Page 51 of Road to Redemption

“Goddamnit.” Spencer hissed as something metal clattered, presumably tripping on something.

Just then, lights flicked on. A slight whir and the sound of heating coils accompanied the illumination. Overhead, recessed, linear fixtures cast a bright but warm glow over the loft.

My eyes immediately searched for Kiera, who was at the center of the living room clutching her chest.

Meanwhile, Spencer was righting the metal bar stool she’d knocked over in the panic.

And then there was Dom, who stood with her arms crossed by the front door. Exactly like she had been before the lights shut off.

But none of us had hit the lights.

“Must be on a timer.” Dom shrugged, an amused smirk playing at the corner of her lips as all of us tried to recover our chill. We looked ridiculous, three blind fucking mice stumbling around this unknown apartment hunting for a fucking light switch.

“All of you had cell phones in your pockets with flashlights.” Dom huffed out a laugh as she crossed the room.

Kiera rolled her eyes. “And you were just going to let us flounder?”

“Yep.” Dom licked her teeth, satisfied to get back at us after we’d spent a couple months making her pay for her secrets.

Making her way to the windows, Spencer tried to press open what had been a balcony door. “Locked.”

Without being told, I walked to the front door, turning the knob and pulling it toward myself. “Nope.”

It was clear why The Oracle thought this would be a good safehouse. There was no getting in or out. We’d have no choice but to abide by our curfews, even if the note was scrawled in blood.

I wasn’t sure if our hosts were trying to protect us or themselves.

In the silence, motors starting up and faint carnival music drew my gaze to the shuttered windows. It sounded as if the entire amusement park was up and running out there.

Storming across the room, Kiera came to a stop in front of Dom. “Enough bullshit. Where the fuck are we?”

She was right to ask — Dom had gotten too good at hiding things from us. But before I jumped down her throat, I gave my old friend a chance to defend herself.

Letting out a deep sigh, Dom moved toward the suspended fireplace in the corner of the living room. “The rumors about this place, they’re true. Well, some of them.”

“What does that mean?” Spencer scoffed from the kitchen, leaning against the concrete kitchen counters. They were a darker shade than the floors, with more veining in the stone too. Nothing about this place was warm and cozy, everything sleek and sexy.

“Go on, asshole.” Kiera’s chest heaved with frustration as she watched Dom ignore her.”

With a nod, Dom kept talking. “They’re freaks, the people that live here. No one really knows when they got here. But what we do know is, they work with The Oracle.”

“With, not for?” I piped up, moving toward the white couch and propping myself on the arm.

“Correct, Major.” Dom shrugged. “The rumor is that they’re so feral that even The Oracle doesn’t like claiming them. But they’re good at what they do.”

“Which is?” Kiera’s eyes were wide with fear. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and protect her from whatever demented clowns were lurking in the darkness.

“Handling the worst of the worst. If Isaac and Gabriel weren’t ours to take Justice against, there’s a good chance they’d end up out there.” Dom sucked her teeth. “But the truth is, I’m not really sure what they get up to out there.”

Spencer rummaged through the cabinets. “I’ve heard a lot worse about them, Dom.”

The thought raised the hair on my arms.

How could The Oracle be okay with this?

I promised that nothing would hurt my Princess. My Kiera. Even if it meant pissing off The Oracle.

Spencer sprinkled some sort of cereal into her mouth as she walked back to her bags, grabbing a bluetooth speaker and connecting her phone.