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Immediately, I ran to the fence-like wall that separated us. My knees hit the ground as I crouched to see her better. She was a few years younger than me, with fair skin. There were deep circles under her eyes. And her black hair was stringy, like it needed to be washed. There was a dullness to her green gaze, as if she’d already given up.
“Hey.” I whispered, using the same comforting voice I did for skittish patients at the hospital. “What’s your name?”
“Violet.” Her lip twitched like she thought my care was funny. Maybe it was in this situation, but my training kicked in. I couldn’t stop it. Didn’t want to because it was keeping me calm.
“How long have you been here, Violet?”
“Few days. I think.” She shrugged, and I could feel that she didn’t expect to make it out alive.
“Have they hurt you?” It took all my strength to keep my voice from wavering. My mind overflowed with images of what they could have done to her. She could’ve been beaten. Starved. Raped.
But I wouldn’t say them. I was jaded. I knew the horrors of the world, but it just might break me to be the one who told this girl. She looked like snow white’s sweeter younger sister.
“Not the way you think.” She shook her head. Her lifeless eyes connected with mine, and I realized it was too late. “They’re my brothers.”
43
Nathan
My lungs burned. They refused to expand with air as I rushed to Lark’s apartment building. The feeling intensified as I saw the door to her unit was cracked open.
“Lark!” I shouted, already knowing I wouldn’t get a response.
I heard my brothers’ footsteps behind me, but I didn’t wait. The violence that greeted me twisted my heart. It was like a knife being shoved into the organ, piercing the flesh until everything inside oozed out. Filling my chest until it bubbled up.
I could taste the fear on my tongue as I stepped on the glass from the smashed vase in the entryway. I stared at the pictures askew on the wall as I ran to the bedroom. The door to the bathroom was splintered. Pieces of wood scattered on the ground as my hand curled over the broken frame.
“Lark!” My voice echoed off the tile, but there was no sign of her.
Drops of red drew my attention. There were streaks of blood on the lower cabinet. Spots of it on the floor. They were a shining beacon, telling me I failed. I hadn’t protected her.
I swallowed down the fear and guilt. They wouldn’t help me. They wouldn’t solve the problem. I needed to focus. To find Lark.
An eerie calm settled over me as I looked at her essence. It wasn’t enough for her to be dead. Barely enough for an injury.
She was alive. She was going to be fine. I’d make sure of it.
Nothing would keep her from me. No one could stop me from getting to her. I’d find her even if I had to smear the city in blood. It would no longer have the illusion of beauty. Not when I was finished.
“Shit.” Cole’s quiet curse came from behind me. I ignored him as I picked up the discarded gun from the floor. “You’ve got cameras in here, right? We need to figure out who this was.”
Sticky red blood splattered the handle. I knew it was hers. It clung to my hand as I grasped the weapon tighter. Instead of making me anxious. It fueled me. Pushed more adrenaline through my veins.
Angelo was shaking his head as I turned and walked past them. “We’re already behind we—.”
“It’s Aaron.”
“What?” Vander stood in the bedroom doorway. Cole had texted him on the way here.
“Brad.” My jaw clenched. No matter what happened to Lark, that asshole wasn’t living until the end of the week. “Her ex he was a client. Ran up a tab. That’s who’s been after her this whole time.”
My worlds collided. I told Lark I didn’t believe in fate, but I didn’t believe in coincidences either. It was pure luck she’d walked into our club. Caught my attention. No one else could save her.
Still, I never expected my enemy was her enemy. Never could’ve predicted it would be this bad.
“I’m done with this shit.” Angelo grumbled. I heard his gun clicking as he checked his magazine. “Let’s hit his warehouse. Now.”
Vander nodded at Cole. “Call Leif, get the Vancinis on back up.”
