“What do you want, Samantha, and how the hell did you even get in here?” Wes quips. He’s had little to no patience for anyone since everything went down at the Selection ceremony.
I don’t think he realizes it yet, but he’s got some feelings for the new girl. He’s in denial, but I see it. He’s always watching her when he thinks no one is looking, and the fact that the GPS was something he talked about with Wyatt… Though he tried to sell it as a way to keep tabs on her, ensuring she wasn’t up to no good.
Wes is a softie. I’m the only one left who’s really thinking straight— and I’m not sure my earlier inclinations are sensible anymore.
Walking her high-heeled feet across the room, she stops and begins speaking only once she has everyone’s attention. “Wesley, you’re all supposed to be courting the Selected. You know, the ones that are still here.”
“If you haven’t noticed, Silicone Sammy, one of the girls chosen was fucking kidnapped!” Wyatt shouts from his perch by the bar.
“You never cared before. Two other girls are dead, and you didn’t lift a pinky finger to find either of them,” she snarks, confident that her jibe has landed.
Owen’s menacing laugh fills the room before a glint of silver catches the light. That’s the only warning given before a whirring sound flits through the air. A shrill, screamed curse is heard before a thrown knife embeds itself in the wall.
“What the fuck, Owen?” Samantha snarls, pressing her lime green-tipped fingers to her ear, her hand coming away with red as small rivulets of blood trickle down her ear.
Readying another blade between his fingers, Owen glares at a shocked Samantha, taunting, “If you don’t want Daddy to have to pay for nose job number five, I highly suggest you scamper off to whatever animal pen you escaped from.”
Not deterred by his threat, she looks to Wes, like he’ll save her. I’ve honestly never encountered someone so delusional in all of my life.
Before Wes can utter a word, Sebastian grabs her face and growls, “Your desperation is showing, and it doesn’t smell very good on you.” Then, he shoves her toward the door.
She attempts to protest, but I cut her off, “That was your cue to get the fuck out of here. You’re not needed, and you’re definitely not wanted.”
Her hands ball into fists as the frozen set of her face tries to morph into anger, but the injected nerves refuse to cooperate. Indignation fills her glacial blue eyes as she growls in frustration, turning and storming through the same door she entered.
Now that the stench of bitch is fading from the room we can focus back on what’s important.
“We have a lead on Madeline,” I state as I open the video footage I was able to find.
“Fuck, Lev, why didn’t you say something earlier?” Wyatt asks moving from the bar to the table, his usually playful demeanor far too serious.
“I would’ve, but clingy-in-heels stormed in. Remind me to check with security to see how she was even able to gain access,” I say, also making a mental note for myself.
Hitting play on the video, I see a very comfortable Madeline walking into a grocery store. Her hair is now golden brown and styled in a pixie cut. Her once green eyes are now coffee-brown. The makeup she’s wearing hides the prosthetic nose and jawbones she used to change the shape of her face. It wasn’t enough to keep her hidden from my facial rec programming—too bad for her.
Twenty minutes later we see her walk out with a few bags but instead of heading to her car, she walks down the street four blocks and turns into a parking garage.Why do they always meet in garages like they don’t have cameras in there?
“Where’d she go?” Sebastian asks.
I point to the entrance of the garage, replying, “Just keep watching.”
As I state my last word, a black 2018 Nissan Rogue exits where my finger was pointing. Two people sit in the front seat, one of them being Madeline. But that’s not the shocking part. It’s who’s in the driver’s seat that has everyone gasping.
Wyatt kicks back his chair, causing it to topple over as he barks, “Senator fucking Baker!”
5
SEBASTIAN
Istare around my office, trying to take my mind off this clusterfuck of a situation. Ariah being taken has shaken the core of our group.
While I haven’t spent as much time with her, I’ve seen the impact the spitfire’s had on the guys. The most significant change is Lev. Wes is still apprehensive. You can see how much he wants to care, but his bullheadedness won’t allow him to admit he was wrong.
Lev— he’s going to be putty in Ariah’s hands when we get her back. Oh, he’ll have to grovel, and I’m looking forward to watching it all.
“Where the fuck is my friend, Sebastian?!”
I turn to see a very irate Shay blow through my once-closed door.
