Page 102 of Savage Torment

“I’m not repeating myself and it’s important that everyone is present.”

“Polaris isn’t here,” he states, a smug look curling his mouth, and I sigh.

“I’m aware. It’s probably for the best,” I rumble, irritation getting the better of me, and Lincoln must sense it because he doesn’t say another word. Instead, he grabs his cell phone off his desk and taps out a quick message. Not even thirty seconds pass before Asher and Tatum join us.

They both glance at me, eyebrows drawn, but neither say a word.

“Wylder?” I grunt, and Asher sighs.

“Watching the girls.”

I already knew that, but I don’t want them to see how much I fucking know. I walk through the shadows and hold secrets close to my chest for a reason.

“Good.”

“Why are you here?” Tatum asks, scrubbing at his chin, and I purse my lips as I think.

Now that I’m here, I don’t know where to begin.

Fuck.

Before I can overthink it, I decide to blurt it out.

“I have a deal with The Crow.”

“What the fuck?” Asher grunts, jaw slack as he stares at me with wide eyes.

“Fun, right?” I say through clenched teeth, and he shakes his head while Lincoln burns holes in the side of my face from glaring at me so hard.

“I don’t think the wordfunhas ever been in the same sentence as The Crow before,” Tatum mutters, and I scoff. That’s true. Well, until now.

“Why are you telling us?” Lincoln asks, and I nod. It took him longer to ask than I expected.

“I have seventy-two hours to follow through. Otherwise… well, we all know what happens.”

“You’re going to need to wind it back to the beginning for me,” Asher states, his voice even, but it’s not from a sense of calm, more tension.

“You don’t want to know what it is?” I ask, the surprise clear in my voice, and he nods.

“I do, but tell me how first.” It’s not a question, it’s an insistence. With him being the nephew of the man I’m discussing, I’m not surprised.

“I don’t know what you know about Finch,” I start, and Asher scoffs.

“Apart from the fact he’s an asshole?”

I snicker. “He’s definitely that, but he’s also a vampire.” I stuff my hands in my pockets, curling my fists as I try to remain as calm as possible. I’d rather not step back in time, but if it’s going to help us move forward, then I’ll do what is necessary. Especially if it protects Polaris.

“The fuck? I hadn’t considered that. I assumed he was a wolf too,” Asher states, and I shake my head.

“He runs the vampire dorms.”

“Explain,” Lincoln cuts in, and I finally take the seat across from him.

My emotions are running high, but the three of them are only making it worse. Thankfully, once I take a seat, so do they. “He runs the vampire faction as a whole, overseeing all deals made with The Crow, but he spends most of his time here, working the dorms, because fresh, young blood doesn’t know any better.”

“No one says no to a deal.”

“Exactly.”