Chapter 35 #2
Crew’s silver eyes slowly move to mine, and an overwhelming sadness hits my chest that nearly takes me to my knees, but the sadness isn’t from me—it’s his.
He looks back at the frozen image painted on the screen, as if unable to process the information he’s learned in the past few minutes.
“Crew…” I step forward, letting a harshness fuel my words. “Is that who you saw kill my father?”
A darkness sweeps across his eyes, and I watch as his true form teeters on the edge of control. He’s furious, and he doesn’t need to speak for me to know the answer to my biggest fear.
“That’s who I chased after,” he hesitates. “That’s who I saw murder James Castten.”
A devastated sob breaks from my lips.
No. No.
Crew’s eyes go to Riggs. “If you don’t arrest him and Lowell Lyre for her father’s murder, you’ll be dealing with a slaughter when I get back to Halcyon City.”
Riggs huffs. “Like hell I will, Bannermin.”
Sam steps forward. “You won’t do a thing.”
“Did he see you, Crew?” I manage to get out, unmindful of whether I interrupt them. “Did he notice you?”
Crew shakes his head. “I’m not sure.”
My world is shaken, and I’m seconds away from throwing up. I can’t think, speak, or react. A numbness spreads through my body, and I shut down, forcing a wave of calm to wash over me, minute after minute.
“Did you see anyone with him?” I nearly plead, thinking about Talon and Bronwyn.
I can’t handle this.
“No,” Crew says with certainty. “He was alone. I’m certain.”
Sam clears his throat. “You two need to go back to the city and act as if nothing has happened. If they suspect you know more than you are letting on, everything could be blown.”
“You can’t be serious?” Crew laughs wildly. “How the fuck do you think Mara can face him and Lowell and act normal?”
“She is a professional—a trained assassin—and I know Mara needed to see this to fuel her desire to go through with this plan. They need to die, and we can do it.”
Crew lunges forward and slams his fist into Sam’s nose. “You did this to her for your own fucking payback.”
Riggs pulls a gun from his belt and points it at the back of Crew’s head.
“Bannermin,” Riggs orders.
Crew spits over his shoulder. “Leave it to you to pull a gun in a fist fight, you pussy.”
Riggs steps forward, pressing the barrel of the gun against Crew’s head as he lowers his fists to his side. I snap back into my right mind, feeling the bond scream at me to protect Crew, letting anger blossom in my chest like a deadly flower.
In an instant, I soar forward, pinning Riggs against the far wall and making him drop the gun with a thud. I kick the gun far from anyone’s reach and press my forearm into his throat.
“Don’t touch him,” I growl in his face.
“Enough,” Sam demands, his voice thundering around us. “We are on the same goddamn team.”
“Are we?” I seethe, letting my anger consume me.
I release Riggs from my hold and glance back at Crew. His chest rises and falls rapidly as we play off each other’s emotions through the bond.
“We have a common goal,” Sam continues, demanding attention. “We want Lowell and the other Elders dead. Don’t fuck this plan up before we truly get started.”
“You need to get yourself in check, Sam,” Crew seethes. “You need us. You need to remember who you are dealing with.”
Sam nods. “I am aware, but she needed to see this.”
I drive my fist into the wall near Riggs’ head. “Stop speaking like I’m not here.”
The punch rattles the concrete, sending a jolt of pain through my knuckles, wrist, and arm. Riggs flinches and steps aside to reveal a hole in the wall. From across the room, Josh Haber clears his throat, and I point my opposite hand in his direction.
“He is supposed to die.” I turn to face them. “And if we show up in Halcyon City without completing the mission, they will know. How do you suppose we continue to blend in and do the jobs until it’s Lowell and Carver’s turns to die?”
“Back on track,” Sam claps, “I like this.”
“Oh, fuck you, Sam,” Crew spits.
The room grows quiet as I wait for one of the Habers to continue speaking. Crew moves toward me, feeling the need to defend me, and for that I’m thankful. At least I have someone on my side.
“I agree with you, Mara,” Sam says. “We have thought about this long and hard, and we absolutely must keep this as convincing as possible. We have a few things we came up with to help with this.”
I glance at Crew, and he seems just as clueless as I am. I know he’s furious that they went rogue without him.
“Lowell wants the entire Haber family gone,” Sam continues.
“We are aware it is because of me and my status. It’s why you were ordered to do so over a year ago.
He won’t stop until he believes the bloodline is gone because I threaten him.
He won’t kill Riggs anytime soon because he is the head of the police force. However, the others aren’t safe.”
“Okay, but that doesn’t solve our problem now. Lowell thinks you are dead, and Riggs is essentially safe. How does that help Josh?”
Sam steps toward his nephew and clasps his hand on his shoulder. He pulls the young man closer and kisses the side of his head. An unease grows in my chest, and I keep my gaze fixed on Sam.
“Josh is sick, Mara, and it’s not good. There is nothing the doctors can do at this point, and we all know healing Josh isn’t an option. Being a human, I can’t blood bond with him.”
I look at the young man and take in his condition.
Although he appears strong and youthful, as if he has years ahead of him, his weakness is visible behind his eyes.
Elders are instructed to never alter a human’s life, regardless of their relationship, so it makes sense why Sam hasn’t tried to heal Josh.
Josh steps forward, and Sam allows him to make his own moves.
“Mara,” he pauses. “You can kill me.”