Page 166 of Redeemed

“I know I’ve told you before, but I can get him fired with a single phone call,” Colton tells him from where he’s stirring the pot of soup him and Xander must’ve made together. “You just have to say the word.”

“I’m getting closer and closer every day,” Lucas says, turning toward the table.

When he sees how tense I still am, he freezes, and something akin to regret passes over his features. He crosses the room, and my stomach drops to the floor. I grab onto the table to keep myself from bolting upstairs and hiding under Colton’s bed.

But all Lucas does is plant an apologetic kiss to my forehead. “I promise you’re safe with me.”

I almost laugh. Despite him watching out for me over the past week or so, he’s still the violent, angry boy who bullied me for years.

Once Colton and Xander have dished out the soup, they take their spots at the table. The soup tastes amazing, and I finish my bowl in record time. Xander gives me more without a word, and I smile up at him in thanks.

They’ve been nicer to me over the past week. Sure, I still have to sleep in my cage and eat breakfast on the floor, and I’m sure I’ll have to go back to wearing more revealing clothing after today. But when I freak out like I just did upstairs, they’re more understanding—more like they used to be.

“I asked a couple of our informants to keep an eye out for anyone they didn’t recognize hanging around campus,” Colton says. “They managed to take a few photos for me.”

“Informants?” Frowning, my gaze skips from Colton to Lucas to Xander. “What do you need informants for?”

“You’ll never guess,” Xander says with a sly grin, “but usually, to get us information.”

“Asshole,” I grumble, stabbing at the cooked asparagus on my plate.

“We have certain people we like to keep an eye on,” Colton explains, although he’s still keeping it pretty damn vague. “So we pay a few select individuals to be our eyes and ears when we’re too busy to do so ourselves.”

“So you spy on people.”

“That’s one way to put it.”

“But why? That’s creepy! And weird.”

“Sometimes it’s to make sure people aren’t planning a move against us,” Lucas says.

That sounds like he could be talking about Wes, Kellan, and Cal.

“Sometimes it’s to protect people,” Xander adds, and his gaze lingers on me for a second longer than normal.

Oh.

“You… spy on me?” I ask slowly.

Choosing to ignore me—typical—Colton places his phone on the table, sliding it over to me. “Swipe through these. Are any of these men the guy chasing you?”

My questions forgotten, I stare down at the man on the screen. It’s obviously not Isaiah, and I breathe out a temporary sigh of relief. But then I swipe, and my body turns to stone.

It’s him.

He’s sitting on a bench, and based on the background of the photo, I realize he’s near one of the buildings where some of my in-person classes are held.

“Swipe again,” Colton says.

I do. It’s another picture, this one near my dorm hall.

My stomach drops. “Have any of you seen Athelia?”

“She’s fine,” Colton says.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I snap. “What if he comes after her? What if—”

“She’s well-protected,” he assures me, but the lack of information only makes me more nervous.

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