Page 120 of Wicked Nightmare

Sarah's eyes met mine. "Every second I'm here puts you at risk. I've managed to disappear, off their radar, but you never know. Kyle can keep us safe while we figure shit out. We will be back to eat pizza with you, I promise."

"How long do you think we have?" Lakey asked, her voice unusually quiet.

Sarah shook her head. "A day, maybe. A couple, if we're lucky. You need to be ready to move at a moment's notice."

I glanced at Lakey, weighing the risk of letting this Kyle guy into our home. If he was as dangerous as Sarah said, it would take both of us to take him out, if it came to that.

"Alright," I said, standing. "Go. Do what you need to do. But remember, Sarah, if this is some elaborate setup, if you're playing us—"

She cut me off. "I know. You'll hunt me down and make me wish I'd never been born. I get it. You forget I just saw your handiwork. I know you've been thrill-killing, I know you've been hunting your foster families. Trust me when I say, Cam, I know what you're both capable of and I don't want to be on the receiving end."

Lakey stood too, her posture tense. Finally, she nodded.

"Go and get him," she said. "But don't make us regret this."

With the soft click of the door, Sarah was gone.

Chapter Thirty-Six: Lakey

An hour later, there was a knock at the door. Cam's eyes met mine as my grip tightened around my knife. If this guy made one wrong move, I'd jump his bones like a banshee, and not in the fun way.

I crept to the peephole, my breath caught as I took in the hulking figure on the other side. Jesus, this guy was built like a brick shithouse. Tattoos snaked up his neck, disappearing into a close-cropped hairline. Next to him stood Sarah. She looked up at him with so much love on her face it made me want to puke.

"Pizza delivery," the guy rumbled.

I glanced back at Cam, who gave a barely perceptible nod. Showtime.

I plastered on my sweetest smile and swung the door open. "Come on in."

Kyle shouldered his way inside, his presence filling the cramped apartment. My skin prickled as he sized up Cam. Two predators eyeing each other across the room, calculating, measuring, deciding whether the other was prey or competition.

Sarah smiled. "We intercepted the delivery guy on the way up. Nice young fellow. Gave him a tip, too."

I rolled my eyes at her, watching as they walked into the kitchen.

"Nice place," Kyle grunted, his gaze sweeping over the peeling wallpaper and water-stained ceiling.

I bristled. This dump might be a shithole, but it was our shithole.

Cam lounged against the wall, all casual menace. "Glad you approve. Don't worry about your muddy-ass shoes or anything. Just go ahead and make yourself at home."

Kyle stepped further into the room. I edged closer to Cam, my fingers twitching around my knife. One wrong move from this motherfucker...

Sarah broke the standoff, her voice bright. "So! Who's hungry?"

She set the pizza down, noting how her eyes kept darting to Rose. There was something off about her eagerness, a desperation that set my teeth on edge. What was her angle with Rose?

"Quite the little Chimera family reunion we've got going on here," Cam drawled. "Care to fill us in on why you've crashed our little party? We were just getting used to Sarah."

Kyle's massive arms folded across his chest. "I've got intel on Chimera. Thought you might be interested."

"Intel, huh?" I kept my voice casual. "That's what Sarah said, but we were doing just fine without you."

Sarah stepped forward, her eyes locked on mine. "Lakey, you said you'd give Kyle a chance, so just... please. Give him a chance. If he disappoints, feel free to kill him with that knife." She looked pointedly at the blade in my palm.

Cam tensed beside me, his fingers brushing against mine. I sighed and sheathed my blade.

"Let's hear what he has to say," I murmured to Cam. "Doesn't mean we have to trust it."