Chapter 21
The stolen bike throbbed between my legs, and the wind was unforgiving as it whipped across my unprotected face.
I was well away from the port, but too paranoid to head back to Ray’s house.
I knew The Unseen. They might let me escape with the hope that I would lead them to everyone else.
My arm burned as I locked it high, fists glued on the handles.
Grit and fumes kept me moving. If I relaxed now, I knew I would fall off and never get back up.
My guys were counting on me.
I pulled off the strip into an alley and parked behind a dumpster. Rain muted the hot stink of rotted food inside from the restaurant next to it, dark and silent in the early morning. A small rustle from inside ceased. My lips tipped up, feeling like the rat inside.
Small, vulnerable, and ready to fight to the death.
I crouched as a car pulled into the mouth of the alley. Its lights chased out the meager shadows and left me squirming from the rusted protection of the dumpster. I wouldn’t make it easy. I would not go without showing my claws. The engine idled as two men slammed their doors. My lungs shrank.
“Oh, mia volpe, your ride is here.”
My stomach clenched, and I fought for air, but it wasn’t fear.
“You came.”
I moved like a shot into Ray’s open arms. He held me against his heaving chest for a beat before another pair of muscular arms dragged me out. Jonah. They smelled of damp sweat and smoke.
“We’ll always have your back,” Jonah whispered into my hair.
I wanted to wilt, and my knees buckled. I winced as he held my injured arm a little too tight.
He stepped back with an exhale. Ray’s grin washed away the fatigue in my muscles.
Even though his slicked-back hair was mussed, I still thought he was one of the most handsome men I’d ever seen. His lazy arrogance bolstered my nerves.
I needn’t have worried about The Unseen being able to capture them. They were an unstoppable team. Ray searched over my shoulder for someone who wasn’t there.
“Beck?”
My chin hit my chest as pain radiated from my core.
“They took him?” Jonah clenched his jaw.
In seconds, he deduced what had happened. His sniper focus and stoic discipline helped him notice details others missed. He was the opposite of Ray, who was reckless to a fault. I was somewhere in the middle, and Beck? He was on another planet.
The devil got goose bumps thinking of Beck. Jonah knew it would take more than a few agents to silence our Chief. The explanation stuck to the roof of my mouth. I thought of the needle, and heard Beck’s scream again, for the thousandth time.
“Red isn’t your color, mia volpe.” Ray clicked his tongue, fussing with the shirt tied around my arm.
Darkened blood had soaked the cloth.
“Are you kidding?” Jonah’s voice was gruff. “She could wear anything, but red makes her look unstoppable and powerful.”
“Not when it’s blood, big guy.” Ray swept a fevered look over my body, searching for more wounds.
Jonah grabbed my hand and interlaced our fingers. The rough pad of his hand scraped against my sensitive skin. Ray searched my body with a furrowed brow.
“It’s just this one. Nothing serious.” I lifted my arm, unthinking, and winced.
Jonah’s jaw tightened. “A bullet wound isn’t to be joked about.”
“You can talk.”
I wanted to tell them the graze was nothing compared to the stab in my heart. How did I get here? With three hearts in my hand, and mine a mangled mess? I bit my bottom lip to quell the trembling. An ambulance sped past, its siren wailing into the low press of the clouds. A storm was brewing.
“Did you have any trouble getting away?”
“Is this your subtle way of asking if we got hurt?” Ray chuckled and turned in a circle with a twisted smile. “I have a few bruises you can kiss better.”
Jonah clicked his tongue. “They weren’t as focused on us as they were on you, but we still had to drive like maniacs to lose the tail they sent after us.”
“Lucky for you, I was born to be a menace on the road.”
“You’re a menace. Full stop,” Jonah muttered under his breath, but the warmth of his expression made my heart squeeze.
“Beck gave himself up for me. They stuck a needle in his neck.”
They both reacted in their own ways. Jonah’s hand went to his pocket for his phone. He reacted with action, next steps, and solutions. Ray’s amusement slid off his face, and what remained reminded me of Beck. He cracked his knuckles, ready to explode into violence.
“Of course, he fucking did.” Jonah shook his head. “He must’ve been…”
Afraid.
Jonah didn’t finish his sentence. What could he say? Beck didn’t feel fear, not like we did, from the bones to the fingertips. But he was afraid of losing me, and my chest squeezed at the thought of his sacrifice meaning nothing.
We had to get him back.
I told them everything that happened from the moment we split up, and they added their own escape, comparing notes. Ray chewed on his bottom lip.
“So, Connall and Ellington. That one surprised me, gotta say.”
“You and me both.” I sighed. “But Ellington always knew he was making enemies and didn’t care. Ellington got what he wanted. He set the ball rolling on destroying The Unseen. No matter what I thought of him, I will finish the job.”
Ray notched a finger under my chin. “You’re not… devastated? That he’s gone.”
Jonah stiffened, and they both searched my expression. What were they looking for? A bubble of laughter flooded my mouth as I realized.
“You think I’m heartbroken?”
Ray jammed his hands in his pockets. “He was always touching you.”
“You were in love with a literal psychopath. What difference would one more make?” Jonah added, jaw tight.
Were in love? With Beck? I flattened my lips to squash my humor. I wanted to kiss the jealousy off their lips, but there were more important things to worry about.
“What’s our next move?”
They shared a frustrated look.
“I’ve called Adelaide. She’s going to meet us at my fav taco place.”
Refusal hovered on the tip of my tongue.
To insist we leave right now for Beck. Jonah’s heavy eyebrows knitted together as if he expected the same thing.
I hadn’t eaten dinner yesterday, unless you count coffee, which most sane people wouldn’t.
With the mention of food, my stomach gurgled, and my throat coated with acid.
“Fine. I need to clean this wound, anyway.”
Jonah opened the door to the passenger seat for me and slid into the back.
“I did not think it would be that easy,” Ray whispered to Jonah as I clicked my seat belt.
My eyelids dragged down as if threaded with hooks.
Through my gritty, watery vision, the lights of Greenich Bay passed us as Ray sped through the empty streets.
Even with no-one else on the road, he still flattened his foot, greedy for more.
He pulled up in front of Howie BBQ, and I shook my head.
I didn’t recognize the street from the last time we’d seen it.
There had been graffiti everywhere, abandoned buildings, and smashed glass.
The strip looked revitalized with color and shops.
“Remember when we came here, mia volpe?” Ray jerked his head as we passed Howie BBQ, and my stomach twisted.
I’d been stuffed full of secrets then, always on edge, terrified someone would discover what I was so desperate to hide. I’d lived three lifetimes since then.
“We aren’t eating?” I frowned, stomach protesting, but Ray grabbed my hand and dragged me farther down.
“The owner of this place owes me a favor or two. He used to have a food truck, but after I gave up the Donato territory, I’ve been working to make this part of Greenich Bay more vibrant.” He paused with his hand on the door. “This is actually where Jonah and I had our first date.”
My breath snagged. “Really?”
Jonah coughed behind me as we walked inside. “N-no, not exactly.”
“A friend date,” Ray whispered in my ear. “But we all know he’s had the hots for me for a long time. I mean, can you blame him?”
Jonah let out a strangled noise, but Ray was already walking away, toward a squat, older man with a graying mustache.
“Ah, Martin, thanks for opening up early for us. I’ve been craving your beef birria for about a week now.”
The owner nodded, wide-eyed, and waved toward a large table.
“Everything is ready, so help yourselves. My guys and I will leave the place entirely to you.”
“You’re too good to me,” Ray sighed, plucking a strip of beef from the table and popping it in his mouth.
The place was small, with an exposed brick wall covered in framed vintage maps. Dishes of all kinds covered the checkered tablecloths, and the scent of spices and meats made my mouth water.
Someone cleared their throat, and I turned with my hand at my hip. Habit.
Adelaide caught the movement with a congested laugh. “I’m assuming you lost your phone, and that is why this idiot was the one to tell me everything went to shit.”
“Hey,” Ray pouted with his hands full of food.
The restaurant owner froze and his neck bobbed as he recognized Adelaide. I was used to the reaction she got from people, a mix of awe and terror. People knew her reputation as someone fair but brutal. She wasn’t to be crossed, or underestimated. This was a woman in her full power.
Ray made the introductions as Adelaide’s guys came in, carrying bags. Logan pulled out her Orchard Hearth juice.
“I have particular juice needs.” Adelaide explained with a wink to the owner. “Need all the vitamin C I can get right now.”
Martin let out a soft whimper, and as soon as the focus was off, he scurried into the back and left the restaurant empty for our meeting. Adelaide pulled me into her arms. She smelled of eucalyptus and chemicals, her voice still husky with illness.
Even sick, my best friend was beautiful, like a blade made to be wielded and admired. Her gaze flickered over me, disapproving, curious, and wary. Beck wasn’t here, but he left a gaping void.
“Lyra,” she plucked at the makeshift bandage. “This better be superficial.” She turned her critical gaze on Jonah. “You’re supposed to take care of her, not let her get more scars.”