Page 17

“They won’t do anything. They’re so firmly in Caleb’s pocket.”
I squeezed his fingers back. “We need to go back there.”
His eyes sharpened. “Not a chance in hell.”
I knew he’d say that. But I knew what I had to say next would change his mind. Because even though he’d left Kian alone on that beach, he’d gone back for him when he was in trouble. He might have walked away once he knew Kian was going to be okay, but that was only because he’d convinced himself Kian was in danger with him around.
Vaughn protected those he cared about, just as much as Fang and Kian did.
I just hoped that protection could extend to someone he didn’t know. “Caleb has another woman locked in his basement.”
“What!” Vaughn shouted.
Fang was awake in an instant, flicking on the lamp beside him. A second later, Kian came crashing through the bathroom we shared.
Vaughn didn’t even seem to notice. He just gaped at me, wide-eyed.
Kian took in me, Fang, and Vaughn in the same bed, blinked twice, then rubbed his eyes. “You guys had a sleepover without me? I could have brought s’mores and my blow-up mattress.”
Fang stared at Vaughn, a growl in his voice. “Why are you in my bed?”
“My bed,” I corrected. “And quit it with the growling. You just said there was room for them.”
Kian let out a confused laugh in Fang’s direction. “Did you just offer us a foursome, bro?”
Fang rubbed his hand through his hair. “I need coffee to have this conversation.”
Kian let out a low wolf whistle that was completely obnoxious at this time of the morning. “That wasn’t a no.”
The two of them went back and forth while I just looked at Vaughn, whose dark-brown eyes had me in their grips.
Vaughn pulled his gaze away and got out of the bed, putting distance between us. “Rebel just told me Caleb has another woman held captive in his basement.”
Fang and Kian fell silent, both their heads whipping toward me.
“Is that true, Pix?” Fang cracked his neck audibly. “Please tell me that’s not true.”
“Why didn’t you tell us this before?” Kian groaned.
I stared at him and answered with a flat, deadpan tone, “Sorry. Was a little busy trying not to get murdered. Forgive me if my own survival was at the forefront of my mind. Incredibly selfish of me, I realize.”
He backed off. “Sorry, sorry. I know. What the hell are we going to do now?”
It seemed obvious to me. “We go get her. We all know the police are going to shut right down the minute I mention Caleb’s name.”
Vaughn’s eyes were stony. “We go get her, Roach. Not you. You aren’t going anywhere near him.”
I’d thought we’d been making some sort of progress, huddled in bed together, whispering secrets. But now we were right back to him acting like my bossy, overbearing brother.
“We go before dawn.” Fang gritted his teeth and grabbed his phone from the bedside table. “I’m calling War. This is bigger than just us.”
I wanted to wail for him not to. If he told War, War would tell Bliss, and I’d been trying so hard to keep her out of this mess. She would blame herself for everything Caleb had done to me. She was pregnant. I didn’t want her putting that sort of stress on herself. I would never forgive myself if something happened to my future niece or nephew.
But I also knew there was no getting around it. I didn’t want them going to Caleb’s place without backup. “Tell War to tell Scythe. Or Vincent. Whichever of his psychopathic personalities is in residence at the moment. They think Caleb is a scared, harmless little boy who ran off with his tail between his legs after everything he did to Bliss. He’ll want in.”
Fang left the room to make his calls. Kian mumbled something about putting some clothes on and disappeared through the bathroom.
Leaving Vaughn and me alone.