Page 46 of King of Ruin

Whatever suspicion he had vanishes and he squares his shoulder, sweeping lint off his lapel. “Some shit went down. The goons from Embros blew up the place where they were keeping Onyx.”

Before I can ask what the hell he’s talking about, Zek opens the front door, his eyes immediately flashing from me to Lawrence and back again. His gaze drops over the length of my body three times before he’s satisfied enough to enter and lean against the wall, making way for Phineas.

Like before, Phineas’ outward appearance doesn’t seem threatening whatsoever, but I know better now. He’s the devil reincarnated in a car salesman’s skin. His eyes survey the living room, a look of disgust curling his lips.

My fists ball at my sides, the sudden urge to be a smartass despite the clear danger settling over me. How dare he look at the house he forced my brother to grow up in and contort his face to look repulsed?

“How did they know where we were keeping Onyx?” Phineas asks.

I do exactly what Zek told me to do if I was ever asked and look at Lawrence as if I know the question isn’t for me. This makes his arrogant face fall for a half a second.

“He’s talking to you.” Lawrence points.

My brows snap together and I glance at a waiting Phineas. It’s a face I perfected long ago whenever the police came around and wanted to know my whereabouts during the last grocery store robbery of dog food. “I’m sorry, am I supposed to know?”

Phineas shrugs and motions to his guard noncommittally. “Lawrence here tells me you frequently display suspicious behavior.”

I don’t look back at Lawrence, or ask for examples of said behavior–that’s what the guilty do. Instead, I turn the conversation.

“How much can he really notice when he leaves me for hours on end?”

Lawrence immediately takes a step toward me, Zek pushes off the wall, and Phineas chuckles.

“Is that so?”

“No, sir. I would never leave her. I’ve been here all week. This slut is just trying to save her ass.”

So much for being a decent guy. “You literally just came back after being gone for two hours. I’m sure his tracks are still fresh.” I say the words before I consider howmanytracks they’ll find if they actually look. I’m not sure how Maddy got in, and one quick look around will prove I don’t even own a pair of boots.

Luckily, I don’t have to worry because Lawrence fumbles over himself. “No. I was taking a walk. I patrolled the perimeter like you asked, boss. This fucking bitch is trying to push it off on me.”

The burn is instant, the tight grasp of Lawrence’s hand in my hair, yanking it from the scalp. I hiss out in pain, but the click and sudden warmth of my brother encompassing me lessens the exploding fear swelling in my sternum.

Lawrence’s hand disappears and I move behind Zek, using his back as a shield. My breath is coming out in pants and it’s then I realize I’ve put myself right in front of Phineas.

“Hello, little one. Nice to see you again.”

His words drip with a poison so visceral I feel it physically trickle down my skin and seep into my bloodstream. Nausea rolls in my stomach.

“Phineas, get your kid. I didn’t fucking do anything. That fucking stupid ass whore–”

The sound of Lawrence’s phone ringing shut him up. His phone never rings. It’s a rule of some kind that they only communicate over text.

Phineas cocks his head, his eyes flashing to Lawrence above my head. My brother shifts out the way, but he keeps his gun pointed at him while pressing me against his back. He’s shifted to where I’m halfway in the hallway and able to notice the red hair in my periphery.

My heart thrums, my pulse vibrating as sweat breaks across my brow. I let my gaze flicker to her in time to see her wink, a phone pressed to her ear before vanishing back into the room at the end–my mothers.

“Answer the phone, Lawrence.” It’s an order from Zek. I’ve never heard his voice so deep, so intimidating. He’s never even raised his voice at me after all the trouble I’ve gotten us in.

“Now.” His deep rumble vibrates his back and I jolt.

“He-llo?” I can’t see him, but fear is clear.

“Hey, Luy-Luy. I enjoyed dinner but you promised to call when you got home to tell me where they moved my boss. I kept my word when I was giving you the best head of your life, so–”

“May I ask who’s calling?” Phineas asks, taking a few steps forward, and I can’t help but peek around Zek’s shoulder.

Lawrence is trembling, his head whipping back and forth. “No sir, I don’t know who–”

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