Page 96 of Coercion

I pick up pace, rushing to where Nico’s voice came from and as I come to a stop on the threshold, I can’t help but grin.

The room beyond is set up like a hospital suite. Machines that should be beeping away are all switched off. Syringes and medicine bottles are scattered across the floor. And in the middle, still hooked up to a dormant machine, in a massive bed, is the bastard himself.

His eyes are shut. His skin is a strange off white and the darkness beneath his eyes tells me what I already knew; he’s dead. Levi is gone.

Blaine walks up to him, flickers one lid open and then slaps him around the face.

“Yeah, he’s a goner.” He states, like we all can’t see it.

“I guess that answers it.” Nico murmurs.

“Answers what?” I ask.

He looks over at me with a smirk. “Why the compound is deserted, no doubt Gunnar is regrouping, ensuring he has everything in place to take over.”

I’ll admit, I’m itching for this fight, itching to finally settle this. Ruby has been off for days now. I know she’s not mourning Levi, I know that’s not what’s going on, but what better way to cheer her up than to tell her I’ve got it back, I’ve got back everything they stole from her, and that I’ll be head of the Holtz Family, with her beside me.

My chest swells, my stupid heart reacts and I can see it, how she’ll gasp, how she’ll smile, how her entire face will light up.

Her comments the other day already told me enough – she wants this.

She wants me to do it.

In my pocketmy phone buzzes, I pull it out, half expecting to see some message about Gunnar but as the words form in front of me, I frown. What the fuck?

My fingers fumble as I tap the screen, calling Jace back. “What the fuck are you talking about?” I growl down the phone the second he picks up.

“I’m sorry, boss.” He says. “I didn’t want to believe it either but it makes sense.”

“I want proof.” I need proof. I won’t believe a word of it unless he can show me he’s right.

“She’s been passing on information for weeks.” Jace says. “And today, she was meant to be meeting with Eleri. They were meant to have lunch, only the restaurant they’re supposed to be eating at just blew up.”

“Blew up?” I repeat. What the fuck does that mean? Is my wife dead? Is Ruby lying in the gutter right now?

“They didn’t show. Perhaps she got cold feet.”

“How do you know all of this?” I growl. Bit bloody convenient that he’s got all the answers.

“Gunnar. He told me. You wanted me to chummy up to him and that’s what I’ve been doing.”

“I don’t believe it.” I state.

“Then talk to your wife.” He replies. “Talk to Ruby. You’ll know by how she reacts that it’s true.”

Oh, I’ll talk to her alright. I’ll prove that he’s wrong. That my wife is innocent. That this is all bullshit.

Preston

Istorm into the house. Though there were men on the gate, inside it’s deserted.

Sidney meets me almost immediately, but I brush him out the way.

“Ruby.” I holler. Where the fuck is she?

I search the library, the kitchen, everywhere that would make sense and just as my panic begins to rise, I find her, in the snug, sat in complete darkness.

For a moment I stand there, watching her, hearing that accusation in my head.