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“Riven,” I called as he yanked open the driver’s door.
He stopped but didn’t look at me.
“Hey.”
Now he turned. Those dark eyes were cold and stoney, full of rage.
“Talk to me.”
“Talk, Helene. What do you want me to say?” he said coldly.
I flinched, then yanked open the back door before climbing inside.
“How I can ease your pain,” I said to the closed door.
“You can’t.” Kane captured my chin, turning my gaze to his. “This is the game we’re playing. Hale will do everything he can to discredit us. We knew that.”
My throat thickened and ached. I did know, but that didn’t stop it from hurting. Kane dropped his hand, then climbed into the back seat. Tears threatened, blurring the parking lot through the windshield. Riven met my gaze in the rear-view mirror before I looked away.
He started the car and pulled out, but instead of turning back to the highway, we headed toward the commercial estate and the compound that Hunter’s men occupied. When we got there, the place was empty. There were no Hummers or Explorers in the yard, no neat rows of boots outside the door.
We pulled up and climbed out. Hunter headed for the main command building, with Riven close behind, disappearing as I closed my door behind me.
“They’re searching, aren’t they?” I asked, turning my focus to Kane.
“Yes.” He lowered his gaze to mine. “Everyone is out searching.”
We followed Hunter inside, hearing the chatter coming from the intel room.
“Who else has this?” Riven’s cold demand reached me as I neared.
A young former Marine sat in front of the bank of computers. It was the same soldier Riven had sat with the day he’d learned about the Sons. The goddamn Sons. It all came down to them.
“It’s been showing up on different servers. More in the last five minutes and it’s…” the soldier glanced my way. “Growing in popularity.”
Oh, God.
I froze in the doorway. My stomach rolled and churned until I was going to be sick. “That video is out there?”
Riven gripped the edge of the desk and bowed his head. “He wanted this. He wanted…this.” He lifted his head, rage visibly quaking through his body. “Goddamn him.”
He shoved backwards and turned, striding out of the room past me. I reached for him, my fingers brushing his shoulder. But he never stopped, just kept walking, leaving us behind. Hunter watched him leave, then met my gaze.
“Hale is going after him.” I couldn’t keep the pain from my voice. “Painting him the monster. He’s going to ruin him, isn’t he?”
“He’s going to try.” Hunter answered.
“He doesn’t care about himself.” Kane shifted his gaze to me. “He cares about you.”
That hurt. Like a knife to my chest kind of hurt. Kane shook his head and walked away. Hunter leaned forward, talking in hushed tones to his mercenary. Thomas just stood at the back of the room, his body crammed into the corner like he couldn’t get away from us…like he couldn’t get away from here.
“Just call me with any updates,” Hunter said finally.
Any updates.
He meant if it’s found all over the goddamn internet.
I closed my eyes and felt the world tremble.
