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The same age my brother was …
Matt runs a worried glance over him. “He’s capable.”
“He’s a baby.”
“And he was trained by you. We all were. If you think we’re leaving you to face this alone, you don’t know how well you did.”
“If it helps, I already have a plan,” Grace says.
“No, it doesn’t help,” I snap, but it’s drowned out by Matt asking, “What is it?”
“You’re both proving how easily kids are underestimated. Let’s use it to our advantage.”
“What advantage is that?”
“We’re going to mess with their heads. Make them regret ever setting foot in Wilde’s End.”
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR
SASHA
Ireally shouldn’t be this stressed over a stuffed animal—well, the gun Jeffrey is pointing my way doesn’t help either—but Jimmity and I have been through everything together. He’s the one thing I grabbed from home other than clothes when I left. From the time I started school, Dad hated that silly goose and constantly tried to take him from me.
Now, someone else is trying to take him from me too.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because I need you to know how serious I am.”
Like I hadn’t put that together already myself. “I’ll give you the USB, I don’t care, but I don’t have it on me.”
“Then where is it?”
“On the other side of Wilde’s End.”
Antonio and Jeffrey share a dissatisfied look, and Antonio grabs one of Jimmity’s wings. “I’m losing patience.”
“I just told you—”
The ripping sound shoots to my insides. “Try again.”
I watch as the feathered wing falls to the floor, and I know it’s stupid, but the sight of it makes me want to cry. It’s not about the bird; it’s about everything it represents. The way Dad said having a stuffed animal made me weak. A joke. An embarrassment. Antonio knew that as well.
I’m not any of those things.
“Take me to it, and I’ll get it for you.”
“We’re not leaving this cabin without it.”
“Then we’re going to be here for a very long time.”
“Just tell us where the damn thing is.”
I scoff. “The fact you don’t know is the only thing keeping me alive.”
“No, the only thing keeping you alive is my generous heart.” He releases the safety on his gun. “But it’s feeling less generous by the second.”
