Page 53

Not a scrap of paper left behind.
I don’t understand.
With panic creeping through my chest, I make my way from room to room, each one as empty as the first. When I go back downstairs, I begin to search the first floor, and the sight before me when I reach the kitchen stops me in my tracks.
Ryker Underwood, leans against the counter with his hands in the pockets of his slacks. A smug look adorns his face and I want to punch the look right off of him.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
His smirk extends across his face, and he chuckles, shaking his head.
“You thought you could run? Come on kid. I thought Teddy taught you better than that.”
“Where’s Spencer?” I grit through my teeth, “You better not have fucking touched her.”
Sucking air through his teeth, he clicks his tongue, “Nah, I couldn’t care less about the little whore. I just knew I’d find you here.”
“Where is she?”
“Gone.”
“Why are you here?”
Pulling his left hand from his pocket, he lowers his hand to the counter, setting a flash drive down on the white marble.
“What’s that?”
“Your secrets.”
“Secrets?”
Rubbing his chin with one hand, he peers at me from beneath a furrowed brow, “You didn’t think you’d get away with it did you?”
Gulping, I swallow the knot in my throat. How the fuck does he know?
“He was tied to more than just the Brotherhood you know. If this got out, a lot of people would want you dead. And I’d make sure you ended up in prison, where you’d be looking over your shoulder every day. Wondering if this is the day someone shanks you in your sleep for revenge.”
What? No way, this guy is fucking with me. The thing about Ryker Underwood, is he’s a certified psychopath. While I may be desensitized to taking life, that motherfucker just feels nothing for anyone. He’s insane.
“Go home, take a shower, get some rest. Forget about the girl. Go back to work and I’ll keep your secrets safe.”
“Fuck you,” I spit.
“I thought you might say that. So I’ll throw this in too. I’ll keep your secrets safe, and I’ll make sure the girl is safe. I know you care about the girl.”
“Tell me where she is!”
I’m losing my composure, my resolve is dissipating into the ether.
“No. But do as you’re told, and run home like a good little killer, and I’ll make sure no one touches her. Believe me Price, there are men out there who want to do far worse to her than anything you could imagine. You have no idea what a fucking commodity that girl is. The people that want to get their hands on her.”
I don’t know what any of that means. He’s talking to me in riddles. I silently wonder if maybe he’s just bluffing. But Ryker doesn’t bluff. He knows something. So I’ll play his game if that means keeping her safe.
Rinsing off beneath the stream, I beat myself up some more. If I hadn’t left, maybe none of this would be happening. But I did what I thought was right. I had to keep her safe from my piece of shit father, who used her like a pawn to keep me in check. To make sure I carried out his plans.
Then I kept her safe from my psychopath of a boss.
She ran from that town though, and went into full blown hiding. So clearly I did a pretty shit job of keeping her safe in the first place. What did she run from though? She won’t even fucking tell me or talk to me about it. I know whatever this whole thing is that’s happening right now, I know it goes back to that place. Back to Lakeview. But how? Why?