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“If we hadn’t done our job, Quinn never would’ve married Mercer. And Merrigan? She’d be dead just like Quinn would have been. Unless you want that to be your fate and that of your sister and your friends, you’re going to do exactly what I tell you to do.”
“And if I don’t?”
“You will. One way or another.”
“Is that a threat?”
“Nope, it’s a promise.”
“I hate you,” she spat.
“That is crystal clear.”
Razor set Monk up in one of the downstairs guest bedrooms and switched the house alarm to the stay setting. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, Ava was essentially a captive in his house.
“What are you doing?” he said when he saw her moving her suitcase to a room farther down the hallway. He was pissed when she didn’t respond, but for now, he’d let it go. It hadn’t been that long since she told him she hated him.
As far as he knew, she hadn’t eaten yet, although the news that her sister and friends were missing had likely killed her appetite.
Razor went into the kitchen and opened and closed the refrigerator. He didn’t have much of an appetite either. What he really needed was a good, hard workout. He would love it if Ava would go for a run with him, but he knew, if he asked, she’d turn him down.
Instead, he went into the bedroom, changed into workout clothes, and went downstairs, to the gym. He was surprised to hear someone pounding away on the treadmill, particularly since he’d just passed Monk in the hallway. Evidently, Ava had had the same idea he had.
He went back upstairs and called the only person he knew who could give him advice about his current situation without giving him too much shit about it at the same time.
“Hey, Saylor,” he said when she answered the phone.
“I heard a rumor you were in town.”
“Yeah, about that—”
“No worries, Raze, we also heard you weren’t alone.”
His sister, Saylor, was his only sibling, and from the time they were kids, she’d rarely let anything bother her. Razor was that way too, which was why he’d initially been recruited for special ops. They both took after their mom.
Their dad had been another story. His temper had been legendary in a town as small as Yachats. Ultimately, his inability to handle stress was what killed him. It was almost ten years ago that he’d died of a heart attack.
“That’s why I’m calling. I need some advice.”
“I’m here if you want to come by.”
“I’m housebound right now. Would you mind coming to me?”
“Oh, goodie! Does this mean I get to meet her, whoever she is?”
“Uh…maybe. She isn’t speaking to me at the moment.”
“I’ll be right there. Oh, can I bring the girls along? They’d love to see you.”
Sierra and Savannah were a year apart, just like him and Saylor. It was hard to believe it was almost six months since he’d last seen them, and then it had been for a quick three-day weekend trip.
—:—
Ava was an hour into what she’d hoped would be a ten-mile run. Staying focused for that length of time on a treadmill required a great deal of concentration, which she didn’t have today. Even the music playing through her headphones, which was turned up far too loud, wasn’t enough to drown out the last words she and Razor had said to each other.
Giving up, she stopped at five miles and decided that was good enough for now. She wondered if Monk was a runner, since it was unlikely she’d be allowed out of the house without him or Razor with her. Given she never wanted to see the latter’s face again, Mr. Mute was her only option.
She shrugged when she didn’t see him on her way upstairs. Maybe she’d find him later. For now, she needed a long, hot shower.
