Page 155 of Sin Like the Devil

Langley grabs my shoulder to stop me from leaving. I flinch, my hackles immediately rising.

“All it would take is one phone call, Rip.” His voice is low and urgent.

“Take your hands off me. You’re not making any sense.”

In my periphery, I see Noah’s gangly height step into the quad. He glances around, catching sight of me then nodding once. We’re on a strict schedule to make this work. I don’t have time for riddles.

“We can offer you protection,” Langley explains hastily. “But we need your help.”

“Who are you talking about?” A hint of suspicion sneaks in. “Wait… Who do you really work for?”

“Just think about it.” Releasing my shoulder, he captures my hand and presses something into it. Langley stares into my eyes for a prolonged second before taking off to deal with the mud-soaked patients.

I slowly look down at the glossy business card he’s passed me with a single contact number on it. The organ trapped behind my breastbone does somersaults.

Hunter Rodriguez.

Director of Sabre Security.

Quickly shoving it into my bra before anyone can spot what we’ve just exchanged, I barely have a second to reel in my shock before Noah jogs over to me.

“Classes let out in a couple minutes.”

I shake my head from side to side, trying to focus. “Right. The plan.”

“You with me, Rip?”

“Yeah, of course. Payment has been stashed.”

“Sure this shit can’t be traced back to you?” He scans my facial expression.

My heart is pounding so hard, it feels like it could shatter my ribcage into tiny flakes. Why the hell do those people want to talk to me? Aren’t they the same investigators who want my head on a stake? Bancroft warned me what would happen if Harrowdean falls.

I’m culpable too.

I can’t trust anyone.

“Ripley!” Noah nudges me. “It’s now or never. Are we good?”

“Y-Yes.” I rub my eyes.

“So? The pills?”

“There’s… uh, someone else pushing product. I put your shit in one of their plastic money bags. Leave it in sight, and it’ll lead right back to them.”

“Okay.” He blows out a heavy breath. “I guess this is it.”

Indecision tears at my psyche as I wrestle with the sudden urge to call the whole thing off. I want Lennox gone, but that phone number and all it represents has thrown everything into disarray.

Someone out there wants to help.

Will they still want to if I do this?

Before I can utter a word, Noah tugs me into a hard, fast hug that makes my teeth clack together. I squeak in shock. He quickly releases me then steps away with a small, sad smile.

“Watch your back, Rip.” His eyes shine with a weird look of resolution. “You deserve a life outside this place. I hope you find it.”

“Noah, wait…”

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