AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And it worked, damn her. Because he is my true father, and I will do anything to honor and protect him.
Including burying the truth.
CHAPTER11
MARKU
What in the ever-loving God am I looking at?
I stare straight ahead for one long moment, then glance at Lucian beside me and see the same look of shock and horror on his face.
“What the fuck is happening?” he mutters out loud, mirroring my own thoughts. Although mine are much darker and more violent than his because it’s not hiswifeflittering about on the street like she isn’t breaking a cardinal rule: Females do not wander around the city by themselves.
Lucian and I were going about our business picking up payments from the people we protect along St. Marks Street and the Bowery, in the East Village. We walk out of Mamoud’s Falafel when who do we come across but Crina and Star traipsing down the street without a care in the world.
I know exactly who was behind this little expedition, and it sure as hell wasn’t Star. She’s too much of a good girl to come up with something like this. No, this was Crina all the way.
Unbelievable.
After what happened to her yesterday, she had the recklessness to convince or manipulate Star to come along on this rebellious escapade. Impotent rage erupts across my chest like a prickly rash. If she refuses to take care of herself, well, then I’m going to have to take things in hand.
Lucian is about to step off the curb and cross the street when I grab his arm and pull him back. The girls stop in front of the entrance of this huge building across the street. I don’t remember the name of it, but it’s a college of some sort.
Star and Crina turn to face each other. They converse intensely, standing stock still and paying no attention to the abrupt flood of students pouring out the front doors and around them.
“What the fuck are they doing?”
I shake my head, holding Lucian back as I watch them intently. “I have no idea…”
But something’s happening. Crina’s face turns pale and drawn as she listens to Star. Star talks rapidly, gesturing with her hands. Then, Crina drops her gaze to the pavement, looking dejected.
I glance up at the building. It’s old, from the 1800’s or earlier. The ornate brownstone building takes up the entire block with heavy, round arched windows and other fancy decorations.
I turn my attention back to Crina. And then it hits me. Crina’s keeping a secret and it has to do with this school.
I should’ve expected as much from her, but I’m hard pressed to imagine what it can be and what it has to do with this place.
“But I’ll get to the bottom of it,” I mutter to myself when Star happens to look across the street and notice us, her eyes blowing out with fear.
Damn straight she should be scared.
She says something hurriedly as she flutters her hands and Crina’s head snaps in our direction. Crina replies to Star, turns fully in my direction, and hunches her shoulders forward as if preparing for battle. Flicking her thick auburn hair over her shoulder, her voice is hard when she yells, “Are you following us?”
Another surge of fury sweeps over me.
“What the fuck are you two doing here?” I shout over the Fourth Avenue traffic.
“None of your business, you imbecile!”
Oh, I’m going to paddle her ass. I almost say as much, but why bother warning her ahead of time. As much as I love a good hunt, I’m not about to run after her in this traffic-heavy area. Knowing her luck, she’d run off and get hit by a car. Instead, I step into the street. A taxi blazes past me with a long blare of its horn. Cursing, I wait for a break in the stream of fast-moving vehicles. At the first lull in traffic, I sprint across the street.
“Like hell it isn’t.” I stalk up to Crina. “Does your mother know you’re here? ’Cause I bet you lied to her. No way she’d be down with this.”
“Fuck. You,” she screams, shoving her face in mine. “Don’t you dare bring up my mother.”
“Oh boy,” Star mumbles beside her as Lucian strides up to her.
Oh boyis right.
