Page 2 of What’s Left of You (What Left #2)

My mama though is a hard person to talk down once she’s set her mind on something.

She claimed that Jo’s mom always came off differently depending on who she was talking to like she was faking it.

I always labeled it as lies. The few times Porscha acted weird around me I mostly dismissed it because Jo told me her mom was always strange.

Maybe there was something to all of mama’s whispers after all.

“I don’t understand Porscha’s obsession with Alastair,” I admit, closing my eyes.

I can’t remember Porscha ever specifically acting like she had an interest in him years ago.

To be frank she never seemed that excited about Alastair or Emeric.

She didn’t like either of the foster brothers, but I don’t remember any specific reason why.

“Her reasons might not make sense to you,” Xeno agrees, “but it means Alastair should presumably be alive right now. She went through a lot of trouble to ensure he would leave alive.”

“But why now?” I grumble. “Was she always the original CGS or is the title of killer new to her?”

“I don’t know,” Xeno answers honestly. “But I did tell Jonathan and Dante to mention to Sterling that Porscha Surwright is holding Alastair hostage.”

My eyes narrow. “Why would you say something like that?”

“To make sure they protect your man,” he says with a smirk. “I’m sure Josephine will appreciate it if we keep him in one piece.”

Hearing Xeno call her by her fake full name makes me pause, tilting my head as I stare at my brother. He’s been so kind to her since we returned to Florida. “You like her.”

“I like you both,” he replies with a smirk. “And I liked Alastair before he decided to kill people.” He lifts his brows, and I’m not entirely sure what he wants me to get from that look.

Alastair admitted to the murders. He’s on Death Row for them. There’s no way he can be anything but a killer.

Still… I don’t understand where Porscha fits in.

“I’ll keep an eye on your wife,” he continues, nodding towards the hall.

“You should call Emeric. Won’t he want to know about his brother?

I doubt anyone’s going to want this broadcast, but it’s only a matter of time before reporters get a hold of this and it makes the news.

The Feds can’t conceal everything forever. ”

Emeric. I wasn’t even thinking about him, and guilt starts to build in my chest. Of course he will want updates. He probably has no idea anything’s happened.

I’m not even sure if he’s Alastair’s emergency contact.

If anyone is Alastair’s emergency contact anymore.

It never even occurred to me to ask if anyone on the outside looked out for him in any way.

Emeric lives in Florida, and currently as far as I know he plans on returning home once we’re done.

If anyone’s looking out for Alastair, I expect it to be him.

Even if Alastair refused his visits, that doesn’t mean Emeric stopped worrying about him.

Without leaving my seat I dial Emeric’s number, needing to keep my eyes on the room despite Xeno’s offer. He answers on the second ring. “Miss me already?”

“Alastair is gone,” I tell him, the words tumbling out before I can debate saying something else. “There was an incident at the penitentiary.”

Emeric goes quiet, and I can’t imagine what’s going on in his head. “You’re going to need to slow down and explain that a whole lot better.”

Blowing out a breath, I give him a rushed summary as my leg bounces impatiently. I’m leaving out a lot of details right now, and I think Emeric can sense it too once I’ve finished. The door to Jo’s room is still covered by a curtain and I’m getting anxious.

He's quiet for too long once I finish, the phone in my hand in danger of breaking from how tightly I’m holding it. “Porscha… took Alastair. That’s the story you want me to buy?”

“That’s what happened,” I reply, my voice tight. “There’s supposedly video footage of her in the penitentiary, leaving with Alastair and another guard. The guard is dead now.”

Emeric clicks his tongue. “Where does that leave you two?”

My eyes narrow on the curtain that’s keeping me separated from my wife. Xeno is distracted tapping away on his phone, and I try to reign in the rage. “I don’t know yet. I’d love to take Jo far away from here-”

“But she won’t go,” Emeric finishes for me. “Not with Alastair MIA.”

I purse my lips. “Can you still handle the club if your brother is missing?”

“Honestly, V, I’m not sure if Alastair even misses me. He never got into this much shit when I was home.”

“I don’t think he had Porscha to contend with either,” I grumble.

“I’m fine here for now,” Emeric says, his voice turning hard. “But take care of my brother the way I’m taking care of Jo’s cousin.”

I hardly consider Emeric co-managing a club with Serenity on-par with taking care of , especially since they haven’t seemed to warm up to each other yet. Yet so far as I know, no one out there wants to kill Serenity either. “We’ll keep in touch.”

Emeric chats for another minute, and I half hang up on him when the curtain finally moves. Sterling appears, his hair more disheveled than it was in my room when he stopped in, his phone pressed to his ear as he walks out of Jo’s space.

Xeno moves with me and we meet Sterling in the middle of the hallway. He moves to step past us and I catch his shoulder, because goddamnit, he’s not going to sideline me or my wife now that Alastair is missing. “Have any news, Agent?”

He throws my hand off, muttering into the phone. “Hold on, Tyler.” Dropping his arm so the phone is away from his face, he glares at me. “Go make plans with Jo, whatever they are. I have things to take care of.”

“You didn’t answer me-”

“Not now, Vinny,” he sighs, shaking his head as he looks at me.

“The coroner who handled all of Alastair’s victims is dead.

Murdered. That has to be looked into. We need to make plans to exhume Porscha’s remains since she’s suddenly among the living.

I have some things to sort through right now.

When there is something to share you’ll be one of the first to know.

Both of our suspects would have a distinct interest in the two of you. ”

Both. He must be talking about Porscha, and it shouldn’t surprise me as much as it does that she’s a suspect too. I don’t know if he relayed that part to Jo or not, but it’s going to complicate things.

Maybe they aren’t just looking for one serial killer, but two.

Sterling is back on his phone again but I quickly lose focus on him when I peer through the curtain and spot Jo.

She’s part way off the bed before I reach her, ignoring the cords attached to the monitors around her.

I sweep her up in my arms, folding one leg to sit back on the bed with her before she accidentally pulls something out.

Xeno pulls the door mostly closed to stand outside like a guard. I almost miss it when she starts talking, her voice soft, quiet. “I can’t do it again, Vinny.”

“We won’t,” I promise her, kissing her temple. “This is more than it was before. If you want to go, we go. You need only say the words.”

She nods against me. “I want to see them put behind bars. B-both of them.”

She trips over the words, but I hear where her thoughts are going. “As you wish, darling. I’ll take them to hell myself if either comes for you ever again.”