Page 38 of Sweet Revenge
A muffled sound came from beneath the bag, but he stopped thrashing about. I took it he recognized Daemon’s voice and at least knowing who had him made him calm down a bit. If he had a mole in Daemon’s operations, perhaps he had hope that they’d be able to rescue him.
We moved him inside, which wasn’t easy since he was still hogtied, and he struggled more than he should have. Daemon had to punch him in the stomach a few times. It might’ve been more for fun than necessity.
After about ten minutes of tugging, pulling, rerouting, and practically carrying his ass, we got him into a back bedroom. Once again, we were tossing him on a bed. At least this time I didn’t get trapped in his sweaty armpit.
Daemon looked at me after he secured him to the bed frame. “Let’s leave his ass here and get something to eat.”
“Are we going to feed him?” I had no idea how long it had been since my brother had eaten. From the smell of him, he’d peed at least. I shook my head, wondering if any of it had gotten on me. God, what a way to fucking live. Not that my conditions had been any better when my father had me in that basement.
“Not right now.” Daemon reached for my hand, and the two of us left Alex attempting to protest by whimpering on the bed.
I had a look around the three-bedroom, two-bath home while Daemon ordered Mexican food. Exhaustion crept into my thoughts when I walked through the largest bedroom. I just wanted to collapse and go to sleep, but now wasn’t the time to let my guard down.
Out in the living room, Daemon sat on an orange and brown plaid couch that looked like it might’ve been original to the house. Everything was dated, but there were bars on the windows, only two doors, both made of similar materials to bank vaults, and no houses anywhere nearby. “This house is safe?” I asked, sinking down next to him.
“Yep. No one is getting in here, I assure you.” He smiled at me, and I tried to smile back, but I wasn’t sure how he knew that. I’d save that question for later. “Tacos sound good to you?”
“That sounds great.” Stretching my back, I readjusted on the couch. It was as comfortable as it looked, which wasn’t saying much.
“Good because I already ordered them.” He chuckled under his breath and patted my knee. “It’s going to be okay, baby.”
His reassuring smile did nothing to relax me. I’d been in a lot of dangerous situations lately, but I had a feeling what was coming was far more treacherous than everything else combined. “Do we have a plan?”
“Of course, I’ve got a plan. When have I not had a plan?” His self-assured grin made me giggle. While I could think of a few recent incidents where he didn’t have a plan, I kept those thoughts to myself. “Why don’t we wait until the tacos get here, and then we can taco-bout what happens next?”
Groaning, I shook my head. “You did not just say that.”
“Oh, but I did. See, I can be funny. Lighthearted. Silly even.”
“I’m not sure that qualifies as funny, but it’s better than seeing you be ruthless all the time, I suppose.” I took his hand in mine, and he squeezed it gently.
“Well, sometimes life calls for ruthlessness, and sometimes we can get away with playful.”
“True.” I rested my head on his shoulder and sat there for however long it took the delivery guy to get there. Daemon had arranged for him to leave the food on the porch so he wouldn’t see our faces. When he was gone, Daemon ducked out and grabbed it.
For the next fifteen minutes, I did nothing but scarf tacos and guzzle soda. Then, when we were both so full we might need to be rolled off the couch, I looked at him and asked, “What’s the plan? Is it time to go after my father?”
“Not yet,” he told me. “First, I have to set a few traps to see who the fuck told your father where we were hiding.”
I raised an eyebrow. “One of your brothers?”
“It had to be.” Disgusted, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I need to know who betrayed me, and that means I’ve got to set a trap and let that person come to me.”
Recoiling a bit, I asked, “You’re not talking about cages again are you?”
His grin widened as a chuckle escaped his throat. “No, but I like where your mind is at.”
I shook my head, trying not to focus on the fact that this was the same man who’d locked me in a dog cage not all that long ago. “So what kind of trap are you thinking?”
“It’s sort of complicated, but I’ll need your help to get it done. Not that I couldn’t do it myself, but I’m not ever letting you out of my sight again.” Again, his fingers tightened around my hand in a comforting squeeze.
“I’ll help however I can. What do you have in mind?”
“Do you know anything about installing surveillance cameras?” he asked me.
My eyebrows arched. “Sure, sure. That’s my side gig. I work for a tech company on the weekends.” I rolled my eyes as he laughed at me. “Not even a little bit.”
“That’s okay. I know enough to be dangerous, but I have a guy. Let me make a call or two, and then we’ll get on with it.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and I bit back a groan. All I wanted was to go to sleep.