Page 55 of Crave

Okay.

Her voice moved inside me.

Whatever you want.

My pulse boomed at that dull, empty tone.

“What we did was wrong. No, what you did was wrong.” Lincoln pulled me back. “You need to stop this mindless pursuit of revenge before it gets out of hand. Give her to me. She can stay at my home. She’ll be under my guard. I won’t let her escape.”

I flinched, scowling. I saw the way he looked at her in that den, and the way he was acting now made it all too fucking obvious. He wanted her. Wanted my sister under his roof and in his bed. I could see it now, she’d be on her knees for him and he’d fuckinglove it. Just one more piece of our family and our legacy he could steal from me. I lifted my gaze meeting his stare. The idea of that made me feel dangerous. “No.” I answered. “I’m taking care of that too.”

“How?” Lincoln barked, anger flaring, before he got a hold of himself and adjusted his tone. “She’s a problem to you, let me take care of it. I’ll find out what she knows about your parent’s deaths. If she knows anything at all.”

I saw it now. Saw just how much he wanted her. That’s what this whole thing was for, wasn’t it? It wasn’t about the breach of security. He wanted to use that to make me hand her over. To give him…the one person who could tell me the truth about that night.

I didn’t think so.

I shook my head and stepped away. “She stays with us…her family.”

“Silas.” My uncle growled my name, stopping me as I headed for the door. “You’re making a big mistake.”

“It’s not the first time though, is it? Sloane,” I glanced behind me. “I’ll be waiting for your call.”

I didn’t wait for him to answer, instead I grabbed the door handle and yanked, getting out of there as fast as I could. By the time I slid back behind the wheel I knew this wasn’t over, not by a long shot. Lincoln wanted her bad enough to make out it was about the business. If he couldn’t get her away from me, then there was no doubt he’d go after Jude next, or Theo. Hell, Gabe might even be in his sights. My little brother was soft enough to fall for his lies too.

No. She stays where she is.

Somewhere I can watch her.

Somewhere I can control her.

And make her talk.

Don’t you get that? I can’t REMEMBER!Her screams echoed.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell as the rear door of the office opened and Lincoln strode out. He saw me and stopped. That same desperation still in his eyes, like I was the only thing standing in between him and his brand new fucking toy.

He wanted her…that was obvious. It was only a matter of time he’d try to get her again. The only question was, why?

That image of her on her knees rose. She looked so peaceful there, so…empty. Like she was born to be right there. Her knees parted, breasts straining against that satin nightdress with every breath.

“Yeah well, let’s see about that.”

Across the street my uncle took a step toward my car until my cell vibrated in my hand. I scowled, looked down and stilled at Jude’s number splayed across the screen. My younger brother rarely called me. I pressed the button, answering instantly. “Yeah.”

“What the fuck did you do?” Gabe screamed in the background.

“Silas,” Jude said, his voice strained. “You need to get home right away.”

“Why?”

“Look at her!”Gabe sounded hysterical. “Angelica…please, look at me.”

“She’s having some kind of episode.” Jude snapped. “It’s like she’s catatonic. I think we broke her, Silas.I think we fucking broke her!”

I stabbed the button, starting the car. “I’m on my way…and Jude? Don’t call anyone else until I get there.”

“Okay…but hurry.”