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“You bastard!”
I don’t look back, but I know I’m going to sleep like a baby.
CHAPTER 10
SEB
Istare at the clock on the wall, watching the minutes tick by, then throw my head back with a huff to spend more time tracing the patterns of the Artex-swirled ceiling. I should return to my room, but I’d rather be here.
Across from me, Bram is fast asleep. I have to give the Campbell twins some credit. Callen’s medical expertise saved Bram’s life, and Torean’s helicopter got us out of there quicker than asking my family for help would have, not that I’d have dared to. I stifle a snort, imagining how that conversation would have went.Sorry, Mother, I have to borrow the royal jet because I’m on the run from a group of assassins after breaking into their lair. I’m already enough of a disappointment.
Bram’s condition is stable, although he looks like a shadow of his former self. He’s lost weight and has fresh scars, including a brand on his chest and an infected wound on his thigh. It’ll take weeks for him to heal properly, but he’ll pull through. That’s the most important thing. That, and making the Killers Club pay for what they did to him.
My thoughts inevitably stray to below ground, where the woman I thought I was falling for is being held prisoner. The woman who betrayed us, and who I was stupid enough to trust.Freddie hasn’t decided what will happen to Ivy yet, and while I’m conflicted, I still need answers of my own.
I don’t know whether it’s the whiskey talking or the lack of sleep, but a nagging voice in the back of my head keeps pushing me. What if Freddie takes her somewhere and you never see her again? This could be your only chance to get answers. You won’t sleep anyway. What’s the harm in going on a midnight stroll?
Fuck it.
I grab a spare bottle of water from Bram’s bedside table. Even though I’m angry, I can’t let her die of dehydration. Torean’s hardly the hospitable type. Freddie ordered us to stay away from her, but there’ll be no one to stay away from if she dies under our care.
Bram will be safe alone for a few minutes. Freddie’s bedroom is on the floor above us, and Callen will have made himself at home, probably busy bashing one out to some obscure porno.
I peer around the door to check whether the coast is clear. No one is around, so I set off. Torean’s castle is creepy as shit. Grey flagstone floors, sconces, and oil paintings of graphic battle scenes make it seem like we’ve stepped back into medieval times. I’ve been to my fair share of old buildings, but this place makes me feel permanently watched. Callen once told me Torean bought the castle because of its grisly history, and I don’t doubt it.
“Going somewhere?” a voice calls from behind me.
I turn to see Marshall approaching. I know all about Torean and his band of followers. He, Ovi, and Marshall are inseparable. Just as I’m about to open my mouth to tell him to mind his own business and return to blowing bagpipes, Torean storms forward, appearing out of nowhere with a face like thunder.
“We’re leaving,” Torean declares.
Marshall’s jaw drops, clearly oblivious to the cause of Torean’s change in mood. “What do you—”
“Where have you been?” Torean blasts, cutting him off. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
“I’ve been…” Marshall’s eyes narrow in my direction. “Checking to make sure our guests feel welcome.”
I raise my eyebrows. Yeah, about as welcome as an outbreak of crabs or a toothy blowjob from Beatrice.
“Pack your bags,” Torean says. “We’re going to London.”
“Now?” Marshall frowns. “But we just got here.”
“We have a lead,” Torean says.
Marshall’s demeanour changes instantly. He nods in grim understanding, not needing any more explanation. Without giving me a second look, the two of them march past. Well, thank you, welcome distraction. This is a sign I’m doing the right thing by seeing her, right?
I continue along the corridor to a large wooden door that I saw Freddie and Torean carry Ivy’s unconscious body through earlier. As I reach for the door handle, a low whistle comes from behind a nearby statue. “Going somewhere, Sebastian?”
I spin to see Callen, who has one hand buried in a giant share bag of crisps, grinning like the Cheshire cat. My mind races to find an excuse, but I’m not quick enough.
“Don’t worry, your secrets are safe with me.” He winks. “Enjoy your midnight snack.”
Maybe I’m not the only person who has broken Freddie’s rule tonight…
Callen saunters back to his grand suite a few doors down before I can argue. Torean allocated Freddie and me small box rooms on the floor above, while Callen has a massive suite with a four-poster bed from the Tudor era.
I pause for a few minutes, making sure there are no more footsteps. Freddie won’t have heard anything. The stone walls are ridiculously thick, and he’ll be too busy pacing, weighing up all our options.
