“The Paragons of Prosperity gave me a purpose, a family. Aria finally paid attention to me.” Out of my periphery, I notice her cup her tiny breasts, thumbs circling the stiff peaks, pulling and tugging, as if putting on a damn show.
Disgust curdles in my gut.
Fuck. This. Bitch.
“But even Aria wasn’t happy with just me. She wanted Ellie, her…daughter.” Once again, she practically spits the word, rage reverberating through her. “But Ellie can have Aria. All I want is you.”
She takes a step closer, her other hand reaching for my face. I recoil, turning my head away, my jaw clenched so tight, I think my teeth will crack. This is it. This is how it ends. Not in a firefight, not in a blaze of glory, but at the hands of a psychotic, backstabbing traitor.
I’ll die before I let her touch me.
Then there’s a dull, heavy thud.
I whip my gaze back toward Jane.
Jane’s eyes go wide with surprise. A trickle of blood runs from her temple. She sways on her feet for a moment, an expression of profound confusion on her face, then she collapses to the floor in a heap.
I glance up, my heart hammering against my ribs. Standing over Jane’s unconscious form is Piper. She’s holding a small, heavy-looking steel dumbbell, her chest heaving, her hair a wild mess around her face. She looks like she’s been through hell.
“Need a rescue?” she asks, a little breathlessly.
I can only stare, my mind struggling to catch up. “Piper? How…?”
“Victoria and I were in a room down the hall,” she says quickly, setting the weight down and moving to work on my ropes. “Jane told the guards we were just scared little girls, not a threat, so they left us alone. We managed to knock out thetwo guys watching us. Vic’s on the phone with the police now. I came to find you and Ryker.” Her hands fumble with the knots. “I heard some guards talking. They said Raymond got away, that he’s somewhere in the building, but I couldn’t find him.”
The ropes finally give way, and I surge to my feet, rubbing my raw wrists. I look down at Jane’s still form. A fresh wave of anger, cold and sharp, cuts through me.
“I just… I can’t believe she could do that,” Piper whispers as she follows the direction of my gaze, her voice shaking. “She was Ellie’s friend.”
I glance at Piper, at the shock and betrayal in her eyes. “Some people will do anything for validation,” I say, my voice flat. “Especially from a sister like Aria.” Sometimes, there’s no reason for someone’s behavior. I don’t think that’s the case for Jane, though. She had a reason—jealousy. She was so insanely jealous of Ellie, she would do anything to destroy her.
Which makes me want to kill her.
Instead of giving in to that dark thought. I turn toward Piper. “Thank you. For the rescue. But you need to leave. Now.”
She shakes her head, her jaw setting with a familiar stubbornness. “No. I’m not leaving you guys.”
“Piper,” I say, my tone brooking no room for argument. “It’s not safe. This is about to get very, very bloody. You can’t help me here.” I grab her shoulders, forcing her to meet my gaze. “But youcanhelp us. There are two people you need to contact. The FBI agents assigned to our case. Their names are Agent Larissa Marsha and Agent Timon Jeffries. If you can get to them, tell them what’s happening. Tell them we’re inside. That’s how you can help.”
I rattle off the number Raymond had us memorize, watching as her expression shifts from defiance to stunned understanding. I think she has finally realized how deep of shit we’re in.
“Go,” I say softly. “Get to safety. Call them.”
With one last look at me, and then at Jane, she turns and flees down the hallway. I watch her go before turning my attention to the dark corridor ahead. The anger is back, a focused, burning point in my gut. Jane’s betrayal, Ryker’s capture, Ellie and the others in Aria’s hands.
It all funnels into one single, driving purpose.
They have my family. I’m going to get them back.
38
ZANE
The world is a symphony of agony.
My ribs scream with every shallow breath I take, and the coppery tang of my blood fills my mouth. My vision swims, but through the haze of pain, I see her.
Ellie.
