Entombed In Sin (Graveyard Games Duet #2)

16. Angel Eyes

16

ANGEL EYES

Jakob: They fucking killed my men

Jakob: You said they weren’t a threat

Jakob: Where do they live? Imma gonna fuckin kill em

I know about the killings. The news anchors on the television are currently talking about the unexpected spike in dangerous criminal activity. It’s all they’ve been talking about for well over an hour now. I peel my eyes off the television, only to stare at the small screen in my hand.

Anger roils in my gut as I look at the text messages. Jakob is right to be mad at me. When I demanded he send some men to stop the car rolling through my streets, I hadn’t thought to warn him about the twins. How the hell could I have known they’d get the upper hand? I figured if I sent Jakob’s men to stall them, they’d be humbled. They would look death in the eyes and realize they were in over their heads. That they should back the fuck off.

But they hadn’t.

Instead, they painted my streets with blood. They’d killed seven gun-wielding gang members in a blink of an eye. But that’s not all. They left bodies piled in an alley and two more littering the streets. My streets. These fuckers came with the intention of stirring up trouble, that much is clear. Well, they succeeded. The police are searching all over the area, but they won’t find the perpetrators. Nope. The Hunt twins left the city and went back to sleep in their nice cushy beds.

Not before they threw their fucking trackers in Lake Eerie, though. It was like one last ‘fuck you’ before they took off. Well, the jokes on them. The trackers aren’t the only way I’ve been keeping tabs on them. It’s almost funny that they thought they were through with me.

How fucking stupid.

Rage, hot and black, grips my heart as I stand and stomp into the living room. I grab the remote to the television and power it off. I’m tired of the news. Tired of being patient. And I’m fucking tired of the Hunt twins. The chaos they’ve left in their wake can’t be taken lightly. I’m not, and have never been, a pushover. Letting this transgression go will only allow more to happen. I glare at the dark, blank screen. My reflection is that of an older man. I hate who I see. That’s not me. In my head, I’m in the prime of my life. A man capable of horrible things.

I jerk my head away to look toward the stairs.

My sweet ShayShay is sleeping. Lately, that’s all she’s been doing. I hate seeing my once energetic, lovely little wife reduced to a husk of a person. Last night, I had to help her into the shower given how weak she’s gotten. I think it helped a little. She regained a bit of color in her cheeks after that, and she managed to eat some food.

But then she went right back to sleep.

My hands curl into fists. The gesture reminds me of the burner phone in my hand. Flipping it back open, I type back a response.

Me: I’ll take care of them

Jakob: Give me the info, Angel

Rather than respond to the leader of the macabre gang, I flip the phone shut and shove it into my back pocket. I’m not afraid of Jakob or his crew. They don’t know who I am or where I live. The occasional reminder that I know where they reside, and what I’m capable of, keeps them under my control.

I lick my dry lips. My heart hammers away as thoughts of the Hunt twins drive me into a murderous rage.

I let these serial killers play house for far too long while I let mine fall to the wayside. My Old Lady is upstairs, wasting away thanks to my failures. I can’t keep letting her down. I won’t. All I need to do is get rid of these four, and I can go back to the peaceful life we’ve had and focus on making my ShayShay happy.

How did the Hunt twins manage to get everything they’ve ever wanted? The answer comes easily. They wished upon a shooting Starr. Maybe that’s what I need to do. Maybe the Starr is exactly what I need to focus on. She’s been the center of their attention since they arrived. I can see why now. She’s a young woman, sweet and unsuspecting. She balances the trio perfectly.

Young and sweet…

Those words echo in my head. A light bulb flickers on in my head. It disperses the dark rage and brightens the path to a clear future. A smile pulls at the corners of my lips. It’s slow in coming, but is pinned firmly into place once it arrives.

I hurry through the house, too excited to keep still. When I get to the landing of the stairs, I call up, “Shannon, darling, I just figured out the answer to our prayers!”

There’s no response. I didn’t think there would be. Not with how deeply depressed my Old Lady is. But I’ve figured this out. My idea will drag her out of her despondency, fix our problem, and make our future brighter. I just need to get everything set up.

“I’ll be in the basement if you need me!”

I don’t wait for an answer. My feet are already moving toward the basement door as excitement sizzles in my veins.