Page 86 of Capture Me
“Just entering Axton Harbor city limits, headed north.”
“Her dad and Clay live on the east side. She has to be going for Randy.” Teo looks at Declan who meets his eyes and nods in understanding. No one speaks after that, all of us too lost in thought about what just took place and what we might find when we reach Fallon.
We finally pull into the driveway in a small neighborhood, right next to Declan’s Hummer.Bingo.
I barely register getting out of the car, grabbing the bag, or running up the driveway to the front door. Teo tries to open it, but it’s locked. Declan raises a fist to beat on the door, but Teo stops him with a hand gripping his shoulder. “Too many neighbors. We can’t draw attention to ourselves. Let's go around back and get inside.” We file toward the back, but I spin around, stopping Quinn from going any farther.
“Dont even fuck–”
“You can’t come with us,” I tell her. “We may need your hands clean. Stay with the car and keep an eye out. Call if there is anything suspicious.” I send her my phone number in a text and leave her there.
I catch up to my brothers at the back door. Declan tries the knob but, of course, it’s locked too. This time Matteo doesn’t stop. Booted feet lead to splintered wood as the door breaks open.
As we step into the dimly lit room, each of us is armed and ready. That is, until we lay eyes on Fallon. Nothing could have prepared me for what we just walked in on.
Fallon stands stock still in the middle of the kitchen, knife in hand. She’s splattered in blood, with it dripping from her face and hands. She doesn’t acknowledge us as we step inside, just stands there, chest heaving, staring at the mutilated body of Randy Peters at her feet.
“Siren.” I calmly put my knives away, approaching her as I would a wounded animal, but she doesn’t respond, doesn’t even blink.
Declan walks around the kitchen counter, checking that part of the house. Then he edges closer to her, trying and failing to get her attention. We exchange glances, both of us at a loss of what to do here.
“Baby.”
Fallon’s head snaps up at Matteo’s voice, and her features twist with rage. She raises the hand holding the bloodied knife, pointing it at him. “You. This is on you. I should fucking kill you!” Matteo doesn’t move as she lunges for him, but Declan’s arms wrap around her from behind, stopping her. She tries to fight him off, but he has her upper body in a lock-iron grip.
I didn’t think I could feel worse about this, but then tears track down her cheeks. “You knew.” Her voice breaks, and her body sags in Declan’s grip as she sees the truth of that statement shining back at her from mine and Matteo’s eyes. “You fucking knew.” A sob erupts from her followed by renewed rage. “I’ll fucking kill you!” Declan’s grip on her tightens as she struggles against him, his brow furrowing in a mixture of anger and concern.
She’s definitely not going to leave here quietly. I cast a devastated glance at Matteo. He nods toward the bag on my back, then closes his eyes and turns away from the scene unfolding before us, his shoulders hunched with guilt.
Swallowing hard, I take the clear bottle out of the bag and soak the cloth in my hand. She’s still jerking in Declan’s grasp as I approach her, pressing the cloth against her nose and mouth. Her body goes limp as she inhales the chloroform, succumbing to its effects.
Her eyes flutter and meet my own, the betrayal written so clearly in her gaze it makes my chest hurt.
“I am so sorry, Siren. We didn’t want it to come to this.”