“Fuck.” I scrub my hand down my face. I really can’t believe this is happening. “Summer’s brothers are searching for him right now. I can’t imagine how they’ll want to retaliate. After the mud pit—”
“That could be why,” West says.
“It certainly has logic to it.” Dizzy tips her head to one side and tugs on a scarlet tipped tendril with a blood stained finger.
“Why what?” What the hell are they talking about?
“Would someone have killed the goat to keep the Hearts from accepting you?”
It’s possible. But unlikely. “Who would do that?” Except the Hearts themselves. “No, that’s... No... Owen doesn’t like me, but he liked that goat. The way he was carrying on about the animal... it’s a pet or something.”
“Yes, but they really don’t like you,” West says.
I point my finger in his face. “None of Summer’s brothers would do this. None of them are that psychotic. There has to be a rational explanation.”
“I didn’t suggest there wasn’t,” West says.
Even though we look identical it’s hard to believe someone this cold and suspicious could be my brother. “But not Summer’s brothers. Right?”
“Sure, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. If you suggest a better suspect.”
“I don’t know.” I tug on my hair as I step back. I have a suspect. One I hoped we’d never have to deal with again. “Alec. He’s still out there. What if he figured out we’re here?”
West and Dizzy share a look.
“He still hasn’t been located.” I list the logical reasons why this could be Alec. “Which means he’s out there somewhere. That means he’s still a problem. We don’t know if he’s planning revenge or—”
“It’s unlikely that Alec did this,” West says.
“With his own hands, no, he probably didn’t. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t behind it.” He’s proven time and time again how insidious he can be. He hired Jackson to poison Ivy right under our noses.
Dizzy smacks her lips like she’s about to tell me why I’m wrong.
West grasps her wrist to draw her over to him while he says, “We need to consider all possibilities.”
“What are you guys standing around for?” Rogue calls out, as he strides across the paddock. He’s nonchalant, as though he’s out for a stroll to enjoy the sunshine and not looking for a goat he’s about to learn is dead. “Did you find Stains?”
“Fuck.” I’m about to end that happy mood of his. There is just over two days until the ceremony, and this is going to put a hitch in the festivities. “He’s going to lose his shit. I better try to soften the blow.”
25
Rogue
Rebel strides toward me determinedly, a worried scowl turning down his mouth. Something is very wrong. I pick up the pace. “What is it?”
Rebel says nothing.
My gaze falls on Dizzy and West, who are deep in an argument if their stiff body language is anything to go by. It’s hard to tell with West. He’s stiff at the best of times. It’s clear Dizzy is tense though.
Tense Dizzy sets off warning bells in my head. I scan the area around them. Did they find the goat or…
There’s a rock near them. No. The closer I get, the less rock-shaped it is. The more legs it has. Horns too. What the hell is going on?
“Rogue. Stop.” Rebel puts himself in front of me, blocking my path so I can’t break into a run. “We have a problem.”
“Tell me I’m imagining things. That I’m not seeing what I think I’m seeing.” Because it looks like I’m seeing a dead goat. “That’s not Stains, right?”
“It is,” Rebel says sadly.
