Page 63 of Vicious Deception
“I’m coming with you guys,” Meredith says. “I have a few things I’d like to say to that slimebag.”
“Great,” Finn grumbles.
“Sweetheart,” Rhett says, “can you keep Benny out of our path? I don’t want him to see Ludo like this. Not until I figure out how to explain everything.”
“Sure,” I tell him, my stomach flipping when I hear the wordsweetheart.I’ve missed him calling me that.
As I slip out of the vehicle and head into the house, everything in me is screaming to stay with them. I want to be as close to the guys as I possibly can be, but I’m not foolish enough to think I’ll get that immediately. We still have work to do, and they need to rest. We all do.
Soon,I remind myself.
Inside, Benny is watching a movie in the living room, which is far out of sight of the garage and basement doors. Andrew is pacing around the room, while Aubrey and Sparrow are seated on the couch having a whispered conversation.
When Andrew spots me, he stops. “Everyone’s back?”
Aubrey and Sparrow look my way, their expressions filled with relief.
“Yeah,” I say. “They’ll be in soon.”
Immediately, Benny springs up and dashes for the garage. I catch him before he makes it out of the living room.
“Can you stay in here for a couple minutes?” I ask. I feel odd requesting something of him when he has no clue who I am.
“But Rhett—”
“He’s okay,” I tell him. “But he asked me to make sure you stay in here. He’ll come find us as soon as he can, okay?”
He frowns. “Why should I listen to you?”
“Benny,” Andrew snaps. “You know better than to act like this.”
“He’ll only be a couple minutes,” I say.
Grabbing his little brother by the back of the neck, Andrew hauls him back into the living room. “Just wait.”
Once it seems like Benny is going to listen, Aubrey gets up and pulls me into a hug. She’s wearing a light pink sweater that brings out the warmth in her dark brown skin. When she looks at me, her eyes soften, although the concern that’s been present for the past few days has eased some.
“Are they okay?” she asks quietly.
“I think. I barely got to talk to them, which I know will change soon, but . . .” With an anxious sigh, I glance toward the doorway. “God, Aubrey, what if they blame me?”
“They won’t,” she tells me gently.
Wringing my hands, I nod. “It’s just my anxiety,” I mumble.
“Hey, I get it. You’ve all had me worried, too. But I’ve seen how they look at you, Wren. They aren’t going to let some little mistake get in the way of that.”
Deep down, I know that even if the guys do blame me, it won’t change how they feel. Aubrey is right—they could never hate me.
“Do you know if they killed King?” Aubrey asks hopefully.
“I’m not sure. Things got a little hectic.”
“We’ll ask once they’re in here,” Sparrow says smoothly, and we both glance over, realizing she’s been listening in on our whole conversation. “If they didn’t, they’ll hold up their end of the deal and find another way to keep your parents safe.”
Aubrey nods. “I know. This would just make it so much easier.”
With a groan, Benny flops onto the floor. “Wherearethey?”