“Who do you think I’m looking for?” he asks.
“R-Rowan.”
The name alone sends a shiver up my spine like he’ll pop up out of the ground. I scan the area to make sure he doesn’t despite how irrational it is as I shakily slide a loose cigarette out of my pocket. I’ve been rationing them after Lennox’s supply drop, but I need something to keep me still. I light it, knowing it’s the last one.
A desk chair squeaks on the other end of the line as he says, “I’m listening.”
I quickly check the time to see how long I have to explain this shit to him. Seven minutes. Seven fucking minutes to change my life.
“We’re in Austria,” I blurt out as the cigarette slowly burns. “The woman who lives with you is here with another man. Rowan’s here too, but I don’t know long he’s going to be here.”
“Where about in Austria?”
“I don’t fucking know. Wait.” I take a quick deep drag as I push my numb fingers against the screen to check the map. All the details are in German, but it will take too long to wait for a translation to load so I give the coordinates. “Meet me here. I’ll take you to them.”
He doesn’t say anything. I’m fucking sick of this cunt wasting my time when it’s not something I have in abundance.
“What would you like in return?” he asks slowly.
“Infor—”
The phone beeps and a box pops up. Call failed, no service.
“Fuck!”
My fist flies, hitting the rough stone of the cabin.
Fuck, fuck, fucking fuck!
I need to make sure Delilah’s safe. Niko’s world has rules about protecting women, so this fucker will be bound the same rules. I walk back into the cabin as I change my plan. I won’t be able to use what Rowan fears against him when they won’t know to look for his cabin, but they have the location for this glass box.
I walk over to my wife as she sits in the armchair, watching the sky. Holding her face with both of my hands, I kiss her. She moans, lightly pressing her hands on my chest, but she doesn’t push me. She doesn’t fucking push me away.
“You’re going again,” she says, dejected.
“One last time, okay?” I nod, my fingers flexing on her cheeks. “I’ll come back…” Fuck, why am I lying to her? It’s only going to make her hate me even more. Dropping down to my haunches, I pull her face closer so her nose is brushing mine. “I need to kill them. They’ve taken too much from us, and I don’t trust Helene.”
“No,” she grits, attempting to peel my hands off her. “We can leave.”
“Delilah, we both know we can’t. Think about everything they’ve done. She’s spent our entire lives controlling everything, so she’s not going to stop now.”
She tries to argue but I speak over her.
“I don’t know where she is. Lennox won’t tell me.” My eyes close. “I fucked up by taking too long. Someone’s coming here. All I need you to tell them is to walk through the trees.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“No.” Fear forces me to tighten my hold on her as I look into her huge eyes. “Stay here and you do not step a fucking foot in that fucking place.”
I can’t have her surrounded by all the sickening shit.
“Please, pretty girl? I’m begging you to stay here where it’s safe for me. Just this once and then we’ll get that steak. I will give you everything. Please stay here.” I kiss her cheek. “Please,Delilah.” Her other cheek. “I can’t lose you.” Her forehead. “Don’t make me lose you again.” Then her hands, her arms, any part of her I can reach as I continue begging her.
51
KANE
Iwait with bated breath in the security room as I watch the cameras. Rowan disappeared a few hours ago, taking Lennox with him, and Sasha doesn’t know anything. It’s a fucked up world when the teenage cannibal is the normal person in the room. I have to force my limbs to remain still.
