Page 36 of Desecrated Saints
“I’ve been speaking to someone on the dark web,” Kade answers. “Blackwood is a hot topic right now. They claim to have evidence about what went on inside. I proposed we meet to discuss.”
He stares at me with defiance, daring me to protest. The thought of diving back into this toxic wasteland of secrets and subterfuge holds zero appeal, but we’re sitting ducks here. Freedom means nothing when we’re still running for our lives.
“Who exactly is this contact?”
“We have no clue! That’s why it’s too dangerous,” Sadie snaps.
“You’re playing your part, let us do ours,” Kade insists. “We can’t hide forever. I want us to live. That can’t happen until our names are cleared.”
“You’re wading into a war you don’t understand.”
“If Sadie can get into Harrowdean Manor under an alias and prove what’s going on, we have a chance at bringing Incendia down.” I look at her. “Let us help. Tell your employer to draft us in.”
There’s a chorus of nods from the guys. They’re all on board with my plan. I don’t trust Sadie or the people that she represents, but that doesn’t mean we can’t use her.
“How can I trust that you’re safe to be out in the real world?” she asks acidly. “Or that neither you nor Jude will start butchering people? I can’t take that risk.”
She seems to regret her words immediately, lips parting on an apology that never quite makes it out. I stare, letting her see all of the agony and self-hatred that’s been building beneath the surface, choking me to death.
“I can’t sleep,” I reveal in a harsh whisper.
“Brooke—”
“When I close my eyes, I see their faces. The people he made me hurt.” I look away, shame burning my cheeks. “Not even killing Augustus fixed what he did to me. But watching his empire burn to ashes, ensuring nobody will ever go through what we did… that’s worth risking it all for.”
“You’re gambling with your lives,” she says grimly.
“And that’s our fucking choice. Make the call.”
With a curse, Sadie pulls out a basic burner phone. She taps on one of three names in her contacts. The name begins with H. Her voice is resigned.
“Wait here. This isn’t my decision. If you wind up dead, that’s your responsibility. I hope you know what you’re doing, Brooke.”
I swallow hard. “Yeah, me too.”
CHAPTER 8
ELI
YOU ARE EVERYTHING - HOLDING ABSENCE
Kade and Hudson sit up front in the Jeep, watching Brooklyn yell at Sadie. They’re standing outside the second-hand car we picked up on the way out of town.
Seven is sleeping off his vodka-induced hangover in the other car. Phoenix keeps a wary eye from the passenger seat, blowing cigarette smoke out the window.
“We should level with her, she’ll understand,” Kade insists. “This is the safest option.”
Hudson glares daggers at Seven’s sleeping form in the back of the car. “She’ll kick our asses in the blink of an eye when it comes to that bastard.”
“Look at what happened on the supply run. Separating them is just a precaution, in case something goes wrong on the way down south.”
Kade’s words enrage me, but I swallow it down. Treating Brooklyn differently will further alienate her from the group. She’s pulled away from us as it is. Seven was the only one who could talk sense into her last time she had a breakdown. Whether they like it or not, he’s part of this now.
“The further she is from that freak, the better,” Hudson growls. “We need to keep them apart.”
“While we’re travelling, I agree it’s best to ride separately. But you can’t kick him out of her life forever. She needs him too.”
“Fuck off, Kade.”