She was running for the sliding glass door but a hand wrapped around her arm and yanked her back. She was only off balance for a few seconds, but it was enough for the person holding her to radio in ‘got her, basement’ before Violet stabbed his exposed armpit then jammed the knife in his neck too.
Two others were on her before she could make her escape. They dragged her upstairs and through the living room where a dozen others were waiting. She was still fighting.
She managed to slip the grip of the two holding her and steal a gun. She dropped ten more before they hit her with some kind of sedative. The two new ones taking her out to one of the SUVswere overconfident and also met their end before they hit her with another dose.
I saw the exact moment she reached for me and told me to run. The way she used the last of her strength to look at the woods, one tear escaping before she passed out.
She’d never killed anyone before. But she took out fourteen people with no hesitation to try to get to me. Because I wasn’t there. Because I didn’t protect her. I never wanted her to have to kill. I never wanted her soul to be stained like mine was.
But I wasn’t fucking there.
I fucking left her.
I watched V collapse onto the gravel. No one approached right away, waiting to make sure she actually passed out. One stepped forward but a voice stopped him in his tracks.Don’t touch her.
I stared at the shadow figure that stepped forward.
“Is that?—”
“Yes. It is.”
I was sittingin the back corner of Crossroads with my head in my hands, trying desperately to get my shit together, when the front door opened. Eva stomped her boots on the mat before shaking off her knee-length winter jacket. She started to move toward the bar but stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed me.
“Matt?” Her voice broke. “Is that really you?”
I nodded, not trusting my voice, and met her gaze. She was crying, silent tears streaming down her face as she took a slowstep forward then another and another. She stopped when she got a good look at me.
I imagine I looked a mess. I spent twenty minutes screaming and trashing my apartment after I left Whisper and Hemlock. I told them I needed to see Eva, they hit the streets to track downthe benefactor. All this time and he was right under my fucking nose.
“What… Matts, what the hell is going on?”
“Who pushed for me to go after the judge?”
“I told you, Chang said he got ahold of Plowers’ schedule.”
“How?”
“I… I don’t know. I didn’t think to ask…”
“Why did you push me so hard?”
She dropped my gaze, eyes locked on her hands. She was picking at the skin on her hand like she always did when she was in distress. Usually, I would have helped her, but I couldn’t make myself stand up.
“You were miserable, so was V. I couldn’t stand knowing it was partly my fault. I told you to stay away and I was wrong. I was so wrong. I wanted to help get you through the list, especially after she called me about Scarlett. I’ll never forget her sob, I’ll never forget the look on your face when you heard it. Or the way you sprinted out of here to get to her.
“I thought staying away was the only option but… Matt, I love you. You’re my brother and I hated seeing you like that. I was just trying to—” her voice cracked when she met my eye again, “I never should have let you go in alone.”
“Eva, swear on Mom’s life that you didn’t know it was a set up.”
“I swear. Matt, what is going on? Does Violet know you’re— Is that… Is that a wedding ring?” She was staring at my left hand.
“Yes, she knows. And yes, it is.”
Eva burst into sobs. She looked broken, but also relieved as she cleared the bar and threw her arms around me. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I missed you.”
I hugged her back. “I’m not okay. Eva, they took her and I don’t know if I can get her back.”
She pulled back. “Tell me everything.”
