“He had this.” Maeve holds out a small wrapped black box with a big red bow.
“Why were you breaking into her room?” Luca steps forward, his voice is low.
“I was paid to deliver this to the girl.” The guy whimpers.
“Who’s it from?” Lucian asks.
“I don’t know! I just got called to pick it up.”
Lucian nods and the guard takes the guy out of the room.
“I’ve already scanned it for explosives or any frequencies. Came back clear.” Noah says.
“There’s a card.” Luca plucks it from under the bow.
He turns it open, sliding his finger under one side and sliding it across, tearing it open.
He pulls out the simple black card that has “Happy Birthday” printed across the front. He turns the card over and we both freeze.
Isobel,
Thought I'd get you something special on your birthday.
Enjoy!
Dakota
“What the fuck?” Luca breathes.
I take the card and it gets passed around.
“What's in the box?” Noah asks what we're all dreading.
“I guess there's only one way to find out.” I reach for the box, setting it on the table.
“I don't like this,” Maeve whispers.
“Neither do I.”
I pull on the red ribbon, unraveling the bow as the knot in my chest tightens.
I lift up the cover of the box and stare.
“What is it?” Maeve's voice trembles from beside me.
I reach inside slowly, picking up the stack of pictures.
The first picture is of my mom, handcuffed to some wrought-iron bed frame I don't recognize. She looks terrible. Her hair is a tangled mess. There are dark circles under her eyes, and she's so thin.
I look at the next picture, a picture of me from Gideon's basement. The way I'm lying on the floor, unconscious.Exposed.
Next, a picture of Dakota in a lingerie set on a bed, posing.
Another of Dakota, with Daniel.
The bile rises in the back of my throat.
In the last picture, Dakota is pressing a blade into my skin.
