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CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

I was scared by the lack of violence.

Bo had never been one to control his temper, and even though years had passed since we last met, a tiger did not change its stripes. Even yesterday, when he fucked me in front of barely conscious Hayden, I felt him holding back.

But why?

I had learned how to handle Bo at his meanest, and this calculated and tamed version of him terrified me. I had no doubt he loved every second of keeping me boiling in dread.

When Samuel walked into my room with the wheelchair, his somber expression signaled bad news. “Where are you taking me?”

“Just get in the chair.”

“Did you speak with Mr. White?”

He pulled me off the bed and into the wheelchair. The dormant pain in my leg erupted, making me yell.

“Sorry,” he said. “Just don’t make this harder.”

Grimacing, I didn’t struggle as he wheeled me out, but I couldn’t shake the menacing feeling of being taken to my execution.

“I wasn’t lying,” I said. “He put those videos online.”

“Shut up, Jonah. Just… don’t act stupid, okay? He’s not playing.”

“What is he planning?”

“I don’t know.”

We stopped in front of two large wooden doors. I was sure that whatever awaited on the other side would determine everything, and I didn’t feel ready for the upcoming war.

Samuel opened both doors, the bright light blinding. I rubbed my eyes and soaked in my surroundings. We were in a conservatory, the desert sun shining through the glass walls and ceiling. The scent of soil was strong in the air because of the rich vegetation all around.

And in the center of it all sat two bound men, wearing the same gray clothes as I. Hayden had a gag deep in his mouth, stretching his lips. His eyes seemed sharper than the last time I saw him, but seeing him so helpless and weak churned my stomach.

“Jonah?”

I shifted my gaze to the young man sitting in the other chair. “Hey, Nick.”

“Jonah! What the fuck? Did they get you too? And why are you in a wheelchair?” I didn’t get a chance to answer before he broke into sobs. “It’s horrible here! The Director’s a monster, and some of the others, but Samuel’s okay.”

“Nick, enough,” Samuel said from behind me, a subtle fondness in his voice.

Nick took hold of himself, paler and skinnier than when I’d last seen him, but he had clearly been treated better than Hayden.

The doors opened behind me, then closed again with a loud thud. I held my breath as Bo entered my line of sight, moving to stand between Hayden and Nick. While Hayden sent daggers with his eyes, Nick looked away, trying to make himself smaller.

Bo wore dark clothes, his hair neatly combed and his beard groomed.

As if he was going out to an event.

“Bring him closer.”

Samuel wheeled me forward, and it took all my self-control not to reach out to touch Hayden. He seemed petrified, making me even more determined to keep myself composed. Bo stood behind Hayden and placed his hands on his shoulders. “I’m not an expert in rescue missions, but this has got to be one of the shittiest ones in history.”

“Wait.” Nick watched me with wide eyes. “You came here to rescue me?”

Bo burst into laughter. “You think he’s here for you? Nah, Jonah likes them manlier.” He grabbed Hayden’s hair and turned him to look at Nick. “He came all this way to help his detective boyfriend; not you, Nicky boy.”

Nick looked away. “Oh.”

“Don’t worry; he’ll get a chance to be your friend in a bit.”

I watched Bo closely. Something about his last words sent a shiver down my spine.

“Have I told you how I lost my eye?” Bo asked Nick.

“No.”

“Jonah did it with a needle.”

Nick gasped at me. “What?”

“You heard me. He stuck it deep inside, then wriggled it until my eye leaked all over him. He held me by the beard until he was sure he got everything. When I screamed on the floor, he stepped over me and left me to bleed.”

Hayden sat very still, looking at me with wariness in his eyes, but also pride. By now, he knew the monster I had to deal with.

“Jonah was here before?” Nick stared at me in disbelief.

“Not in this exact place, but yeah, a long time ago. He got The Director before me wrapped around his little finger.”

“Bo, why are we here?” I asked, sounding calmer than I felt.

“Why?” He looked around him. “Seems like as good a place as any to celebrate karma, doesn’t it?”

I remained quiet, anxiety spreading in my chest as my blood grew colder.

Bo walked to the back, disappearing from my line of sight. I used the opportunity to reach out to Hayden, placing my palm over his. His skin was alarmingly hot, his chest heaving. I wanted to whisper something reassuring, but we were past lying.

I removed my hand when Bo returned, pushing a medical tray stand. He wheeled the stand between Hayden and Nick, and we all stared at the two items lying on the tray: a long metal needle and a spoon.

My face remained composed, but underneath my skin, everything quivered.

Bo picked up the needle, holding it under the sunlight like a diamond. “It’s bigger than the one you used on me.”

“Bo—”

“And why the spoon, you ask? Well, how else would you scoop out all the gross parts?”

I gathered saliva in my mouth because it had grown drier than the desert outside. “You know I won’t do it.”

“I know you better than anyone, remember? You’ll do it.” He put his hand on Hayden’s shoulder. “One eye from him.” He put his other hand on Nick’s shoulder. “Or two eyes from him.”

Nick bursts into sobs, making it hard for me to concentrate. Bo had known I’d choose to hurt Nick over Hayden, which was why Nick was at risk of losing both his eyes and why Bo hadn’t gagged him—so I could hear him begging.

“Sir.” Samuel cleared his throat. “That’s taking it too far.”

Bo gave him a chilling glare. “Stand back if you can’t stomach it.”

I heard Samuel’s footsteps, but since the door remained closed, he must have gone to stand at the back.

“My eyes,” Nick sobbed. “I don’t want to lose my eyes!”

“Well, yeah, it sucks.” Bo ran his fingers through Nick’s blond hair. “You have to be a real psychopath to take out both of someone’s eyes instead of one. A real , cold-blooded psychopath.”

Hayden jerked in his chair, pulling at his bindings. Bo smacked the side of his head. “Quiet, you. You’re getting out easy, unlike poor Nicky.”

Nick’s sobs grew louder, and God help me, but I wanted him to shut up so badly. I couldn’t think, couldn’t plan.

“Pick up the needle, Prey. Time to get to business.”

I shook my head, my vocabulary a blank page.

Bo picked up the needle and held it in front of Hayden’s face. I stopped myself from reaching out to grab his hand. He ran the tip of the needle across Hayden’s bearded cheek. “Why are you being dramatic, Prey? He’ll be fine with one less eye, and I’ll have him back behind the mirror in no time.”

Hayden remained still, his breaths shallow and rapid, beads of sweat sliding down his face.

“Oh, I know what the problem is; you forgot how to use it!” He grabbed Hayden’s shirt and tore it open. I held my breath as he pinched Hayden’s nipple, pulling it forward while bringing the needle closer.

“Bo, stop!”

“Then how else will you remember?”

Hayden screamed into his gag as the needle pierced his skin. I gripped the armrests of my wheelchair, fearing that any attempt to stop Bo would make this worse. He roughly twisted the needle inside Hayden’s flesh, drawing blood. “Did he ever tell you he used to do this to himself?” Bo asked Hayden, who moaned in pain, his eyes tightly shut. “I used to find bloody needles in his room all the time. He said it helped relax him.”

He finally pulled the needle out, then scooped the blood with his finger and brought it to my face. “Sit still.” He smeared it at the corners of my mouth, drawing a bloody smile. “Now we have a happy, smiling Prey.” He placed the needle back on the tray. “Okay, now get to work.”

“Fuck you,” I hissed, the blood quickly drying on my skin.

“It’s either an eye or a bullet to the detective’s head—something you’re also familiar with, aren’t you?”

Hayden made a sound to get my attention. When our eyes met, I understood what he wanted me to do.

“I can’t.” I had no right to cry, but my tears didn’t care. “I can’t, Hayden.”

It sounded like he was saying, “You can.”

“I’m… I’m feeling sick.” Nick threw up on himself.

Bo sighed. “Wonderful. Prey, do your thing before we start smelling like puke.”

I forced myself to look at the bloody needle. My hand weighed a ton as I reached to pick it up. Bo stood too far for me to reach, likely knowing I’d try to attack.

“Who will it be?” he asked like a host in a twisted game show.

Hayden tried to keep his panic at bay, but he couldn’t control the heaving of his chest or the grayness that took over his face. His bravery could only go so far.

I would have fought harder if I had any doubt about Bo’s willingness to shoot Hayden. I glanced at the needle in my hand. In the back of my mind, an idea began to form, and with it, I could finally breathe easier.

I raised the needle and brought it close to my eye.

“Prey… what the hell are you doing?”

“An eye for an eye.”

He shook his head. “Noble of you, but that won’t cut it.”

“It will.” I brought the needle closer, enough to see the tip as a blur. “My eye instead of theirs.” I wasn’t naive enough to bargain for our freedom, but I just needed to survive this bloody battle and buy us more time.

Bo chuckled. “You know, I think I dig this little plot twist.” He tapped Hayden’s shoulder. “But only if the detective here gets to scoop up the leftovers. Let’s make it a team effort.”

Hayden jerked violently, yelling through his gag and trying to catch my gaze. I blocked him out because this wasn’t about him—it was for him. He never would have forgiven me if I had hurt Nick to spare him.

“You’ll need to wriggle it inside,” Bo said. “Make everything nice and mushy.”

My stomach churned, pulse drumming. My idea seemed simpler a minute ago, but I was quickly losing my shit and failing to keep my hand steady. No going back . I gripped the armchair with my other hand and drew a tight breath, the blur growing larger as I prepared myself for unfathomable pain. I feared I couldn’t hold on to the needle once it penetrated my eye, meaning I’d need to do it again until Bo was satisfied.

“Sir, you have a phone call.”

I stopped, wondering if I’d imagined Samuel’s voice.

“What?” Bo snapped.

“Mr. White would like a word.”

I dropped my hand with a weary exhale, the needle hitting the floor without making a sound. My body ached, my heart smashing against my chest.

“You fucking called him?”

“He was already on his way over, sir. I don’t think it’s wise to keep him waiting.”

Bo growled and strode past me. I rubbed my damp face, fighting to stay conscious as my blood pressure dropped.

Bo spoke on the phone, but the buzzing in my ears drowned out his words. Shortly after, he shouted, “Get them back to their fucking rooms!

*

With Bo gone, I pushed myself up from the wheelchair and limped to Hayden.

“Bastard,” Samuel said from behind, “I knew you could walk.”

I pulled the gag from his mouth and gently wiped the saliva from his chin. “Are you okay?”

The man who hated showing weakness said, “I’m not doing so great.” He managed a feeble smile. “Getting better, though.”

I pressed my forehead against his, my hands on both sides of his face.

“Jonah, Mr. White asked that you stay here until he arrives,” Samuel said.

“Can Hayden stay with me?”

“No.”

I kissed Hayden’s chapped lips. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Don’t do anything reckless, Joe, or more reckless. I mean it.”

“Okay.” Though he should have known I’d do whatever it took to get him out of here.

I turned to Nick, who looked very young and rattled, his puke soaking into his shirt. “Are you okay?”

“I… yes. I think. I’m happy to see you.” I could almost hear him thinking, ‘Even though you aren’t here for me.’

I went to untie Nick as Samuel untied Hayden. When Nick was able to stand, we hugged. “Sorry about the puke,” he said, sobbing on my shoulder.

“It’s fine.” I wondered if he’d already figured out that his involvement with me had been the reason why he was chosen for this.

Hayden needed to lean on Samuel as he let him and Nick out of the conservatory. Once alone, I slumped into the wheelchair, my leg throbbing.

Time passed, and it dawned on me that I would soon meet Mr. White again. The man who had stuck the first needle into my flesh, granted me my freedom, and later destroyed my relationship with Hayden, was once again holding my life in his hands.

I breathed in the rich scent of soil and plants to calm myself down. With the desert spread before me, I could almost feel an imaginary wind stroking my face.

When the doors finally opened, Mr. White entered wearing a white suit. He walked slowly using a cane to help him reach the chair next to me. He let out a weary sigh as he settled. His short, white hair was striking against his dark skin, and his eyes were as sharp as the day I last saw him, when he sent me back into the world with a tracker in my leg and an oath to follow his rules.

He scanned my face. “You look ridiculous.” I assumed he meant the fake smile of blood. “Is that puke on your shirt?”

“Yes.”

“Lovely.” He glanced at my leg. “I was told your running days are behind you.”

“I was never much of a runner.”

“Yet you still found your way here.” He shook his head, both palms gripping the golden handle of his cane. “Your impulsiveness is astonishing, Jonah. Wasn’t my gift to you generous?”

“You took Hayden.”

“Did your snooping detective leave me any other choice? I tried to separate the two of you months ago, but perhaps I was too subtle.”

“There was nothing subtle about those videos you sent.”

“I can name a few less subtle methods if you prefer.” His eyes hardened. “You should have kept him away from us.”

“I tried.”

“And you failed. Now, here we are, with a mess on our hands.”

I couldn’t deny that. “How desperate were you to give Bo this job?”

He chuckled. “Quite, but in my defense, we both knew his role would be short-lived. With the number of members at an all-time low, this place—our entire organization—has become meaningless.”

“Then you need to let it die already.”

He sighed. “You are as blunt as you are correct. My beloved Society is all but a memory.”

I felt encouraged hearing that, knowing he had no real reason to keep us here. “So, what happens next?”

He watched me with rare uncertainty. The man who had been controlling the game for decades now needed to deal with pieces that didn’t fit. Fearing what he might say, I blurted out, “Bo has been—”

“I’m aware of Bo’s actions. Samuel informed me of your little discovery.”

I straightened. “I gave you information, and I deserve something in return.”

He snorted. “I can’t honestly think of anyone in a worse position than you to negotiate, but I appreciate the attempt.”

“I want to walk out of here with Hayden and Nick.”

“I’m sure you do.” He waved a finger. “Two handsome men, Jonah? Someone was being greedy.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Well, it’s none of my business, but what will become of the three of you is.” Our eyes remained locked, and it became clear I wouldn’t be leaving this place alive, and neither would Hayden and Nick.

“I’m sorry, Jonah. I’m an old man, and I wish to spend my remaining days in peace. There are already too many loose threads out there, and I’d be a fool to add even more. This estate holds enough explosives to blow it to pieces—as did all of our previous estates. One can never be too careful.”

I failed to find my voice; the sense of failure was devastating.

“I’ll let you have one more day together,” he said, but I could barely process his words. He suddenly narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze toward the sky, watching like a hawk. Seconds later, I heard the strange sound too—a buzzing that quickly grew louder. We watched in tense silence as the dot in the sky took the unmistakable shape of a helicopter. It seemed that Ben’s old Mary Sue could still fly, although she sounded like a tractor.

“Friends of yours?” Mr. White asked warily.

“Yes, it’s the FBI.”

He snorted. “As someone who knows the FBI thoroughly, I can assure you that the struggling thing in the sky is not them.” His eyes fixed on my leg. “Did you let someone poke at your tracker?”

There was no point in lying. “Yes.”

He sighed. “Well, now we know how they found us.”

I recalled Tammy wanting to speak with Ben in private after he’d checked on my tracker. Had they already decided back then to track me?

“Well, this does complicate things,” Mr. White said as the helicopter passed overhead, vanishing from sight yet still loud in the background. He stared at the back of his weathered hands, his shoulders slumped.

“It’s over,” I said. “You know it is.”

He met my gaze, his eyes hard. “Because of a helicopter? By the time they manage to get in here, you and the rest will be gone.” He glanced at the rich vegetation. “Why do you think they grow so well out here?”

My skin warmed as I scanned the soil, trying to spot bumps in the ground. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?”

“They’ll follow my tracker.”

“Yes, and much good it will do you.”

I could no longer hear the helicopter. Did it fly away, or was my heart pounding too loudly to hear?

As I struggled to find what to say, I began to hear shouts from inside the estate, growing louder by the second. Mr. White and I turned our heads as the doors flew open. Bo burst inside, his face bloody.

“Sir!” He tripped and fell to his hands and knees.

Samuel walked behind him, blood smeared on his shirt.

“Sir, I know I’ve fucked up, but I’ve been loyal to you. I—”

“Acted like an idiot for greed—yes, I know.”

Bo crawled forward on his hands and knees, blood trickling from a cut on his cheek. I wheeled my chair back, afraid he might try to attack me.

“Sir, I can make it right. You know we still have a couple more years here.” He glanced at me, hatred peeking through his fear. “Some of the old members would love seeing him in action again.”

Mr. White looked away in thought, rubbing his chin. I gripped the armrests of my wheelchair, hating Bo with every fiber of my being.

“Sir,” Samuel said, “you can’t trust him.”

Mr. White nodded. “You’re right. Bo, I explained to you how crucial trust is for this role.”

“I know, but—”

“I had to have a LAPD detective kidnapped because of your recklessness.”

“But it’s done, sir. We have him!”

“What we have is a helicopter flying overhead, and God knows who else is coming.”

“We can hide them until it blows over. We…” I followed the direction of his gaze as it landed on Mr. White’s cane. After all these years, I knew how to read Bo, so I wasn’t surprised when he sprang forward and snatched the cane. Still on his knees, he swung it toward Mr. White’s head, but I was close enough to grab it before it could land.

My palm burned with the impact, but I didn’t let go. Samuel pulled Bo back, forcing him to let go of the cane. I looked at the beautiful wooden stick with the golden handle, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu. With a level of clarity I didn’t know I possessed, I thrust the tip of the cane into Bo’s right eye.

Once more, I watched him writhing on the floor, holding his face as his remaining eye bled out.

“Pathetic.” Mr. White took the cane from my hand. “Samuel, put the man out of his misery before I get a headache.”

Samuel dragged screaming Bo out of my line of sight. Even though I braced myself, I still jolted at the deafening sound of a gunshot. My ears rang, but the world felt quieter like after a storm.

I composed myself and said, “Ask me.”

Mr. White frowned. “Ask you what?”

“What I would like as a reward. I just saved the life of a Society member, didn’t I? Again. ”

He laughed. “Oh my. There’s never a dull moment with you.”

“I deserve it.”

“No, Jonah, you deserve nothing. You had your chance.” He pushed himself to his feet with the cane. “Samuel, I expect we’ll have company soon. It’s time to clean up, and quickly. Start with Jonah, then meet me at the basement. The rest will be dealt with by the explosion.”

He made his way toward the door, and I locked my gaze with Samuel, praying that I was reading the hesitation in his eyes correctly. “He won’t let you go after this,” I said, aware that every word could be my last. “You know too much.”

Mr. White turned around, smiling in amusement. “Honestly, Jonah. I take good care of my men.”

“But he isn’t like your men.” I wheeled myself closer to Samuel, trying not to look at the gun in his hand. “He has no more use for you after this, and you know so fucking much. You saw what he’s willing to do to tie up loose ends. Let me finish this.”

“Samuel, enough with this nonsense. End him. ”

Samuel raised the gun toward me. Holding my breath, I blinked in surprise, hoping I wasn’t imagining it. He offered me the grip of the gun.

“Samuel!”

I took the gun from him, my hand shaking enough to risk dropping it. I couldn’t help but remember Nathan. Like then, I had everything to lose by failing, but this time, I felt no remorse.

Mr. White sharply turned back. He tried to walk as fast as he could toward the door, and just as he was about to open it, I fired.

He fell to the ground, blood spreading across the back of his white suit. Before I could bring myself to shoot him again, he gave a final choking breath, then lay still.

I let my hand drop, my body covered in sweat. Samuel came to take the gun from me.

“Thank you,” I said.

“There are two more captives here. I’ll tell them they are being freed in exchange for their silence.”

“What about the others who work here?”

“There are only two of them. I’ll give them a chance to leave now that nobody’s left to pay them.”

“And if they refuse?”

“You know the answer.” He leaned down, his face leveled with mine. “Can you get whoever flies that helicopter to get you and the rest to safety?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Once we get everyone out of here, I’ll blow this place up—I know where the bombs are. But first, I need you to swear to me that you’ll never say a word about this to anyone. Let it die, Jonah.”

I glanced at Mr. White, trying to convince myself that ending him would have to be enough of a payback for what had been done to so many innocent men, though nothing would ever be enough.

“I promise,” I said. “I’ll let it die.”