“Except for you being in a coma,” I continued, words tumbling out of me. “That sucked. But you’re here now. Oh, God. We need to call a doctor? Shouldn’t we call a doctor?”
I turned to Eric who nodded. “I’ll do that right now,” he said then pulled out his phone even as Allie returned with Jared, Laura, and Mindy. Word spread, and soon his small room was filled with almost everyone in the school, all talking at once about how pleased they were that Stuart was awake and did he remember anything about what he said when he was in the coma.
“Said?” He shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He turned to look at Eric, who had turned away to speak into his phone, presumably with the medical team.
Stuart frowned. “How long have I been gone?”
“Almost three months,” I told him.
He nodded slowly as if he couldn’t quite process that. Then he started to look around the room. “Where’s Timmy?”
Timmy!I was the worst mother in the world. Not only had I just slept with my ex-husband, but I didn’t even know where my youngest child was in a gigantic house.
“He was here with Bruce and Ren earlier,” Allie said with a nod toward Ren and Ana. “Actually, where’s Bruce?”
No one answered, but in the silence I heard a small little, “Momma?”
I turned toward the connecting bedroom that would have been Nancy’s quarters, realizing that of course he’d gone in there to play. The door was partially closed, so I pushed it wide open, intending to go scoop him up and deliver him to his daddy.
But when I did, I froze.
Because there was Timmy standing right next to Bruce, who was holding a deadly blade right at my little boy’s neck.
14
“Allie comes with me or the brat dies,” Bruce said, pulling my baby closer so that the point of the knife pressed against the soft skin of Timmy’s neck. I held my breath, terrified, as my baby whimpered and called for me.
“Shut the hell up,” Bruce snapped.
“It’s okay, baby,” I said gently to Timmy even as I moved to the side so that my body was blocking Allie. “Just stay very quiet and very still. Everything’s going to be fine.”
“Yeah, no,” Bruce said. “I really don’t think it is. Not unless Allie comes with me. If that happens, then your little dude will be just fine. If not, then I’ll just leave you with sliced-and-diced little dude.”
“Why?” I asked. “You had a chance here for a new start. You have talent and skill. You could have made a difference.”
“Like you can do anything compared to her.”
It took me a moment to realize he wasn’t talking about Allie. He was talking about Lilith. I turned to face Eric, saw his grim expression, and knew he’d come to the same conclusion.
“You’ve spoken with her? How?”
“I don’t have to tell you shit. I’m the one with the power. Ain’t that right, Timmy-my-man?”
I kept my eyes on him, trying to tune out everyone else in the room. Trying to focus. Tothink.
“You’re right,” I said. “You have the power. Which is why you can answer my questions. You have the advantage.”
“Damn right, I do. I’m her right-hand boy. They came to me. Told me. She choseme. And her deal is a hell of a lot sweeter than yours. Swords and knives and holy water? When she rewards me, I’ll have power. Real power.”
I shook my head. “She’s manipulating you.”
He shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. But she’s going to be the queen of the world soon. I’m choosing my side. And you should, too,” he added, turning his attention to Ren and Ana. “Didn’t either of you learn anything during your time on the streets? No one helps you. No one wants you. You have to look out for yourself.Wehave to look out for ourselves.”
I watched their face, Ana’s full of shock. Ren’s flat and emotionless.
“Come with me,” Bruce urged. “We’re the same breed, all of us. They don’t care about us here. We’re only scraps they picked up.”
My heart sank as Ren took a step forward. I weighed my chances of rescuing Timmy as Bruce gloated. Not stellar, but it might be my best shot.
