AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’ve been trying not to focus on what could be happening to her, especially since I’m convinced that she’s with a Knight and most of them are sick fucks. I’ve been going through everything in my head, trying to come up with a suspect list. While Edward Riley is near the top of that list, because he’s had a weird obsession with her since she got back, I’m pretty sure he would’ve already boasted to Mav about having her. He’s a twisted bastard who would derive a sick sense of pleasure just from taking her, but he’d tell Mav about it as a means of torture. He enjoys hurting people more than anyone I’ve ever met, but the amount of satisfaction he gets from fucking with his son is on a different level.
It’s pretty much the only reason he isn’t at the top of my list.
My other worry is that there are plenty of Knights I don’t know. I’m just not sure how they could’ve come into contact with V. Especially in the time since she got back. I know she had a stalker before, but Evan dealt with him. The dead don’t usually come back to stalk you again.
And while I don’t want Evan to be on my list, he is. As is Mac. I’m not positive that guy is a Knight, but he seems like the perfect watch dog for my father. Especially knowing what we know now. Panda might’ve been there to keep an eye on V, but I have zero doubts someone else was there to keep an eye on Stone. Who better than his head of security? But it’s not like the Knights keep a database of members that I can just have Finn sift through.
At least not that I know of.
There are limitations to being a junior.
My frustration only grows with each dead end I remind myself of, so I rush through the rest of my shower and dress quickly. I want to check on East and run my idea past Luc. He knows my dad better than anyone, he’s probably the best person to help me hash it out before I make the call later.
I grab the keys to the Cayenne and head out to the garage. The guys know I’m going out, so I don’t bother tracking them down again.
I need to zen my shit and realign my focus.
Chaos isn’t going to get her back and I’m sick and tired of chasing my fucking tail.
* * *
By the time I make it to the hospital and park, there’s still no response from Luc. That alone is enough to make me suspicious, but I head into the hospital anyway. He could’ve fallen asleep or put his phone on silent.
My brain continues to churn and lands on the fact that he didn’t mention Alex’s new position with the Rebels. I know the two of them aren’t exactly on the best terms and we had a lot going on, but that’s the sort of shit he’d usually mention.
Unless he doesn’t know.
There are too many balls in the air right now, and if I don’t sort some stuff quickly, I’m going to drop everything. Which is not an option.
I am Lincoln Saint. Failure is unacceptable.
Especially where Octavia Royal is concerned.
Even if it means letting everything else burn down around me, I’m going to make sure she makes it out of this alive and unharmed. The only things keeping me reasonable right now are the knowledge it’s been less than twenty-four hours, that her stalker claims to want to protect her, and that we have proof-of-life in the form of that damn video.
I cling to those threads of hope like my life depends on them.
But really, it’s her life that depends on them, and that’s worse. I’d happily sacrifice myself if it meant saving her.
If only that were an option.
The walk to East’s room is quiet. The advantage of the small, Knight-owned hospital is that no one stops me and no one questions me. I pause at the door to his room, taking a deep breath to center myself. As far as I know, there haven’t been any complications, and my brother—because he is still my brother, regardless of what Harrison might think—should still be alive, breathing and healing.
I’m not sure what I’ll do if he doesn’t pull through.
I step up to the door and before I put my hand on the handle, it swings open, bringing me face to face with Luc. “I was wondering how long you’d stand out there for.”
“Just taking a minute.” I enter the room, avoiding his judgmental look. The room is quiet except for the beep of the monitor and the whooshing of the ventilator. “How is he doing? I tried to text…”
“He’s fine. No change since you left here last night, though you look like you’ve been through the wringer. Thought I told you to go rest.” He quirks a brow at me as I drop into the chair beside East’s bed.
“No rest for the wicked,” I say with a shrug. “There’s too much to do right now anyway.”
“Lincoln, you’re only eighteen. You shouldn’t be this stressed.” He frowns as his gaze roams over me.
“Yeah well, Knights don’t tend to live that long. I guess stress is a part of it.”
“You want to tell me what happened after you left here?”
