Page 30

RYDER

We followed them down the rural road, their taillights casting a red glow ahead of us.

This couldn’t have worked out better. There was no traffic, few streetlights, and zero witnesses.

It was just them and us. Once the winding asphalt, flanked by dense woods, gave way to wide, open fields, I started moving up.

“Here we go.” I eased down on the gas and surged forward, riding their bumper, flicking the lights. My custom LEDs flooded their car, the beam pouring through their rear window and lighting up the inside. I knew they couldn’t see a damn thing.

The Genesis swerved, and I flashed the high beams twice.

DeAndre started slowing, pulling toward the shoulder but not fully stopping.

He must have thought I was just some asshole in a truck trying to pass.

I laughed and held my position, not speeding up or slowing down.

He seemed to get the message I was sending.

The smaller car swerved fully over and slowed to a stop.

I angled my ride right in front of them so they couldn’t drive off, throwing it in park.

“Let’s go.” I barely finished speaking, and they were out of the truck. I switched my lights to low and stepped out after them.

I walked up to the car and caught Deandre’s eye, wide and panicked as recognition set in.

He knew exactly why we followed him down this road.

He scrambled to roll the window up. It was nearly shut when Cade moved.

Angela sliced through the air with a sharp whiz.

The window shattered on impact, glass raining onto the ground and where DeAndre sat.

“What the fuck?” he yelled, covering his face with his hands.

My brother reached in through the jagged opening, his arm snaking toward the dash.

The engine died the second he tapped the push-to-start, and then he managed to snag the fob from the cupholders.

I stepped up beside him, leaning down just enough to get a better look at DeAndre.

His eyes were wider than before, scanning each of us like he was trying to find the safest threat.

Spoiler: there wasn’t one.

In the backseat, Kyle and Lindsey were frozen.

She looked out of place in all the best ways.

Her arms were trembling, lips slightly parted, whether it was from fear or the chill getting to her, I didn’t care.

I shoved my sleeves up, letting my forearms rest on the shattered edge of the window.

Glass bit into my skin, sharp and unforgiving.

“Evening,” I greeted casually.

DeAndre darted his eyes to my brother, watching as he passed the keys to Rook.

“Look, Voss,” he began, voice already cracking, “we don’t want any trouble.”

I smiled nice and polite. “We’re not here to start anything. We came for something else.” I tipped my chin toward the backseat, zeroing in on Kyle. “Chess club, right?”

He somewhat jerked like he’d just realized this wasn’t a bad dream. “I don’t know what you—.”

“That was a yes or no question,” my brother cut him off.

Nick went around to the other side of the car, his grin visible even in the dim light. He tapped on the passenger window, and Deandre flinched.

“Don’t you want to talk out here in the fresh air?”

DeAndre hesitated and looked at his friends, both hands gripping the steering wheel.

I wondered how long it would take him to understand Nick wasn’t asking.

It turned out, not long at all. His shoulders sagged, and he reached for the door handle.

Cade and I stepped back to give him space, watching his every move.

With no prompt, Kyle tumbled out next, nearly tripping over himself.

Lindsey followed, tugging down her dress.

They stood shoulder to shoulder with fear rolling off them in waves.

It had been far too long since I’d taken a hit of that.

“You picked an interesting crowd to hang with,” Rook commented, looking directly at Lindsey.

She didn’t respond aside from clenching her jaw in some show of defiance. Cade stepped closer, eyes fixed on her. “So, tell me something,” he said, tone almost playful. “You really sleeping with the chess god over here?”

Lindsey’s head snapped toward him. “What’s it to you?”

My brows shot up.

Nick laughed, coming around to join us. “Never mind. It makes sense now.”

She sounded like fucking Minnie Mouse. I had forgotten that detail about her.

She was easily forgettable altogether. If she hadn’t joined the wrong side of things, I wouldn’t have remembered she existed at all.

Knowing we couldn’t stand here all night, I took a step closer and let all civility slip away.

“Which one of you wants to explain why you thought it was a good idea to come after my girl with this piece of shit car?”

Kyle and DeAndre exchanged a look that was pure panic.

Lindsey’s brows furrowed, confusion slipping into the mix that was as fake as her eyelashes. “No one went after Brooke.”

Nick shook his head at her. “Playing dumb isn’t going to do you any favors, baby girl.”

Kyle swallowed hard enough that I heard it. “We’re allowed to Hunt whoever we win a bid on. That’s how it—.”

“Shh.” I pressed a finger lightly to his lips. “If you could Hunt whoever you wanted, would we be standing here right now?”

He stiffened.

DeAndre’s dreads bounced around as he shook his head, smart enough not to open his mouth. Cade grinned like he was genuinely proud. Knowing my brother, he probably was.

“See that?” He pointed the end of his bat at DeAndre. “Not playing dumb. That just earned you a head start. ” He let the words hang, then added, “Not yet, though. You have to wait until we say when.”

Kyle looked seconds away from passing out or throwing up.

“It isn’t just us, you know?” Lindsey snapped, eyes cutting toward me. “Your whole little group was Marked. Your girl isn’t anything special. She’s as—.”

Angela lifted in a blur, the rounded head of the bat slamming under her chin with enough force to make her teeth clack together. She let out a strangled noise, blood blooming along her lip.

“No one here asked you for a fucking heroic monologue,” Cade said calmly, voice cold. “And you don’t talk shit about my sister in front of me. You should know better.”

I cocked my head at her. “Do you think that half a speech helped your situation or made it worse? You don’t have to think she’s special. I know she’s incredible. Wanna know what else I know? She’s going to wake up tomorrow.” I leaned in just enough to make her flinch. “Are you?”

She didn’t answer--couldn’t.

Nick clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “I thought I got it, but I don’t. Not only does she have a voice that would make me fuck a cheese grater before I had to hear her speak again, she’s stupid.” He turned to Kyle. “This is the best you could do, bro?”

Kyle remained stiff as a board, sweat sliding down the side of his neck in rivulets.

Rook finally spoke from where he stood, leaning against my truck bed. “Her face is pretty, but she’s nothing special.”

Cade grinned. “Funny how that works.”

We let the tension thicken and simmer before the four of us shared a look. One of those quiet, practiced exchanges that said everything without a word.

“Now,” I said, stepping forward, my voice calm but absolute.

“I think you three should get a taste of what she went through.” Their heads swiveled toward me like strings had been yanked.

“Here’s how this is going to work.” I let my gaze settle on each of them, one by one.

“You’re gonna hand over your phones. Then Kyle, DeAndre—you’re going to turn around and start walking into that field. ”

I turned to Lindsey last. “You? You’re going with us.”

Rook stepped forward, hand outstretched. “Phones.”

Just one word. That’s all he needed. DeAndre moved first, with no hesitation. He reached into his pocket and handed it over like it was burning a hole through him.

Rook took it and slipped it into his jacket without looking. Kyle was slower, reluctant. His hand trembled slightly as he offered his phone.

Rook gave a short nod and turned to Lindsey. “You too.”

Tears welled in her eyes. “It’s in the car.”

Nick stepped past Kyle and reached into popped open the rear passenger door. A second later, he straightened with a glittery phone in hand, flipping it around as he powered it off.

“Here.” He passed it to Rook, who slipped it into his pocket with the other two before taking Lindsey’s arm and walking her toward the truck. She resisted at first, but then followed, crying silently as she climbed into the back seat without protest.

Kyle opened his mouth, like he was about to say something, then closed it. His blue eyes swept over us, desperation creeping into his expression. Had it sunk in now that no help was coming? That there wasn’t a way out of this?

“C-Can I speak?” he stammered.

“How did this guy even get invited into The Hunt?” my brother questioned rhetorically.

Nick gave him a lopsided grin. “You’re talking now, friend. What’s on your mind?”

Kyle swallowed hard. “So we just… walk?”

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?”

“Wait.” Nick stepped forward and moved past him. “Dre, you’re up first. Cade gave you a head start, remember?”

He clamped a hand on Deandre’s shoulder, guiding him away from the car and toward the field of harvested land on its other side. He hesitated, and Nick gave him a light shove. He stumbled, barely catching himself.

“I’m going, I’m going!” He started walking, slow and heavy-footed, into the dark.

“Let’s give him thirty seconds,” Cade said, watching his silhouette grow smaller. “Make it feel like he can get away.”

We waited for that long exactly before I turned to Kyle. “You’re up.”

He looked up at me, and I swore there were tears in his eyes. “How long do I walk?”

“Long enough to regret everything that led you here.”

With a shaky breath, he slowly moved away from his car. He made it to where the asphalt turned to brittle grass and stopped.