Page 142 of Allegiant

Matthias does.

I make it through the first case.

Then the second.

The third has Samson shoving a trash bin into my hands. I empty the contents of my stomach into it while sobbing. I’m not the only one, either. Ansel dipped out after the first case, with Neo leaving during the second.

Only the Buckinghams, Wyatt, and I remain.

“That’s enough,” Samson tells Matthias quietly. “He’s seen enough.”

“No,” I protest, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. “I need to see them.”

He sweeps my hair off my sticky forehead. “Why?”

“Because I should’ve stopped him.” My lip quivers. “I should’ve pushed the police to keep investigating Adam’s killer. I shouldn’t have ignored it all these months. At least two of those men died after Adam. I could’ve saved them. They’re dead because of me.”

“No,” Samson says firmly, grabbing my hair and tugging lightly. The pain helps, stops me from spiraling further. “You’re not to blame. Not for any of these men’s deaths. Or Adam’s. There’s only one person to blame, and he’s tied up in our basement.”

“I need to see him.”

Samson falters. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Please,” I whisper. “I want to look him in the eye and ask him why.”

“Fine.” He releases my hair and strokes my face. “But don’t expect to get the answers you want. There are different types of evil in this world. We see it all too often. And Adam’s killer? He’s the worst kind of all. He’s not remorseful. He’s…smug.”

I recoil internally. “I don’t care. I need to do this.”

“Okay.” Samson blows out a breath before nodding at his brothers. “You heard him. Who’s coming down with us?”

36

ROWAN

Samson doesn’t take his arm off me the entire walk to the basement.

“I haven’t been down here before,” I remark as we pass several unmarked doors.

“No,” Samson says grimly. “If I’m being honest, this is the one and only time I want you down here.”

I don’t argue. Ansel, Neo, and Wyatt stayed behind. Cade and Wylder decided to comfort their partners while Harley announced he wasn’t one for torture unless there were specific circumstances.

I have a feeling those circumstances only extend to anyone who hurts or threatens Jules, and no one else.

Dalton is accompanying us. I clear my throat nervously. “Are we sure this is going to be okay?”

“What?” Samson asks.

“Just us three going in there,” I explain. “I mean, I’m about as useful as a wet paper towel. That just leaves you two.”

Dalton and Samson exchange an incredulous glance.

Then they burst out laughing.

I stop walking, not understanding the joke. “What?”

“We’re not scared of Scott Johnson,” Samson explains. “Either one of us alone could kill him without any effort. Even if he were armed, it wouldn’t slow us down.”