My eyes scan the room, but I don’t see her. Theo keeps pace beside me as I advance toward Galen, his gaze growing in concern along with mine.
Galen slowly turns around, jutting his chin up and spreading his legs a little, standing tall, holding my gaze confidently as I walk up to him. A muscle clenches in his jaw as we square off.
“Where is she?” My voice betrays no hint of my escalating fear.
“Not here” is his clipped reply.
“What the fuck did you do?” Theo demands, nudging me aside and shoving Galen’s shoulders.
“Something you three pussies were too weak to do.” His lips curl into a snarl as my hands automatically clench into fists at my side.
Theo shoves Galen again, but I pull him back, putting my face all up in my cousin’s. “Where is Lo?”
“She’s with Knight. He’s probably put a bullet in her skull by now.”
I ram my fist into his stomach, and he stumbles back. He lifts his head, smirking. “When you remove your head from your ass, you’ll see I’ve done the right thing. She betrayed us. She played us. And she had you all under her thumb. That shit would not end well.”
I slam my fist into his face this time, and blood bursts from his nose. “You’re a fucking idiot.”
His laugh is bitter. “Bullshit.” He spits blood on the concrete floor. “You’ve lost your touch. She made you weak. I eliminated the issue. Feel free to thank me anytime soon.”
His arrogance will be the death of him someday and if he doesn’t shut his stupid fucking mouth, that day might be today.
Caz charges past me, leveling Galen with one of his signature punches. Galen falls back, crashing awkwardly to the floor. “You’re all overreacting,” he shouts, losing the smirk. Anger flares across his face. “And you’ve forgotten the brotherhood! Forgotten what’s important!”
I lean over him and punch him in the gut again. “She’s one of us, you reckless fucktard.” I slam my fist into his ribs, and a cracking sound reverberates through the cavernous space.
It’s telling that he’s not fighting back. He knew to expect this. He’s taking it like a man, but he fully believes he’ll be vindicated once we cool down.
“She’s a hot piece of ass!” he yells. “That doesnotmake her one of us.” This time, Theo gets one in, pummeling his jawline. Galen spits more blood out.
“Sinner branded her with our mark when she was thirteen,” I explain, thrusting my fist in the other side of his ribs. “And he ordered us to take her to the training facility to start initiation.” I slam my fist into his face as Caz paces, pulling frantically at his hair, and Theo pulls out his tablet.
“What?” Galen croaks, his brow puckering in confusion.
“It happened after the ambush, when you were nowhere to be found.”
“Because you were busy making plans to hand our girl to the enemy,” Caz says, grabbing Galen up by the shirt and punching him.
“I didn’t know!” Galen yells between punches. “And I was also responding to Theo’s text. Retrieving the body.”
I glance at Theo, and his expression conveys it’s not important and he’ll fill me in later.
Caz punches Galen again, and Galen’s head whips back as blood flies everywhere.
I yank Caz back. “I want him conscious.”
For now.
I glare at a bloody Galen. “Where is Knight? Where was he taking her?”
“I don’t know.” He shakes his head, and Caz raises his fist again. Panic flares in his eyes. “I swear! I don’t know where he planned to take her.” His eyes plead with me for understanding, but I’ve got none of that in supply.
“Where did the exchange go down?” I ask.
“Prestwick gas station,” he blurts. “The one on the outskirts of town.”
“Shit,” Theo exclaims without looking up, fingers flying over the keypad. “They don’t have any working cameras.”
