Page 113 of Web of Lies

Elijah Porter—X— 700k. Final

Kaycee Cole— O — Undetermined—Over 50m?

Charlotte Oliver—X—500k Final

Cadence Holt—X—550k—Final

Max Jones—X— 650k Final.

Magnolia Shepherd—X—2m. Final

Kody Knight—X—500k Final

Spencer Coers — X—450k Final

TAS

I read and reread these names surrounding mine repeatedly. It’s them, all of them. “They—” I swallow the burning bile seeping up my throat.

The walls of my stomach clench, sending sharp pains across my abdomen. The spicy sushi rolls I consumed earlier threaten to spill. My palm covers my lips, clamping them shut, and refusing to break down over this. I can’t afford to let my panic or my anxiety rule me right now, only smart decisions—logical decisions. Nothing will cloud my brain because I can’t afford it, not even my name on a list full of dead people.

“Yeah,” Zepp says through a soothing voice, rubbing his hands up and down my arms. “Yeah, it’s them. I remember their names from the autopsy reports.” His voice cracks with emotions.

If we didn’t have fears before, this only solidifies it for us—for me. Every name surrounding mine is already dead and gone—buried beneath the earth with a plaque above their stiff bodies. They’re the same ones who succumbed to the mysterious serial killer lurking around town and now. Now they’re after me. But what is this? Is this the cult we’ve been chasing down? Are they truly responsible for all the mayhem around town, for the bodies showing up once a month since Magnolia died?

“You, okay?” Zepp breathes in my ear, holding me tighter. It’s almost like he’s afraid if he lets go, I’ll fly off the handle. But I won’t. So, what if my name is on a murder list? Well—I guess there’s no okay about it. I’m knee-deep in shit I don’t have a clue about.

“No.” Why lie when they’d know, anyway. They’d take one look at the color draining from my face and know. No, I’m not okay. But I will be. This will fuel me more, give me the gasoline to continue my fight against this invisible force, and burn them once and for all. For Magnolia. For Elijah. For everyone, they’ve taken down.

Zepp turns my head, cupping my cheeks. “You will never be alone in this, I promise.” He shakes me a little with each word, conveying how serious he is about protecting me—a fire burns within the depths of his forest-green eyes—with the same intensity as a million suns, blazing a safe path of protection for us all. And right now, if he wants to play white knight in shining armor, then I’ll let him—them. Because more now than ever, I need my allies, my boys, to help me fight the good fight.

“Just don’t get yourself hurt because of me,” I whisper, barely getting my voice to work.

Tears burn the backs of my eyes, tingling my nose with the need to release this pain. My head naturally leans into his warm touch, reveling in the comfort such a small gesture brings me. A second pair of arms wrap around from my backside, pressing his hard chest into me.

“Never, ever alone,” Chase whispers in my ear, kissing below it. He squeezes me lightly, comforting me while I internally freak out. But the constant pressure of their bodies surrounding me relaxes my muscles. They’re like living weighted blankets.

“So, what do you think this even means?” I ask, trying to rationalize with myself. I won’t end up like those other ones. I can’t. I won’t.

“I think it confirms our suspicions. They weren’t suicides like we thought them to be, but murders.” I nod in agreement.

“But Kaycee’s name is on there too, does that mean?” Chase’s whisper is frantic, his eyes darting from me to Zepp.

His heart pounds out of his chest and into my back at a frantic rate. Like it’s about to boom out of his chest cavity and fall onto the floor. He swallows hard, an audible gulp in my ears. Internally freaking out on my behalf, but on the outside, he’s staying calm.

“It means it limits our time. We need to not only protect her and ourselves, but we need to figure out who is behind this all.” Zepp says, rubbing his fingers on my face.

Chase nods thoughtfully, squeezing me again. “Where does this put Shaw, then? He had the list.”

Maybe he’s in charge of it all? Or perhaps he’s the one who comes up with these hits? Hits? Is this what this is? Some mafia-type stuff going on in this town. Does the mafia even exist? And the numbers, what do the numbers mean? Oh god, my head aches from all the questions zooming through it.

“Maybe we need to kidnap him and question him about it,” Chase says through a playful tone, but I can tell he’s half-serious. And hell, I’m halfway down with that.

“I’m down to kidnap that sick fuck,” Seger says groggily from the couch, stroking his jawline. Sleepiness weighs down the bags under his darkened eyes, but the concern flairs to life inside of him.

“We can’t kidnap him,” I say firmly, laughing at Chase’s defeat. He nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck, blowing a raspberry.

“No fun,” he groans.