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Cain rubs his hand over his chin and down the front of his neck before turning his glacial eyes on me. “Stay here. Make sure nobody else comes in.” Then he stomps down the hall to the track.
I stand with my back leaning against the wall. Nobody comes upto the third floor while I wait. A scuffling noise sounds down the hall and I turn to watch the three of them dragging the two bags down the hall. We’re able to get into the elevator and out to Cain’s SUV without being seen.
I help Cain lift the bags into the trunk while Viv and Z just stand there like we’re having a social meet and greet over dead bodies. Cain turns to Z. “You’re coming with me.”
His eyes land on me. “You take Viviana”—he turns a glare on her—“back to the house.”
Viv turns accusing eyes on me. “You told him?”
“Of course I fucking told him. I just watched you stuff two bodies into trash bags.”
Her eyes narrow at me and she pokes her finger out at me. “You’re the one who brought me the damn trash bags.”
My eye twitches. “It’s not about the damn trash bags! It’s time for the truth.”
Her arms cross over her chest. “It should have been me who told him. I told you I would come clean when it was necessary.” She turns her back on me and I feel like I just fucked up, even though I know I did the right thing. Didn’t I?
Z pulls her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her temple. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?” he asks, looking her over.
Viv bites her bottom lip and looks away from him. “I’ll be fine.”
Z’s eyes narrow and he looks to me. “Make sure Nox checks her over even if you’ve got to strip her down and tie her to a bed to let him do it.”
Cain trips on absolutely nothing, catching himself on the side of his car and brushes off his shirt like he got dust on it from his stumble. “Time to go,” he says with so much command that we all scatter.
I grab Viv’s elbow and lead her to my Ford hatchback. She gets in without complaint but doesn’t speak to me at all the entire drive back to the house. Nox is waiting for us in the living room with a first aid kit. He looks pissed. “Shirt and pants off, now,” he demands, looking at Viv. She pulls her T-shirt off without complaint but hesitates with her hands on her waistband. Nox raises his brows, glaring at her expectantly. “Today, please.” She pulls her leggings down and I curse,turning away. “Shit, sorry. You could have said something. Sloane, go get her a pair of Z’s boxers or something.”
I run up the stairs, grabbing a pair of underwear out of Z’s top drawer and running them down to hand them off to Viv, trying to keep my eyes off her exposed bottom half. She takes them with a soft-spokenthanks. Nox and I stand with our backs to her until we hear her sit down on the couch. She winces, holding her right side.
Nox rushes over to her, kneeling down in front of her. “What happened? Walk me through it.”
Viv sighs, leaning back against the cushions even though it’s obvious the movement hurts her. “Wade snuck up behind me and tried to put me into a chokehold. I flipped him over my shoulder and stabbed him with the knife I keep in my bra. Desmond tried to grab me next. He was able to grab my shoulders and kneed me in the ribs. I’m a little confused after that. Next thing I remember was looking up and seeing Sloane freaking out.”
Nox turns to me with frantic eyes. “Go grab some ice packs. I think she broke a rib.”
I run to the kitchen, sliding across the floor when I try to stop in front of the fridge. I yank it open and pull out three large ice packs. Even though he didn’t ask me to, I grab a large dish towel out of the drawer. Falling to my knees next to him, I hold out the supplies. He picks up the dish towel and places it against her side. He grabs one of the soft icepacks and places it against the ribs on her right side. A hiss leaves her lips, and she closes her eyes. Nox blindly reaches into the first aid kit and pulls out an ace bandage. He wraps it around her to hold the ice in place. “That’s not too tight it is? I just want it to hold the ice, not restrict you in any way.”
She shakes her head. “It feels fine.”
Nox nods, dipping his head forward. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
Her head shakes once more. “No. Not seriously, anyway. I’m just a little banged up. I’ll be okay.”
Nox holds out a couple pills and a bottle of water. “Take these,” he orders, and she does so without question.
It seems like we spend hours sitting in the living room waiting forCain and Z to get home. I’m pretty sure Viv falls asleep at some point, because she jerks upright when the front door slams shut. When Cain storms in, Z follows close behind him, an anxious look on his face. Cain stops a couple feet from the couch, staring down at Viv with pure vitriol in his eyes. “I want the truth now! Who are you, and why did you come here?”
Viv bites her bottom lip and looks up as Z pushes himself between Cain and Viv. Z pushes Cain back a step. “Calm down. Give her a chance to explain.”
“Explain? She’s had chance after chance to explain! All she’s done is lie to us. For all we know she could be here to spy on us,” he snaps, pushing Z out of his way. “Why the fuck are you here?!” he shouts in her face.
Tears spring to Viv’s eyes and that sets Z off. He shoves Cain backward, making him sprawl on the floor on his ass. “She’s here for you! She came here for you, God dammit. Just calm the fuck down and let her explain!”
Cain jumps to his feet, fisting the collar of Z’s shirt. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Viv stands, trying to pull Cain and Z apart. She gasps in pain and Nox rushes over to grab her elbow. He pulls her away gently. “Sit down before you puncture a lung,” he tells her softly, helping her sit back down.
Cain lets go of Z and scoffs at all of us. Z sits down next to her and holds her hand. “Tell us everything.”
