AllFreeNovel
Share Us
twenty-nine
Missy
I sit in the passenger’s seat of the SUV and flip through the dozens of notes I’ve made over the last six weeks. The Fields Gala is tomorrow, and all our hard work, alltheirhard work, is coming to fruition. The magnitude of their plan is astounding.
I smile at the handwritten note from Darion. He brought me into the office the night after our argument and showed me what his operatives go through in training before they get put out in the field. He then walked me through every step of the plan. I felt awed and a bit like a spoilt brat. But he didn’t say so. He just knelt at my feet and put his head in my lap and said that he couldn’t bare the thought of me ending up in that place. So, I’m happily going to sit out of the way in the surveillance van with Ava.
She bitched at me for using a notebook, but I like the act of writing things down. We did a run through in the surveillance van yesterday so I would know what to expect. I’m nervous, so I’m rereading all the notes. I can hear her voice in my head, her laughter, and I don’t feel quite as silly.
The front door opens, and I’m still flipping through the book, but I pause to watch my mother. She looks so different, her clothes are clean and fashionable, her hair has been coloured and gleams in the light. She looks lighter. Happy. I curl my lip and glare at her.
My stomach tenses around the fury I feel seeing her using the spoils of my pack’s help wasted on her shameless need to flaunt herself. That money should go to Elise and Muse. To Trin.
She goes down to the letter box and flips through several letters. The box is white with a little red wind chime on the top. So ordinary. We never had one before.
I straighten up, leaning over the dash to get a better look at her face.
“What's wrong?” Kandi asks.
“She’s wearing that shade of foundation. She only wears it when she’s covering up bruises.”
“I can’t see anything.”
“I know, but they’re there. Dad never hits her, so these came from some other John.” She looks tired and scared beneath the smile. Now, I know what I’m looking for, I see past her facade. She’s even got a slight limp.
“Where is Muse?” I ask Kandi.
“She’s with the babysitter.”
“And Elise should be in doing homework? But we haven’t seen her yet.” I murmur and bite my lower lip. Something feels off.
I slump down in the seat and wait as she goes back into the house. Ten minutes later, a dark shadow detaches from the side of the house and creeps down the street.Son of a bitch!
I glance at my driver for the day, a tall woman with a body made of coiled muscle. She’s a beta, with a slightly citrus scent that makes me think of Oma. We’ve spent a lot of time together and have this super chill relationship.
“Kandi, we need to follow the sneaking shadow.” I point to my sister. “Bloody idiot. She knows she shouldn’t be out on her own.”
“On it.”
One thing I love about Kandi, she isn’t one for words. We can comfortably sit in the car with each other for hours and not exchange a single useless pleasantry. Once we’d established our love of lack of words, we’d gotten past the obvious disdain for babysitting duty and got along marvelously.
She starts the car, driving slowly until I give a nod, and then she accelerates. I wait until she cuts the shadow off and jumps out of the car. The lithe form jumps back, tension in every quivering line of their body. Their head whips around trying to find an escape in so much panic I almost regret my actions.
Trin’s fear eases, and the wariness falls from her eyes as recognition hits. “Missy, what the hell?”
“Yeah, well, I could ask you the same. Where are you going, Trinity?”
“Last I checked, I was not just an adult, but also your older sister.” Trinity snaps back, and I’m stunned by the anger in her voice.
“Last time I checked, you started behaving like this, you were gone for years. What gives?” I snap back at her, furious all over again.
Her eyes drop, and I feel the familiar guilt sluice through me at being such a bitch. I inhale, hold it, and let it out, the anger going with it.
“For three weeks, you’ve been leaving the house like this. Where are you going, Trin? I know something’s up.” I prod at her, needing to know.
“I thought you’d be too busy with your pack, but you still got time to follow me? Are you serious right now?” Trin screams in very real fury. She shoves me hard in the chest, but backs off when Kandi opens the car door. The smell of eucalyptus is strong on the hot breeze. I catch a hint of cigarette smoke and glance around, making sure we’re alone.
“I’m an incredible multitasker.” I snarl and fix my t-shirt.
