Page 179 of Fractured Future

“This coming from you?” Madden tosses at me.

“Takes one to know one, dick.”

“Go back to scowling. You’re far better at it.”

The wall greets me when I turn to take a deep breath before I actually smash his head in. As usual, Madden has a game plan. I just didn’t anticipate it revealing him to be an almost-ally after all.

That’s the problem with this snake. You never know where his true loyalties lie. He’s been playing us while keeping his cards close to his chest all along. Just to reveal his motives at the opportune moment.

We can’t trust him.

Not now. Not ever.

It doesn’t matter if he can gain us access to Gael. Working with Madden is suicide. He’ll turn around to stab us in the back, given half a chance.

“Gael is offering eye-watering sums of money for your safe recapture,” Madden reveals, drawing me back to the room. “He will never stop. Help me find my father, and we’ll find Gael too.”

“Why should we trust you?” Ember argues fiercely. “All you’ve done is lie, manipulate and plot against us. I don’t see why we should believe a word of this ridiculous story.”

“You’ve seen what that monster did to me, sweetheart. The scars don’t lie. You should know—you’ve got plenty of your own.”

Damned jealousy sears my insides as I turn back around to hit him with a death glare. If this scar comparison is another pickup tactic, he’s going to be gravely unsuccessful.

“This isn’t my decision to make.” Ember abruptly stands, shoving her chair back.

“Then speak to your team,” he suggests.

“They won’t buy into this charade,” I supply flatly.

Madden glowers at me. “Your investigation is at a dead end. Interview the others you arrested all you like. None of them have the information you need.”

“Then we keep looking!” I burst out.

“Can you keep her safe for that long?” he challenges. “Luis and his men are the first of many who will smuggle their way into this country to take a shot at scoring the grand prize.”

“Me,” Ember guesses.

“Precisely.”

“We will keep her safe.” My declaration seems to fall on deaf ears.

“The longer this investigation stretches on, the more danger you will face.” Madden ignores me to address her. “This is your only chance to defeat Gael and secure your future.”

“That’s enough!” I march over to Ember to haul her up. “We’re done here.”

“Hy—”

“No. He’s a fucking reptile, Ember! You can’t trust him!”

Towing her from the room, Madden’s shouts follow our retreating footsteps. The formidable Phantom has crumbled to the point of pleading for our help. He’s as defeated as we are.

That doesn’t mean we can team up.

Once a snake, always a snake.

CHAPTER 25

EMBER