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“There are some parts of me—of us—that we’d rather you never knew existed.” He sighs. “But life doesn’t work that way.”
“She already knows mine,” Mav says, shrugging. “My penchant for knives and blood isn’t something I’ve hidden from her, and she barely even blinked. Give her more credit for accepting the monsters that live inside of us.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” I say again. “But you also don’t have to hide yourselves from me. I love you. Each of you. Demons and all.”
Lincoln’s phone rings on the table between mine and Finn’s loungers, and he glares as he grabs it and answers. “What?”
He goes quiet, his face turning more thundery with each second he remains silent.
It feels like a lifetime passes as his jaw clenches and his eyes darken. “Fuck you, too,” he mutters as he ends the call.
“What was that?” I ask hesitantly, shivering despite the scorching sun.
“That,” he growls, “was orders. It seems you’re being roped in early.”
“She’s coming with? Fuck no,” Finn says, turning pale.
Lincoln grips his phone so hard, I worry it might crack. “We don’t have a choice. Let’s head back and get dressed. A car will grab us in an hour.”
My stomach churns, and I get a little dizzy. “I thought you said you had an approved reprieve?”
Lincoln stands, turning to look down at me. “Apparently the Regent changed his mind. Long live the King.”
* * *
The car ride has been silent and bumpy. A million thoughts whirr through my mind, but every time I consider opening my mouth, I look at the three of them and reconsider. Lincoln has barely said a word since the call came in, and despite Maverick playfully joining me in the shower, he didn’t say a word about any of this either.
They’ve all officially gone to a place inside of them that I don’t have access to. Everyone with trauma has that safe space, and these three have more trauma than anyone else I’ve ever met. Except for maybe Panda.
I shudder just thinking about the possibilities of it. What they went through.
Though I can’t help but wonder just how aware of some of it I’m about to become. While I know why Lincoln bows to Harrison’s hold, I can’t help but wonder if Harrison would actually release the video of Lincoln killing someone. Surely, it would be just as bad for him as it would be for Lincoln.
I keep that thought to myself for now, but it’s something to think on. Really, I need to learn more about how the Knights work. I need to pin Lincoln down, or someone, and get answers so I know how to navigate this sinister path I’m on.
I make a mental note to clear a day once I’m home to finish going through my dad’s journals, too. I’m not sure what insight they’ll give me, but there has to be something.
The car slows, pulling to a stop at a set of gates, the stone wall they’re attached to stretches as far as I can see.
“Rico’s home away from home,” Lincoln says quietly in my ear. “A Knight holding.”
The gates open painfully slowly, but once they’re open we start moving again. It’s a very tense, quiet few minutes as we drive up the cactus-lined drive before we pull up to a huge villa. The white walls and terrace roofing look like something out of a travel brochure.
Except this isn’t a place for dreams or paradise.
I get the feeling this is just the shiny front for a place of pain.
The car door opens and the two guys from earlier smirk down at me, offering me a hand, which I take as I climb from the car.
“I see you came around,” he says as Lincoln climbs out behind me. “The boss will be pleased. Not so sure about the guy waiting for you though.”
“Let’s just get this over with, shall we?”
He takes my hand and pulls me into his side as Maverick and Finley walk behind us and we head into the giant villa. The sounds of my footsteps echo in the high-ceilinged room, which is strangely cold.
“Ah, Lincoln, so good of you to come.” A man’s voice filters down from the mezzanine above us. Rico, I assume. He looks like the cartel bosses you see in films. Tan skin, dark hair slicked back, white pants, white shirt. “I see you brought friends. The more the merrier.”
His smile seems warm, genuine almost, as he descends the stairs.
