Page 12 of Unmask (Crew of Elmwood Public #2)

At a closer look, Kreed looked like he was suffering.

Bloodshot eyes. Dark circles. His fingers slid to my hips, and my breath caught with it.

I loathed how easily my body responded to him, how the heat of his palms lit something deep under my skin, something I’d tried so hard to smother.

A buzz in the air vibrated between us, this magnetic pull that made every nerve stand at attention, vibrating with want and warning.

I was supposed to hate him. I wanted to hate him, but with his body so close, his strength practically wrapping around me like a promise, all I could think about was how badly I wanted to lean into him, just for a second.

To let my guard drop. To pretend I wasn’t so fucking tired of carrying everything alone.

Kreed was chaos, but right then, he felt like the only thing holding me together.

And worse, he was offering to carry the weight I was still dragging.

I didn’t want to make a rash decision, especially with him clouding my common sense. His presence messed me up. I needed a moment to think. Without him.

“What could they want with me?” I asked, wishing this nightmare would end.

“It’s what my father wants, and you’re the key.”

“I don’t need you. I have my cousin and his friends. I trust them a hell of a lot more than I do you. Speaking of Brock, you’ve probably got about five minutes before the police show up, courtesy of my cousin.” I was banking on Fynn having seen Kreed on the security cameras.

He didn’t even blink. “We’ll be gone by then.”

My head screamed at me to push him away. My heart longed to fist my fingers into his shirt and tug him against me. What was a conflicted girl to do? Be reasonable? Or reckless? I shook my head. “Not we. You . I’m not going with you. Nothing’s changed.”

“I’m not playing.”

“Don’t be a jackass.”

“Yes, I’m a jackass,” he said, his fingers tangling into my hair. “But I’m a jackass with your best interest at heart. Can you say the same about Rusty? Or any of the Vipers?”

I couldn’t. Not when I didn’t really know any of them except for Rusty. He’d been my father’s best friend and like an uncle to me.

Sirens blared in the distance. Our time was up.

If he didn’t go soon, he would be talking to the cops.

For reasons I couldn’t process, I didn’t want Kreed detained by the police.

Despite everything, a part of me wanted to protect him.

Why the fuck was I having such a hard time staying mad at him? “I want you to leave.”

He didn’t move. “Little raven…”

“Get out.” I shoved at his chest, but he barely budged. I loathed how much that part of me hoped he’d stay, that he’d fight for me.

His silver eyes maintained uncontrollable contact with mine as his fingers drifted through my damp hair. “You can keep running all you want, but I’ll always find you. That’s a promise.”

A promise? He was joking, right? But then I whispered, “Please, Kreed.”

Those two words worked.

He stepped back slowly, as if the movement cost him something. Like each inch between us tore him open as he turned and left. No parting words. No final look. Just silence. It cracked something deep in my chest. Something I hadn’t realized was his to break.

Revenge wouldn’t be as easy as I figured.

My heart wouldn’t stop racing. I stood in the middle of the hallway, staring at the door like he might walk back through it as if maybe he’d left something behind besides the storm still spinning in my chest. It blew my mind how he had the power to rattle me.

With a breath, I waited for the cops to show.

When they arrived, I assured them everything was fine and it was a false alarm.

With a forced smile and apology, they were on their way.

I turned and wandered back into the living room, reaching for the remote to flick on the TV, hoping the noise would drown out the whirlwind in my head.

Anything to keep me from thinking too hard about the way my body had responded to him or the way my heart had tried to crawl out of my chest when he looked at me.

As I started searching through Netflix, my phone buzzed. Viper’s Auto Pro popped up on the screen. My dad’s shop. Rusty.

For fuck’s sake. How much more could I deal with in a single day?

I’d been avoiding him, and despite wanting to keep putting off this conversation, I knew I was on borrowed time. The last thing I wanted was Rusty showing up on my doorstep.

I stared at the number glowing on the screen, thumb hovering over the green icon. I owed Rusty more than a return call. I owed him an explanation. Without him, I’d still be locked inside that house, a puppet in Donovan’s twisted theater.

My chest rose and fell with a steadying breath before I hit accept and put the phone on speaker. “Hello.”

“Kiddo, thank God.” He exhaled loudly. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you. Are you okay?”

I glanced at the TV. “I’m fine. Safe,” I added quickly, settling deeper into the couch. “Sorry I left. I couldn’t stay there.”

“After everything you’ve been through, it makes sense you would want to be somewhere that makes you comfortable. I just want to make sure you stay that way.” The strain was evident in his tone.

I rubbed a hand down my arm, already knowing where this was going. “You’re worried the Corvos might try something.” If he only knew who I just kicked out of the house. Perhaps Rusty had a reason to worry. Perhaps I did.

“Aren’t you?”

I chewed on my lip, thinking about my surprise visit from Kreed. Did I think he would try something wild? “I don’t know,” I replied honestly. I didn’t know who to believe, who to trust. If what Kreed said about the Vipers having a traitor was true, then I had a reason to be suspicious of everyone.

“At least let me send a few guys,” Rusty said, already sounding like he was reaching for keys. “Where are you staying?”

The TV caught my eye as a picture of a girl flashed on the screen. “Rusty, I’ve got to go.”

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” he rushed out. “They’ll look for you there.”

“Uh-huh,” I replied, my eyes glued to the news. “I’ll think about it.” I hit the end call button as the screen lit up with a breaking news banner.

Sixteen-year-old girl reported missing late last night…

My stomach dropped.

It was the fourth one this year. Four girls. Same age range, near mine, which was why it hit so close to home to me, and they’d all been taken from my town. Same nothing-to-go-on circumstances. Just vanished without a trace.

Elmwood might have looked polished on the outside, but it was rotting beneath the surface.

People liked to pretend it was just rumors, and the missing girls had run away, but no one really believed that anymore.

How could they? This was a fucking pattern, and I didn’t need to be a criminologist to figure out we had a big problem.

My fingers tightened around the remote. The image on the screen showed the girl’s school photo, a bright smile and innocent eyes.

A name and age flashed beneath it, but all I could focus on was the pit forming in my gut.

I was alone in Brock’s giant house. Alone in a neighborhood that was probably safe by most standards, but still…

I was alone , an easy target, and the thought didn’t sit right with me anymore.

A shiver ghosted over my spine, and I reached for the blanket on the back of the couch, wrapping it around myself even though I wasn’t cold.

Maybe I was being paranoid. Or maybe I was finally realizing just how dangerous Elmwood was.

Kreed had said I wasn’t safe. I’d assumed he meant because of his family or my father’s crew. But this? These girls?

This was a different brand of danger.

As much as I hated the thought of going back to the Corvos, especially after everything, I couldn’t deny the part of me that thought their house might be the only place in Elmwood no one dared to cross.

Unless, of course, you were me.

Was I even entertaining the thought of going back to their house, under Donovan’s care? The person who murdered my parents?

I couldn’t.

Let him force me.

The pit of uneasiness grew. The streets weren’t safe. Things seemed to have gotten worse, or maybe I was more aware of the shady shit happening outside my perfect bubble now that it had been popped.

The clock on the wall ticked too loudly.

I was curled up on the couch with the blanket wrapped around me like a cocoon, but no matter how tightly I tucked it around me, I couldn’t get warm.

Brock’s house was massive, an overbuilt mansion with too many rooms. I used to think it was cool…

Now it just felt like I was being watched by shadows I couldn’t see.

A creak came from upstairs, and my heart knocked into my ribs. I held my breath, eyes locked on the ceiling, waiting for another sound—footsteps, a door, anything—but silence followed, thick and heavy.

I tried to convince myself it was nothing. Old pipes, maybe. Or just the wind. Until a thud came from down the hall.

“Okay, nope,” I muttered, grabbing my phone and unlocking it.

My fingers were drawn to Kreed’s name, and I stopped myself from hitting his number a second before I made a huge mistake. Annoyed that he was always the first person I thought of, I had the urge to throw my phone across the room.

I didn’t want to think about him right now. I didn’t want to be scared in this house. Or alone. I tapped into my group chat with Kenny and Carson.

Me: SOS. Come over? Please.

It took less than a minute for both of them to reply.

Kenny: On my way. Wine or ice cream?

Carson: I’ll grab snacks.

An hour later, the three of us were sprawled across the couch in a fortress of blankets and throw pillows.

The TV was on, playing some random rom-com none of us were really watching.

I was sandwiched between them, safe in the warm bubble of friendship, even if the air was laced with all the things we didn’t say.