Chapter 63 #3
Jaw tight, I leave the basement, irritation and frustration pulsing through my veins. I shower, water only lukewarm after Anna, but it washes the sweat and most of the tension from my skin.
Redressing, I quickly peer into Bridget’s room; Kayla’s slumped against the wall beside the window, eyes closed, her breath steady.
Content, I head for the tiny stairs opposite, the ones that’ll lead me up to the attic and Kieran’s stolen tech. I don’t know when Kieran’s planning on stopping by, and I need to see the footage, need to reassure myself that Emilia is fucking safe. That we all are.
I can work out how his damn computer works.
My boots land on the first step—
A thunderous knock explodes from the kitchen.
I trip and my hand slips. I stumble, knees hitting the stairs as I drag in a shaky breath.
Another boom hits the door.
My pulse spikes. I turn, racing down the corridor and taking the spiral staircase two at a time until I’m in the kitchen. I wrench open one of the drawers and haul out a gun.
It’s loaded.
I cock the weapon, the sound slicing through the room as I grip it in my right hand and stalk towards the door. The knocks keep coming, each one harder, faster, and louder. I square my shoulders and plant my feet, lifting the gun.
Another knock—violent and booming.
In one swift motion, I snap the bolt across, twist the lock and yank the handle before my left hand flies up to steady my aim.
The door swings open, my hand resting over the trigger.
I freeze.
Riley stands on the threshold, chest heaving, rain dripping from the hair plastered to his forehead. His hands fly up at the gun aimed at his face.
“Zac, whoa, whoa! It’s me!”
My heart slams against my ribs. For a second, I can’t even lower the weapon, adrenaline still roaring through my veins.
His wide eyes flick to the barrel, then back to me. “Mate, put the gun down before you give me a damn heart attack.”
My finger moves away, but I don’t lower it.
“You tattooed my fucking wife,” I snap.
His brow hikes. “Don’t lie to yourself. You love it.”
“Riley—” I practically growl.
“Whatever,” he says, voice suddenly harsher than I’ve ever heard. “We don’t have time for this.”
The muzzle drops. “What is it?” I ask.
His jaw tightens. “Someone killed an Enforcer, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You helped them escape?”
“We did.”
He swallows hard, exhaling loudly. “Thought so. Zac, something’s happened.”
Cold fear jolts straight through my spine, and I shift my weight. “What is it, Riley?” My tone is laced with urgency. “Spit it the fuck out.”
“Pippa—”
“Riley?” The female voice tears between us as Claudia appears from the side of the house, hand intertwined with Jordan, both of them weaving past the pile of rubble, eyes darting between the two of us. “What are you doing here?”
“Claudia.” Riley acknowledges her with a stiff nod. “Jordan.”
“We both had long morning shifts,” Claudia says. “Thought we’d come before your shift started, Zac. Be here for Kayla.” She gives me a soft smile, before turning to Riley and starting to explain, “Kayla is—”
“He knows about the fucking Enforcer. About Kayla,” I snap, the words ripping from me. “He was about to tell me how.”
Claudia’s face drains of colour. “Oh! Riley?”
Riley exhales. “It’s Pippa. She works in the fields.
At the Armoury, sometimes those who work take comms with them if we’re expecting Enforcer’s to do something out of the ordinary.
They wear them in their ear, nearly entirely undetectable.
Pippa thought they might be shifting some ammo today, so she wore one.
” He swallows. “Half an hour ago, she sent a different kind of message through to us. Enforcers from City Hall showed up at the farm.”
Claudia’s brow furrows. “The farm?”
Riley nods again, slower this time. “They took Emilia, Zac.”
Everything stops. My lungs. My heart. My brain.
“What?” The voice that scrapes out of me is unrecognisable. “I don’t understand. Why the fuck would they do that?”
“Pippa said the Enforcers knew it was Emilia who helped last night.”
Jordan’s hands grab at his head. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”
“How the fuck would they know?” Claudia cries out, her eyes wide and panicked.
Riley looks between us, seemingly as lost as the rest of us. “Something to do with CCTV and voucher records—”
The answer slams into me like a fucking seven tonne truck.
My knees buckle as my stupidity renders me fucking mute.
I should’ve known to take them away from her. Should’ve thought about the fact they’d be in the fucking footage. Should’ve realised how easy it would be to track down such an unpopular fucking purchase.
The gun slips from my hand and crashes to the floor as I stumble backward. I slam into the door, my head ricocheting off the wood.
Blood turns to ice in my veins as Emilia’s face flashes through my mind.
The gripping bright blues, her smug, cocky smile, her fierce attitude.
The way she’ll turn her back on me, stalking away, hips swinging and feet clattering hard against the floor, drawing all manner of attention from every which way.
My voice is almost feral as I exhale. “Fuck! It’s her stupid fucking boots.”