“Mathers did nothing without reason,” Kaiden supplies. “There was other stuff going down at the time, and I think he was planning to use you against Atticus or maybe against us.”
“Mathers was involved in your adoption, Roman, and we have found evidence of other things.” Maverick wets his lips.
“Like what?”
They trade a look. “It’s something we should discuss with you and Zayn. But it involves Vincent Becker. He left something for Zayn, and we just found it.”
Chapter Seventeen
Zayn
“Becker! Let’s go,” the female cop roars, unlocking the large cell I’ve called home for the past few hours. “All charges have been dropped, and you’re free to go.”
I’ve worn a path in the ground pacing back and forth like a madman the entire time I’ve been caged. I didn’t give a fuck about my predicament. I was too goddamned worried about Roman. I bet those assholes have been filling his head with a bunch of crap, and I need to do damage control.
“Someone has friends in high places,” she adds, taking my arm and leading me along the hallway toward the double doors.
I ignore her jab, grateful that prick in his expensive suit wasn’t just all talk. When he showed up—courtesy of Sawyer Hunt—I was tempted to tell him to take a hike. But I needed to get home to my little brother, and the suit was my best shot, so I cooperated, and the dude came through.
Anxiety trickles through my veins as I wait to be processed. The need to get to Roman is like an itch crawling over my skin. I’m about ready to peel my flesh from my bones to get home to my little brother. My cell pings the instant I switch it on, and I scowl when the text message pops up.
Next time, your loved ones will pay the price. You know what you need to do.
All the color seeps from my face as a picture of Roman and a second one of Emery loads on the screen.
I thought I’d hidden Emery from Hamilton, but I underestimated him. The picture is taken through a window from the sidewalk outside the store where she works in Rydeville. She’s smiling at a customer, completely oblivious to the monster snapping pics of her. The photo of Roman is him leaving our apartment with that degenerate Van Hesten.
I’d celebrate if Hamilton chose to wipe Van Hesten from existence even if it would hurt Ro. But the gloves are coming off if Hamilton lays one finger on Ro or Emery. It’s one thing to threaten me, but it’s a whole other ballgame to threaten my brother and the girl I can’t get out of my head. I don’t give a shit that WLU has retracted my place in the computer science program. Doubt there’s much it could teach me anyway. But I do care about my brother’s future. Hamilton is not fucking shit up for Roman. I will break into jail and murder him with my bare hands if I have to.
Fuck. I hate that that conniving dick is forcing my hand, and I walk out through the double doors with a tsunami swirling in my head.
“Zayn!”
Roman rushes me, wrapping me in an embrace. “I was so worried.”
“Told you not to worry,” I say through gritted teeth when I spot our older brothers hanging back a few feet watching mewith sharp eyes. “We need to get rid of them,” I whisper in his ear.
Roman pulls back and concern puckers his brow. “You need to hear what they have to say.”
I count to ten in my head and try to remember it’s not Ro I’m angry with. “They’re elite. You can’t trust them.”
“They’re not really. They were only dragged into all that stuff a few years ago, and they’ve been looking for us for years, Zayn.” His face is flushed, his eyes alight with unnamed emotion. “They have stuff they want to show us about Denton and Hamilton and…Dad.”
All the fine hairs lift on the back of my neck. “It’s lies, Ro. They could have found us at any time, so why now?”
“They couldn’t find us, Zayn, and don’t pretend you weren’t involved in that. I know the mad skills you have. You kept them from finding us, didn’t you?” He steps back, and pain flashes across his face. “Why would you do that?”
“You know why.” I rub at my pounding temples as the two assholes start moving toward us. “I was protecting you, Ro. From them and all that elite bullshit.”
“They want to do the same.”
“We’re not the bad guys,” Maverick says, reaching my side and hearing the tail end of our conversation.
“That’s a matter of interpretation,” I say in a cutting tone.
“You don’t trust us,” Kaiden says, coming up on Ro’s other side. “It’s smart, and we respect it. Ro knows little about the elite, but our guess is you know a whole lot more.”
“And?”
