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CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Phoenix

When Hazel had told me we were staying at this house because the guys were capable of protecting me and the house was secure, I’d assumed she thought they were more of a security force, not a team of vigilante justice-makers.

I finally went back to bed and spent awhile going over everything Noel had told me, and I was surprised by how unafflicted I was about it all.

Possibly a year ago, what they’d done would have appalled me—even though the bad guys had deserved it—but as Noel had broken it all down, something had happened to me: I’d related.

Would I kill Adonis if he were in front of me? I didn’t know if I could. He was stronger than me in all ways, and I just wasn’t a fighter. Then I wondered— If I had a gun and he were there, would I shoot him?

He’d told me truths about myself, but if he were going to strangle me, toss me into a freezer, and pose me like a fucking doll…maybe I would shoot.

I’d only been able to get a couple of hours of sleep, but that was fine. I was becoming used to that. I got out of bed, showered, brushed my teeth, relieved my bladder. Got dressed and followed the sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen.

A usual smorgasbord of breakfast delicacies was sprawled out on the counters, and everyone was filling their plates. Noel looked up at me when he heard me, and a sweet expression fell across his face.

“Morning, Phoenix.”

“Good morning, Noel.”

I sat next to him at the dining room table, almost as if I were drawn to him. After last night’s confession hour, I felt as if for the first time since this nightmare had started, I was connecting with someone.…I was safe.

I was a job for him, but something told me that Noel Saint and his brothers didn’t just help anyone, and they surely didn’t allow them to live in their inner sanctum. I wasn’t going to dwell on whether I was special to Noel and his family, but for a short while, I was able to at least pretend.

At around noon, Gabe walked into the living room, where I was reading silently on the couch. Four and JJ were watching some baking show, and Mason was scrolling through his phone.

“Where is everyone?” Gabe said by way of greeting.

“No idea. I think Matt, Nick, and Shep went to Saintly Sweets. Noel is in the tech room, Angel was meeting with Aziza about Two.” Mason shrugged. “Why?”

“For someone who was all, ‘I have no idea,’ you sure do seem to know where everyone is.” JJ snorted.

“Well, I don’t know where Hazel is, jackass.” He playfully narrowed his eyes at JJ.

“She’s upstairs on the phone,” I answered.

“Well, turns out Agent Rose is on his way here to speak with Phoenix.”

“He can want anything; doesn’t mean he’ll get it.” JJ rolled his eyes. “Call Aziza and tell her. He will wait until we are ready, and only if Phoenix is willing.”

“I’ll get Noel.” Four walked out, and Mason said something about calling the shop to let them know what was going on.

I had a feeling Rose wouldn’t like the reception he was going to receive.

I was willing to talk to him. I’d come to terms with that and honestly, I wanted it all to end.

If this did that, I’d answer anything I could.

I was still sitting in the living room when Agent Rose arrived. Noel was on one side of me and Hazel the other. Angel had informed us that he and Aziza were on their way, but there was traffic and Noel was adamant about not speaking to the agent before she arrived.

Gabe opened the door, and from across the room I could feel the chill in the air.

“Agent.”

“Mr. Saint, I’m here to speak with Phoenix Briar.”

“I’m aware. You already told me that on the phone. He’s not ready.”

From my vantage point, I could see the agent and he locked eyes with me. “Funny, because that looks like him right there.”

“Dr. Aziza Bakir hasn’t arrived yet, so until she does, you’re not talking to her patient.”

Rose scoffed. “Is that right?”

Mason stepped forward and got between Gabe and Rose. “Why don’t you follow me to the kitchen, Agent? I can get you a drink, and you can wait there.”

He didn’t take his eyes off Gabe and followed Mason to the kitchen. All this posturing was ridiculous, and I wanted to just yell that I had to get this over with, but I wasn’t going to insult the brothers. They were keeping me safe, and I’d roll with it.

Aziza and Angel arrived about twenty minutes later, and she immediately asked me what I wanted to do.

“I’m still willing to talk to him.”

She nodded. “How do you want to do this? How would this be comfortable for you?”

A rush of warmth flowed through me at her concern. “Here’s fine; they can all stay.”

She went to speak with the agent and informed him of my choices.

“I won’t have anyone interrupting this interview, Dr. Bakir.”

“You do it Phoenix’s way, or not at all, Agent.” There was a bite to her words. “No one will interfere as long as you’re respectful and don’t upset my patient. If he says stop, this ends. Do you understand me?”

“Fine.” There was no hiding how angry this made the agent, but no one seemed to care. I knew he was just doing his job, though, so I vowed to be nice regardless of how uncomfortable this would be for me.

“Mr. Briar. I’ve had a long talk with Dr. Bakir, and she explained what you’ve remembered, she was also able to obtain some information that likely explains why we’re here to speak with you.”

I nodded. “You want me to listen to some voices?”

“That’s right.”

“If at any time you want to stop, say the word.” Noel gently tapped my leg.

I glanced at Noel. There was a determination in his gaze, one that said he wasn’t going anywhere, and if I wanted to stop, this would be done, no questions asked.

“Thanks,” I whispered.

Agent Rose removed a small recorder from his suit jacket. “Now we don’t know things he said to you, and we didn’t know his name when we made these recordings, otherwise we’d have requested them to say that.”

I shuddered just thinking of hearing his name coming through the tiny speaker.

“We had each of them say the same few lines. We didn’t want anything derogatory to hurt your healing process, so we simply told them to say their name, age, and favorite color. Hopefully, that will be enough.”

His finger hovered over the Play button, his eyes on me. “Ready?”

“Sure.”

The first voice was definitely not Adonis. Too nasal. “Raymond Klemons, thirty-five, orange.”

I shook my head.

Next, deeper, but not right. “Donald Beggers, forty-one, red.”

I shook my head again.

“Lane Moran, fifty-two, blue.”

“One more,” the agent said.

“Hank Zaffy, thirty-two, black.”

He sounded a lot like Adonis, but I couldn’t be sure. There was that haunting timbre in his tone, and he sounded the right age, nothing nasal.

“Is that him, Nix?” Hazel implored.

“I don’t know. Maybe. He sounds the closest.”

Agent Rose slid the recorder back into his pocket. “It’s at least enough to pursue further with him.”

“What happens now?” Hazel sat forward. “Do you arrest him?”

“We can’t just arrest him, but I can get a warrant for his properties, bank records. It’s more than what we’ve had until now. If Hank Zaffy is the serial killer, his days are numbered. I promise you that.”

He stood and turned to leave.

“Will you keep us informed?” Nick asked. Of course they’d all arrived at the house as soon as they’d heard the agent was coming.

“I will.”

Once he left, I just sat there, a little shocked and a lot unsatisfied. Adonis wasn’t stupid. My heart was telling me this wasn’t him, or if it was and he was prepared for getting caught, that meant he had a plan…and his plans were ugly; his plans were deadly.