, made to look like I was the one who hurt her. But I wasn’t. It was Coulter. He was the bastard who did that.”
What the fuck was he talking about? I glanced at Ryth. She shook her head, not knowing a thing. She reached for her cell, pulled up her sister’s number, and started typing.
“He wouldn’t even take my damn call.”
It wasn’t like The Principal to be torn up about something like this. Maybe the sick motherfucker had changed?
“Look, I don’t think he’s even seen whatever you’re talking about. He’s dealing with some problems of his own.”
“Problems?” His tone deepened. “What kind of problems?”
I swerved in and out of traffic, watching the rear-view mirror. “I don’t know myself. He called and told me to go underground. Said that he’s doing the same with Kat and the baby. Something’s happened and it’s a lot more than some doctored video. Look, we’re heading underground. I’d suggest you do the same. You have the burners London sent, activate them and kill this one. We’ll be out of communication until we’re sure we’re not being followed, or led into some kind of trap.”
“Okay. Jesus…okay.” He was finally understanding what was going on here.
