Page 87 of We The Depraved

I want to cry.

“Just hurry,” I tell her. “And come alone.”

I hang up, and sit on a bench. There’s a homeless man smelling of piss and he’s already three sheets to the wind drunk. My hands rest on my upper thighs, covered in blood. They shake a lot and I try to still myself.

You survived, I think.

You always survive.

CHAPTER28

Niki

My wife walks through the doors looking as though she’s been through hell and back. I have been searching for her for two days. I try to get her to look at me but it’s almost as if she’s catatonic.

My brothers and I go to my study, while Silver tends to her.

I owe her best friend everything for returning her to me. My brothers are quiet, and they wait for my lead, even though I know Damien is relieved for the most part.

It would have been terrible for our brand, I think.

“Where do you think all that blood came from?” Erik is the first to speak.

I nurse alcohol in a glass, there’s a cube of ice melting into the expensive Scotch. I don’t care. I would waste all the liquor in the world for that woman.

“I’m not sure,” I say.

“She killed someone for sure,” Artur throws it out there.

Damien winces.

“What?” Artur looks around. “We’re all fucking thinking it.”

“Whatever happened, it was self-defense,” I roar. “No one will fucking touch my wife. She’s not going to prison.”

“Relax.” Damien’s voice brings calm back to the room. “No one is going to prison. We don’t know about anything. There’s nothing to know.”

A knock comes on the door. It’s a slight rap that vibrates through the oak. I become alert and Silver pokes her head around the corner.

“She’s…”

My ears are waiting to hear what’s going on with Sage. The minute she walked in I wanted to demand the truth from her. I wanted her to say she hated me, anything just to get her talking.

“She’s exhausted,” Silver admits and her eyes don’t quite meet my own.

She takes a breath and you cant tell it seems to deflate her a bit.

“You should go be with her.”

“Did she say what happened?”

“No,” she shakes her head. “I’m going to head out but please call me if you need something. If Sage needs something.”

I nod and follow her out and to the front door.

“Take care of my girl, Niki,” Silver offers a slight smile.

Holding the door open, my eyes watch as she gets in to her white Jetta and drives away from the circular drive. My feet dread the steps to go up to the bedroom but I go anyway. By the time I get there, Sage is drying off and her hair is curly and wet.