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Before I could process the scene, figures flashed across my vision, moving quickly through the shadows.Arlo and James Granville.
Gunshots cut through the night, and I was on the move. I was almost level with the SUV when the back door burst open, and Allan tumbled out. Then Arlo was there, and Allan was throwing himself in front of his body. More gunshots sounded, and I fucking ran, launching myself into the air with my blade in my hand. At the same time, Granville struck my target with a swing of his baton, sending his head to the side, and when my momentum propelled me forwards, slamming straight into his falling body, I drove my blade into his throat, twisting.
Another fucking gunshot sounded, and then I heard Winter screaming my best friend’s name, over and over, her voice full of incomparable agony.
An icy chill stole the breath from my lungs.
No. Not again.
I should have been there to save Caiden, but I was too late.
* * *
The relief that went through me when I found out that Caiden was going to be okay brought me to my knees. Muttering an excuse, I pushed out of the hospital doors and stumbled around the side of the building. I collapsed in the shadows on the wet concrete, my back against the cold stone wall, and drew a shaking hand across my face.Fuck. We’d come so close to losing him. To losing more than just him. Winter, Arlo, Jessa, too. Even James Granville. All of us had been at risk in one way or another.
I fumbled in my pocket for the little tin, pulling out the joint, but my hands were fucking trembling too much to light it.
“Here.”
I remained staring straight ahead as Cassius lowered himself down next to me, flicking the lighter. Inhaling deeply, I let my head fall back against the wall, my eyes closed.
When I exhaled, I passed the joint to Cassius. He took it with a sigh. “Thanks. What a fucking night.”
“Yeah.”
The cold seeped through my clothes, into my skin, but neither of us moved, swapping the joint until only a tiny stub remained. Cassius flicked it away and then cleared his throat. “You coming inside? Cade’ll want all his family there when he wakes up.”
All his family.
I was so fucking grateful for my boys, and for Winter, but I couldn’t stop thinking about another night. Another night that had ended with the loss of a family member.
We climbed to our feet, and Cassius clapped me on the back. “Hey. You disappeared before Cade’s dad mentioned the Hydes. They got away tonight, but Arlo’s gonna pin some shit on Hyde Senior that’ll get him locked up for a long time. He’s not gonna get away with what he did.”
For the first time since this clusterfuck of an evening had begun, the tiniest smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
“That bastard deserves everything he has coming to him.”
We’d make sure of it.
PART THREE
PRESENT DAY
“The marks humans leave are too often scars.”
—John Green,The Fault in Our Stars
ONE
“Here are your things, Miss Hyde.” Selma placed the cardboard box into my arms. “Take your time.”
With a small nod, I crossed the reception area of the facility—or the sanctuary, as it was referred to here—and sank down into one of the chairs in the far corner. The curved leather seat back cradled my body as I sat for a moment, tapping a finger against my thigh and counting to ten in my head, composing myself. Out of the corner of my eye, I could feel Selma watching me carefully, and that knowledge gave me the strength to open the flaps of the box and take stock of the contents inside.
There wasn’t much of note. The clothes I’d worn on my arrival, so long ago. A battered paperback copy ofTo Kill a Mockingbird. My old phone, which was turned on and showing the time on the lock screen—someone must have charged it. And on top of it all, a necklace—a delicate platinum chain with a pair of angel wings, also platinum.
My breath caught in my throat before I banished the thoughts that were trying to break through. Making sure that I only touched the phone, I lifted it from the box, then raised my head and met Selma’s concerned gaze.
“You can get rid of everything in this box.”
