There’s no escaping it now.
Barrett grins at me as he leads me out of the woods, almost as if he’s enjoying knowing Killian is about to tear into me. Considering the way the Briggs brothers were always doing the same growing up, his humor isn’t in any way malicious.
We step through the treeline and into the same clearing where we found Willow. Killian stands talking to Tony animatedly, but he turns at our approach.
I can practically feel the rush of relief as he releases a breath and stalks across the grass and wildflowers toward me. But that relief quickly morphs into an iciness in his gaze and clenching of his fists.
Barrett moves toward his brother, giving us some space. He may have been gone for years, but some things never change—especially how volatile Killian gets when he looks like that.
“Where the hell have you been?” Killian practically snarls at me, his anger making his nostrils flare. “Raven’s missing. We could have used your help instead of wasting our time having to look for your dumb ass, too.”
I wince and brace myself for the onslaught that is about to hit me. “She’s not missing. She’s been with me.”
“What?” His blond brows fly up. “Why the fuck was Raven with you?”
His anger is completely warranted.
I didn’t tell anyone I was taking her up the mountain because I didn’t want someone to inadvertently lead the Lorells to us or be put in danger themselves by just having the information of our whereabouts. Keeping her safe meant keeping everyone else in the dark. But it also meant they’ve been panicking this entire time, believing something happened to her.
They’re used to me disappearing.
Not Raven.
“It’s a long story, Killian. I can explain everything, but I need to tell you, Tony, and Barrett together.”
He glances back at them, then turns his narrowed gaze on me. “What the hell is going on, Connor?”
I reach into my pocket and dig out the drive, holding up the small piece of technology that potentially holds the key to all our futures on it. “Raven’s been working on something that’s going to affect all of us, and if we don’t do this right, the mountain will be covered in blood again.”
His jaw tightens as Tony and Barrett approach.
Tony removes his hat and rubs his hand through his disheveled black hair. “What’s this I hear about blood on the mountain again?”
Last time created a real quagmire for him. The FBI came and took over the scene, but they wanted everything kept under wraps, they wanted the details hush hush. And in a town like McBride Mountain, that’s hard to accomplish.
And Tony’s job is about to get a lot harder.
“I have Raven somewhere safe. That’s all I’m telling you guys and that’s all you need to know. For now.”
Killian gives me a look that has a million questions in it, and he looks ready to beat them out of me like we used to when we were kids rolling around in the dirt, but he holds them back.
Thankful for the momentary reprieve, I draw in a long inhalation, the fresh mountain air helping ease a little of the tightness forming in my chest. “She uncovered some things about the Lorells…”
Killian and Tony exchange a look that could kill.
“And she wrote a story…”
“Fuck.” Killian sucks in a sharp breath. “I fucking knew she wouldn’t be able to stop herself.”
Tony rubs the back of his neck. “This smells like trouble.”
“You have no fucking idea, but we have a plan and I need both of your help to implement it while I go back to her. If we don’t do this right, all of us will be in danger. Even more than we already are.”
RAVEN
Even though we didn’t spend much time together during the day since we arrived—with me working on the story and Connor focused on his cabin—being up here alone feels wrong.
Off.
