My options just got a lot more limited. I could (and would) fight back, but the odds were at least one of them would get off a good shot. If this body died, the chances of getting G.R. to give me another one were slim to none. Not to mention not having a body made moving around a real pain in the ass. I didn’t have time to get shot.
G.R. smiled like he knew he won and made his way through the mess to dig out his chair and press the button underneath of it. The secret wall slid open, revealing the doors inside.
“Your new home awaits,” he said, gesturing toward the room.
I wasn’t going back in there. I glanced at the closets, at the closed doors lining the small hideaway.Keep him talking,the voice in my head told me.
“Why did you keep my body? My sister’s body?” As I talked, I moved slightly toward the wall, pretending I was going to do what he wanted. All three guns followed my movements.
“After she was gone, I decided to put her body away for safe keeping, your body too. In case I ever needed something to control you. In case that humanity reared its ugly head again. I never thought it would end like this, Charming. But you’re becoming a liability. And that is why I must Recall you.”
His words angered me all over again. He had taken so much away from me, so much more than I ever realized. He’s the reason I was who I became, and now he wanted to punish me for being too good at exactly who he wanted me to be.
“You’re not Recalling me because I’m a liability.” I snarled. “You’re trying to get rid of me because you’re scared. You created me a little too perfectly and now that I’ve decided I won’t be your puppet anymore, you know you won’t be able to control me. That was your mistake. You gave me too much power.”
I saw the truth in his eyes. The acknowledgement of my words. I was right. He was scared of me. I wasn’t being punished because I overlooked what Dex had done. That was just an excuse. If it hadn’t been that, he would have found something else. I was being punished because he saw me as a threat.
I took my opportunity and grabbed the closest gun that was pointed at me. I ripped it out of the Escort’s hand, snapping his wrist in the process. He howled in pain but didn’t go down like I thought he would. Instead, he plowed into me low, catching me around the legs and sending me forward to fall over his back. I fired the gun, but the shot went wild, the bullet burying into the wall.
“Get him!” G.R. demanded.
I fell onto my stomach and rolled, trying to bring up the gun from beneath me to fire again. But before I could get a shot off, one of the Escorts was there, using the butt of his gun and slamming it into my temple. I collapsed back onto the floor.
Everything went black.
Chapter Forty-Eight
“Sinister - suggesting or threatening evil.”
Frankie
The diner was closing just as I pulled up to the curb. I rushed inside, ignoring the dirty look of the waitress who thought I was there to order, and hurried over to the counter where Piper was standing, refilling a napkin dispenser.
“Hey,” she said, looking up, her eyes traveling behind me. I knew she was looking for Olly.
“Is Storm here?” I said, lowering my voice so our conversation would remain private.
“I’m not sure. He said he would be around. Whatever that means.”
I glanced outside toward the sidewalk. “Meet me outside when you’re done here. Hurry.”
“What’s wrong, Frankie?”
“I’ll explain later,” I said, halfway out the door.
The sidewalk outside was vacant, the hour late enough that most people were already home for the day. I looked around, trying to see Storm and then giving up with an irritated groan when I realized there were just too many dark places here from him to hide.
“Storm!” I whisper-yelled.
A few seconds ticked by and I opened my mouth to yell louder this time when I heard him up ahead. “Here.”
I moved up the sidewalk, looking for the source of his voice, and when I passed by a darkened eave for a shop, he said, “I’m here.”
“Get in the car!” I whisper-yelled again. I went around to my side and climbed in, leaving my door open so he would be able to get inside.
A few minutes later, black fog filled up the back seat.
“That is seriously sinister,” I said, looking in the rearview mirror.
