Someone’s been trying to figure out how to make more Dead Men to replace him.
Someone would have learned today that Evan lied about his brother and they’ll want to replace him—
Now.
“Reece?”
The truck door had opened, cold air swirling in. Reece took a deep breath through his nose, dots connecting themselves in his mind to create the terrible picture. And through it all, fury was building, a rage so hot he could taste it.
You can’t tell Evan, his mind ordered.He will know you used insight. It won’t matter that he protects empaths and it won’t matter what you shared. If he knows you crossed this line on purpose, he will do his job, arrest you, and take you in to Stone Solutions.
He won’t listen to you when you tell him where to go.
And he’s the one who’ll get hurt.
“Care Bear?”
For the next two minutes, you have to be more dangerous than he is. It’s the only way you’ll save him.
Lie to Evan.Lie so he doesn’t suspect. You won’t flinch this time; you’ll love the way these lies sound because they’re going to keep Evan safe.
“Sorry,” Reece said, and his voice didn’t quite sound like himself. A little deeper, a little more gravelly. “I just—today has been a lot. Tense and anxious, like usual, that’s all.”
Lie.Reece held Grayson’s gaze, his expression and body steady.
“Oh.” Grayson’s gaze flicked over him. “Understandable.”
Reece pointed out toward the dock. “I hope you can drive a boat more safely than a car.”
“Are you actually giving me a hard time about my driving when I’m loaning you my truck?” Grayson said, automatically glancing where Reece was pointing.
“You wouldn’t know what to do with me if I stopped,” Reece said, as he swiped his hand across the center console. “Don’t forget your phone. But don’t text from behind the wheel of a boat either.”
“Unbelievable.” Grayson took the phone Reece was offering him. “What would you do if you didn’t have me to sass?”
“Don’t know,” Reece said lightly. “I guess I’ll just have to make sure you’re always here.”
They climbed out of the truck, coming around to the front, lit in the headlights.
“Go to the location Vivian Marist sent you,” Reece said, and his voice had gone gravellier still.
“Marist?” Grayson blinked. “Surprised to hear you pick Stone Solutions over the Empath Initiative. I was thinking if I had to pick, I’d meet Director Traynor.”
“No,” Reece said firmly. “Go to Marist.”
His anger was like a living thing—not at Evan but at everyone who had used him, who would use up anyone they could get their hands on to fight their battles for them.
But Grayson did need to be far away from Reece as soon as possible, for his own safety.
Grayson’s gaze was on him again. “You promise you’re going to go to the safe house?”
Reece held his gaze again. “I promise.”Lie.He stayed steady. “Be safe, okay?”
Grayson nodded. Reece stepped back, leaning against the front of the truck as he watched Grayson climb into the boat. When Grayson looked back one last time, he waved, then watched as the boat pulled away from the dock and headed out into the strait.
Reece hauled himself back up into the truck’s driver’s seat. The rage was vibrating just under his skin. He could feel power spreading through him, black lightning crackling from the base of his skull.
He couldn’t have stopped it any more than he could have stopped a tidal wave.
