47. 47 – Enzo
“A re you humming?” Ryder asks with interest.
I ignore him as I head upstairs. He follows behind me, poking my back.
“No,” I snarl. “I wasn’t humming.”
I don’t hum.
“It sounded like you were,” he points out. “Sounded an awful lot like the tune from that film we watched earlier.”
I scoff, ignoring him as I continue. I don’t hum songs from ridiculous animated films about fish with memory loss.
I don’t hum , full stop.
Ryder follows me down the hall to Zella’s room, and I turn on him with a scowl. “Will you fuck off?”
“Hard pass,” he says brightly. “I can’t sleep without my little thief.”
I grit my teeth. “I wanted her tonight.”
He tsks. “Have to learn to share, little blue tang. Don’t worry, though. I’ll teach you.”
He taps on Zella’s door before I can respond, and we both wait. And wait.
“It’s late,” he murmurs. “She’s probably asleep.”
Disappointment curdles in my stomach, and I shove past him. The door handle opens smoothly under my hands, and we both stare at the decidedly empty room. Ryder sighs. “Ten dollars that she’s running naked in the trees again.”
I blink, slowly. “Again?”
He shrugs. “She’s a free spirit. We should go and find her, though. It’s cold out.”
The cool air hits my face, and I frown, looking out to the forest before I turn to follow him. I don’t like the feeling that just came over me.
We run into Maverick coming out of his office, and he flicks his eyes between us. “Where are you going?”
“To catch a naked Zella,” Ryder says promptly. Maverick opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.
Instead, he follows us outside. The three of us fall into step, and Maverick clears his throat. “Do I ask why she’s out here with no clothes on? In winter ?”
Ryder whistles lightly. “Probably not.”
“Right.” Ignoring them, I pause at the edge of the trees. The forest doesn’t sound right. Too quiet. And then I catch it, just barely.
“Wait.” My voice is sharp enough that they both silence. The atmosphere changes in a moment.
“What is it?” Maverick says in a low voice. Ryder comes up silently next to me, his head cocked at an angle as he listens. His mouth tightens into lines, and he nods at me.
“She’s not alone,” I breathe. Maverick turns his head, listening too.
The faintest sound of a male voice can be heard in the distance.
Maverick curses quietly. “Moore?”
“Maybe.” I stare out into the darkness, and a smile curls at the edges of my mouth. I take a deep breath, anticipation filling my lungs like oxygen.
“Keep him talking, little prey,” I murmur. Ryder and Maverick spread out, the three of us silent as I take the lead. “We’re coming for you.”