Thirty-Three
Jace
The picture coming through on my phone shakes me to my core. I was on my way home from dropping my last victim in a random corn field four hours away from where I live when my phone chimed. I waited until I stopped to get gas to open the message, my heart threatening to escape my chest when Nate’s scared face takes up the screen. No. No No.
It’s finally happened. My darkness has reached him and I might not be able to save him from being smothered by it.
Unknown number: Meet me at the address below if you want to see your brother alive again. You have twenty-four hours before I start cutting his skin from his bones.
My throat constricts, eyes seeing red as I drive to the location stated in the message. Driving way over the speed limit, I only stop to get gas, and I bypass every car who slows me down. More hours pass until I finally reach an older house standing alone on the corner of a dead-end road.
I park the car and get out, shoving a gun into the back of my pants as I slowly approach the weathered porch. The door pushes open easily at the touch of my hand and I enter the house, eyes roaming in every direction as I stay on high alert.
“Back here,” a familiar voice says, and my heart shoots into my throat.
I make my way to a small light shining from a room and pause in the doorway, bile rising in my throat when I take in my dad’s wicked smile.
“I knew I’d get you to see me eventually. I was just really hoping it wouldn’t come to this. Then again, I think I could make a pretty penny off this one.”
“What do you want?” I say through clenched teeth.
His face turns to stone and he lifts the hood from Nate’s face. His eyes are closed and his moving chest is the only indication that he’s still alive.
“According to some important friends of mine, there’s a guy who’s been after men who fit a certain criteria. I didn’t want to believe at first when one of them mentioned the scars on your hands, but then I had you followed. With this one’s help, I was able to track down your location and contact info.”
“What do you mean, with his help?” My hackles rise. “Did you put a tracker on him? Did you bug his fucking house?”
“Not me, but someone who was able to get as close as you were. I gotta say, I was disgusted at first to find out you were fucking your own brother, but then I remembered how he and his dad weren’t really anything to you. And I just know how much this will break your mom’s little heart.”
I focus on what he’s saying, pulling all his words together. “Glen . . . He—”
“Actually his name is Devin, but yeah, he was definitely worth the money I paid him.” He looks back at Nate and my fists ball at my sides when he sweeps a finger along his cheek.
“Don’t touch him.” I knew Glen had skeletons in his closet but I didn’t think they’d be worse than mine. He was working for my dad all this time. I know I told Jace I’d stop and I will, right after I make Glen regret ever stepping foot into his life. Fucking piece of shit asshole.
“Oh, but he’s so tempting. And like you, I’m finding it too hard to resist him.”
“I still don’t understand what you want.”
“I know your secret. One call and I can have your whole perfect little family buried six feet under. Don’t think I won’t.”
“What the fuck do you want?” My teeth rattle in my mouth at my raised voice.
He lifts his head, lips tilting in a mocking grin. “For you to work with me again. You were always so good at taking care of the visitors before they went to their new homes. You were made for this life.”
“Never,” I bite out. “I’ll never help you again. Find someone else.”
“I’ve tried. None of them can be trusted for long. Always wanting to test out the merchandise, but I know you only have eyes for this one so I don’t have to worry about that with you.”
“Fuck you.” I press my teeth together so hard, I swear I hear them start to crack.
He lets out an annoyed breath and removes a knife from his pocket, pressing the sharp tip to Nate’s throat. “Then I guess your pretty boyfriend will be the first one I kill, and I’ll keep going until you change your mind.”
He pierces Nate’s skin and a drop of blood beads at the small wound. My heart stops and I feel like the ground is swallowing me whole.
“Stop,” I shout. “I’ll do what you want.”
His smile is back and I can’t wait to cut it from his face. “I’m glad you finally came to your senses. I think I’ll hold on to this one a little longer, for insurance. At least until the first job is complete.”
“What do you need me to do?”
“I’m not as young as I used to be. I don’t pick up men the way I could before. You, on the other hand . . . I’m sure you fight them off daily. You got this one’s attention after all.”
“So you want me to do what? Bring you back some clueless guy?”
“Exactly. Blond with blue eyes to be exact. It’s what the client requested.”
My ears ring. I need him to hear what I want him to hear, to make him believe I’m really willing to go through with this. “And you’ll let him go once the delivery is made?”
“Correct.”
“You won’t touch him at all during that time, you hear. Not so much as a single hair on his head.”
“You have my word.”
Yeah, because that’s worth a lot. “Okay. When do you need me to do this by?”
“Tonight will be good.”
“Tonight?” I claw at my jeans.
“Yeah. You know what they say, time is money, and I’ve already wasted enough of it thanks to you.”
“Okay, tonight.”
As I’m turning around, he says, “Don’t do anything stupid either. I won’t hesitate to mess up this pretty face.”
My blood boils and I hold my composure. “I won’t.”
I leave the house, my heart screaming to go back, but if I do I’ll blow everything. Keeping my cool the best I can, I sit in my car with my face in my hands until a random idea pops into my head. I lift my head, smiling at myself in the mirror. Yeah, I’ll get him his blond twink. Or at least make him think that’s what he’s getting.”
A text comes to my phone.
Unknown number: Deliver him here when you have him, and let me know when it’s done.
Me : You got it.
Unknown number: I’ll have Nate with me for the little exchange. I’m so happy we’re working together again.
I slam my phone against the steering wheel, causing the screen to crack, and steady my breathing before playing my plan over in my head, going through all the steps that need to be made until I’m sure it’s nearly bulletproof.
Don’t worry Nate, I’m coming for you.
And when I have him again, I’ll do whatever it takes to talk him into staying this time.