Page 247 of Wicked Brutal

“Wake him up. Get whatever you need. I’m coming.”

“Ryan, no.”

“Yeah.”

“You can’t.”

“Watch me.”

“Ryan.” I’m already at my bedroom door. “Ryan, stop.”

Something in her voice gets through. Barely. I stop with my hand on the knob. She’s sitting on the floor beside her bed, hair down around her face, and I can see just enough of the room behind her to know she’s keeping her voice low.

“Think for one second.”

“I have been thinking for fucking hours, Ally.”

“No, you’re not thinking now.”

“No shit.”

Her face softens. “I know.”

“I’m coming to get you.”

“And Tobias?”

“I’m taking him too.”

“You know you can’t do that.”

“I don’t give a fuck.”

“I do. If you come here and take me, Dad can’t force me back. If we take Tobias, he can. Then tomorrow he tells everyone you kidnapped his six-year-old son, and Tobias ends up right back here.”

“I’m not leaving him there.”

“Neither am I.”

“Then what the fuck do you want me to do?”

“Help me get him out in a way Dad can’t undo.”

I look down at the keys in my hand. She’s right. Arthur already explained this to us. Tobias is the trap. Ally can walk out of that house whenever she wants. Her brother can’t. “That was before tonight. He put his fucking hands on you.”

“I know.”

I throw my keys onto the dresser hard enough to bounce. “Tell me what happened.”

She takes a breath. “Tobias saw the ring.” I lean back against the dresser, because apparently that’s as close as I’m getting to sitting down. “He was being Toby. Asking how much it cost, if it was real.” Despite everything, I can picture that perfectly. “Then he asked if it meant I was getting married soon. Dad answered him. Tobias asked if he could live with me after.”

My stomach tightens. “Roman said no.”

“Yes.”

“And Toby?”

“He kept asking. He said he wanted to live with me. Dad told him he lives there.” She stops. I already know. “Tobias said he didn’t want to.” Her voice drops. “Dad hit him.”