But this time? It means the bastard truly doesn’t fucking know.
“Thank you, gentlemen. Good work.” Blowing out a breath, I glance at Auggie and nod, letting him know I’m okay. “I believe we’re done with the interrogation, then?”
“All set,” he confirms.
Jake brightens. “Can… can we go?”
“Yeah, sure,” I say with a casual shrug. “Why not?”
“Wait… Really?”
Ah, that shimmering hope. Such a lovely thing to give that gift, only to snatch it right back again.
“Not on your fucking life,” I growl, “which isn’t worth much more than your liquified toes, so that’s not a betI’mtaking. Auggie? You want to play guarantor to this pair of worthless twats?”
Auggie laughs—a real one this time. “I’m no wolf of Wall Street, Jude, but evenIknow that’s a shit investment.”
“Sorry, Jake. Better luck never.” I glance around the facility, trying to determine our next play now that the interrogation bit is over. But first… “I need another smoke. Augs, do me a favor and see if you can find one of the old cattle prods. A few volts up the arse oughta rouse sleeping beauty here—don’t want Zo-Zo to miss out on the fun.”
Auggie returns a few minutes later with not one, but two prods.
I grin, cigarette dangling from my lips. “Well, aren’t you just a regular Santy-Clause.”
“Merry fucking Christmas, brother.”
I’m just about to give the old thing a whirl when my phone buzzes—text from Draegan.
Bringing Westlyn to you—she insisted. Meet me on the parking level in 10.
I text back immediately.On my way.
Heading over to the old sinks along the wall behind the counter, I dunk my head under the faucet and give myself a good dousing—can’t very well kiss my girl when I’ve got another man’s blood in my mouth.
“What are you smiling about now?” Auggie asks the moment I come up for air.
“Apparently, I’ve been averygood boy this year, because the gifts just keep on coming.” I shove my wet hair back off my face and wink. “Looks like the little scarecrow will be joining us for the final festivities, after all.”
Chapter Twenty
WESTLYN
So much for a clear head.
I meant to keep my promise to Draegan about that. Really, I did.
We made the entire drive down here in relative peace with minimal bickering, and for a while, we even managed to achieve the elusive “comfortable silence” status of almost, sorta kinda, actual… friends.
But the moment he slows the car and the old Ryker Meat Packing Plant comes into view, every hair on my arms stands on end, and a strange, cold tingle slithers down my spine, sinking into my gut like a block of ice.
He was right earlier. The building looks a lot like the one in The Tower card.
Now, as he turns down a concrete ramp and heads into the facility’s dark, decrepit underground parking garage, the unsettling vibes only intensify.
Something feels terriblywronghere… which only confirms I’m inexactlythe right place.
Draegan puts the car in park. For a long beat, he stares out the windshield, the muscle on his jaw flexing. Finally, he turns to look at me, pinning me with his steely, unwavering gaze. He kept up the glamour for the drive down, but those storm-cloud eyes never change. “You’re certain you want to do this?”
Another wave of icy darkness washes through me, and I clench my teeth to keep them from chattering. Every instinct is shouting at me to abandon ship, but I can’t, because those same instincts are being overridden by another feeling—a strange, otherworldly pull.
