Page 32 of Ravaged Soul

“Wasn’t much of a conversation. You thrust this alliance on us.”

“We need his help.”

“He’s our enemy. We don’t need shit from him!”

“You’re letting the past cloud your judgement,” Warner combats.

“I’m trying to protect our team. Last I checked, that’s your job.”

“Watch your mouth, Hy.”

A snort emanates from our stone-faced driver. “Or what?”

Honestly, I should’ve known that insisting on riding in the back was a bad idea. These two are going to kill each other before we even arrive. Pulling out my mobile phone, I fire off a quick text message.

Ember: You better have a good reason for this, or they’ll kill you.

I’m thankful his reply comes fast.

Blaine: You think I’m that foolish?

Ember: I don’t know.

Blaine: A deal’s a deal.

Gnawing my lip, I consider my response.

Ember: What’s in this for you?

Three dots appear then vanish. He’s hesitating.

Blaine: Besides my freedom?

Ember: Yes.

No delay this time.

Blaine: You.

Unsure how to process that, I tuck my phone away without responding. Blaine’s motivations are muddied at best. I know why he took me, freed me, then taunted me. I was a mere pawn to him then. Now? I’m not so sure the battle lines are clear cut.

You.

I doubt my teammates would like that answer.

Steering his SUV down barely lit backstreets, Hyland ploughs deeper into the industrial landscape. It’s not unlike the warehouse district that Blaine sent me to the first time we fought, though we’re on the outskirts of an East London offshoot now.

Manufacturing is the backbone of the capital’s wealth, and that couldn’t be more apparent than out here. While the rest of the world associates this city with glittering skyscrapers and golden, royal artefacts, the beating heart lays buried beneath that faux reality in places like this.

As we pass several unlit company headquarters deep in the industrial park, Warner clicks open the centre console to access the stowed gun safe. He pulls free a black semi-automatic pistol, making short work of checking the chamber and clip.

“Blaine is investigating for us,” I tell them from the back seat. “Why are we going in all guns blazing?”

Hyland laughs under his breath.Asshole.

“Caution is what keeps us alive, Em.” Warner remains focused on the weapon.

“He signed that deal to buy his freedom.”