Page 13 of Barinov

Knox sets his coffee mug down with a thud. Nate leans back, his shoulders dropping as he returns his focus back to his screen.

“And,” I add, shifting my weight. “I’ll try to keep my comments about Zeke under wraps.”

Even though I still plan on gutting the fucker when I turn out to be right.

Tex studies me for a long moment. Then, he nods again. “Good.”

“How’s the eye?”

“Better than your lip from the looks of it,” he laughs.

“You both look like hell,” Knox says, shaking his head. He’s slumped back over his laptop, scrolling through some shit.

I move behind him. Both mine and Bella’s phones are hooked up to cords. He’s got tabs open everywhere—messages, our social medias, maps, and code windows I can’t even read. The guy’s eyes are dry and bloodshot.

“You been up all night?” I ask.

“Yep,” he mutters, typing something rapid-fire. “Still trying to comb through everything he’s ever sent you or Bella to see if he left anything behind. So far, nada. It all just looks like some sort of sick obsession.”

“What about Roman?” I ask, glancing over his shoulder at Nate. “Did we ever get a hold of the doc?”

“I got off the phone with the hospital while you were out,” Nate says, scribbling something on a notepad. “It was touch and go. Surgery lasted almost five hours, but he made it through.”

Relief hits me in a painful rush.

“He’s heavily sedated,” Nate continues. “They said they’ll call me when we can speak to him.”

I nod. “So what do we—”

DING-DONG.

Everyone freezes.

Cade strolls to the front door and opens it slowly. No one’s there. He bends down to pick something up. When he turns back, the look on his face makes my blood run cold. It’s a twisted blend of disbelief and something else I can’t name.

He walks to the table and sets it down. It’s a glass jar filled with white sand.

“What is that?” I ask.

“I don’t know.” Cade shrugs. “It was just sitting out there on the mat.”

DING.

“Shit,” Knox mutters.

My pulse spikes. “What?”

“It’s him.”

@LucaWasHere

Welcome, boys, to the opening scene.

Where I took my Izzy, soft and pristine.

If you want her back, you’ll play my game.

And prove your bodies can bear the flame.