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I glanced to the side at Dare’s voice, my focus pulling away from Diggs on a delay. My brow furrowed as I tried comprehending what he’d said, and after a moment, I nodded unsteadily. “I was trying to help.”
“I know,” he said before I could get anything out, gratitude weaving through the short words as he checked the gun in his hands before letting it rest at his side. “And he’ll understand...later. Not when we’re being attacked. Not when the people attacking have figured out ways past Einstein’s security.”
I’d been looking in the direction of where the others were quickly disappearing but faced Dare again at the disbelief and aggravation gently fueling his words.
I didn’t know much about Diggs’ family—other than what I’d learned during their fast-paced, shocking meetings—but I knew from Dare’s tone that getting past Einstein’s security wasn’t something that easily happened.
“They’re all going to the back.”
“Conor’s still protecting the kids,” Dare informed me. “And don’t ever discredit me again.”
I swallowed carefully when it felt like I might start sobbing or throw up right there, then hinted, “The cars are out front.”
His dark stare slowly turned on me, scrutinizing and understanding all at once.
“I don’t have my keys though,” I added, the unspoken question lingering between us like a bomb set to go off as he contemplated what I was suggesting.
“Told you I wouldn’t ask this of you,” Dare muttered, even as a deep longing burned in his eyes.
“And you didn’t—you aren’t,” I said with a shaky nod. “But I was already decided. I’m still decided.”
Dare wavered for a second longer before he pulled out his phone with his free hand, quickly tapping on the screen and lifting the device to his ear as he glanced around the great room and down the hall we were near.
“I’m blind,” I heard Einstein shout through the phone, causing Dare to twist fully to study the hall. “My feeds switched to recordings right after you left.”
“Fix it,” Dare ground out as he started moving toward the front door, nodding for me to do the same.
“Why didn’t I think of that?” she sneered. “Oh, wait...”
Dare sighed irritably before whispering, “It’s time, E. Give us that head start.”
From the way Dare immediately ended the call before she could respond, I had a feeling Einstein was the only person he’d trusted with this idea he’d planted in my head. I also had a feeling he’d known I would come to this decision.
Pocketing his phone, Dare made one more sweep around the room before looking directly into my eyes. “You will not get traded. We will not let you fall into their hands. Understand?” Just as I began nodding, he gripped the handle of the door and demanded, “Then hold onto my shirt. Keep up with me.”
I don’t know what I expected when he opened the door—maybe for there to be an actual war with explosions and people shooting at each other.
But it was unnervingly calm as he stepped onto the porch with me directly behind him. There were no masked faces. There were no sounds of fighting.
Just a silence that was as thick as it was wrong.
It could’ve had something to do with the bodies scattered everywhere—masks discarded beside them. Or it could’ve been what we were doing.
Preparing to trick the KSG.
Leaving the place my heart wanted to be.
Lying to Diggs.
I stepped carefully through the minefield of bodies, following Dare’s path, and felt a chill erupt on the back of my neck when he slowed to a near stop. Bringing the gun close to his chest as his other hand moved around me.
Just as he grasped my arm and started pulling me around him, another arm slipped around my waist and hauled me in the opposite direction. My scream broke off as my back slammed against a firm chest, and then strong fingers were gripping my jaw, forcing my face up.
Except this wasn’t Kieran trying to save me when we were being attacked.
This wasn’t Diggs unable to stop himself from holding and gripping me tight for even the shortest moment before he verbally pushed me away again.
This was evil and greed. This was sin and depravity.
