Page 119

“Viktor-,”
“You really think Viktor gives a fuck about you?”
“Of course not. I know he doesn’t care. He wants power as much as I do. He’s my only play still. The only one who won’t kill me on sight.”
“No,” Aiden says. “I won’t kill you. I’ve never been able to. Finn, come on. Make peace. Promise to stop causing problems. If I tell Erik to keep you under observation for a while, he might just let you live. Especially if you help me save Elena. You know he sees Elena as a sister in a way. I’ll tell him you saved her. He just might be willing to work with you again. But you have to work with us. If you want to be with Aria, it’s your only play.”
“Seeing as we haven’t even saved Aria and Elena, the point is all moot, isn’t it? We don’t know where they are.”
“Then we keep looking.”
We leave Sal’s house and start heading back to Aiden’s car – I let him drive since he insisted – when I hear screaming coming from the house next door.
Aiden and I share a look before we run towards the front door. He pounds on it. “Is anybody home? Does anybody need help?”
“Aiden?” It’s Elena’s voice through the door. “We’re stuck inside. I can’t get the door open. It needs a key.”
So, Sal had them hidden in plain sight right next door.
“Back up,” Aiden tells Elena. “We’re going to get you out.”
“Ok,” she says, her voice fainter.
Aiden and I nod and at the same time, shoot at the lock on the door. It bursts right open and we kick the door in.
Elena immediately runs into Aiden’s arms. “You came for me. How did you find me?”
“None of that matters right now,” I snap. “Where’s Aria?”
Elena cringes when she sees me. “What is he doing here?”
“Elena,” Aiden says in a soft voice. “Where’s Aria?”
“Down in the basement. Withhim.”
“Go wait in the car,” Aiden tells her and she doesn’t hesitate to leave the house.
Aiden and I head for the basement door. I wonder what I’ll find down there? Aria alive? Or… I don’t want to even think it.
We kick the door down and run down the stairs, only to stop when we see… nothing. No one is down here.
“Elena said she was down here,” Aiden says.
“Unless she was wrong,” I growl.
“My wife isn’t fucking wrong.”
“Check every space.”
Once we do, it becomes clear that there’s no one down here. But Elena said they were down in the basement. If they had left, then surely she would have seen something.
An idea hits me.
I start tapping the stone along the wall.
“What are you doing?” Aiden asks.
“A fucker like Sal would have a secret door. I’m sure of it. A quick place to get in and out of he wanted to.”