Page 70 of Devil's Work: Dark

Sarge zooms the map out so we can see any old roads or lanes that come close. I take the crossroads and type the address into my GPS, then not even waiting for anyone, I hop back inside my truck. Green only has enough time to jump into the seat next to me before I squeal out of there. His door slams from the momentum.

They can stay behind or they can follow, but either way, I’m getting Rae back and I will kill anyone who tries to keep me from her.

My phone rings again. I toss it to Green as I take the twists and turns too sharply to mess with answering a phone. Green presses the green button.

“You got Green,” he says. “Hold up.” Then he hits the speaker. “Right. Now go.”

“Dark,” Sarge says. “Carter’s got a buddy lives near there. Ex-Ranger. Moved to the sticks after discharge. We’re sending him in. He’s closer and knows his shit.”

“Get him there. As long this ends with Rae and Dela safe, I don’t give a fuck who goes in.”

“He should be calling in soon.”

“Keep on the line. Want to know what he knows when he knows it.”

There’s silence for a short while then Sarge says, “Talk to me.”

A voice I’ve never heard before comes on the line. “Treeline. House in sight. Appears empty,” he whispers.

“Cameras?” Sarge asks.

“None that I can see. Going in for a closer look.” We hear rustling, like he’s going through brush. It must be overgrown with how heavy he’s breathing when he gets back on the line. “Still clear. Going up to the house.”

He’s silent for about ten minutes of pure torture on my end when we hear, “What the fuck?” screamed right before what sounds like metal clanking together and Sarge’s man screeching in pain. Then there’s the pop of gunfire and the line goes dead.

I gun the engine upward of a hundred miles an hour.

Shit. Shit.

I’m coming for you, Rae, baby.

We hit the turn for the address on my GPS. I’m not bothering to be quiet. At this point, I don’t care if the fucker gets away. He’s had Rae for far too long. I slam on my brakes, throwing the truck into park. Both Green and I jump from the cab, guns cocked and ready. The place is a dump. I don’t know how anyone would know it was here unless they scouted the area first.

Goddammit.

We thought they might mingle with people in town. Rent a place close by, not scope out for some abandoned property.

With Green at my heels, I rush the front door. The sound of bikes and trucks comes from behind and I know that my brothers have arrived.

We burst into the house and begin to search for the women.

“Rae?!” I scream frantically running through each goddamn room. “Rae, baby! Fucking answer me.” With my brother on my heels, I try to keep it together, but I’m failing fast. “Rae! Fuck! You better fucking answer now!”

Still nothing.

Nothing.

More brothers pile inside the dilapidated house. We hear the sounds of several pairs of boots tromping up the stairs and running overhead.

“Dark,” Reap calls out to me and the tone of his voice sounds ominous. He left Winky to help find Rae. Pain slices through my chest, my gut, my entire fucking being as I take off running in the direction of his call finally bursting through the old butler’s pantry off the kitchen to a second set of stairs. I race up two at a time.

“Which room?” I shout.

“Last. Back.”

Green and I rush to the last room in the back hall. I push through the doorway and stop short. She’s lying next to him, a bloody mess crumpled on the broken tile. It takes two seconds of me standing, watching her, before my body jolts, kicking me into action, and I race to her side in three steps, dropping down next to her, shoving Reaper out of the way to gather her in my arms.

She’s slick with so much blood, she slips through my fingers, almost falling back onto the floor, but I grip tighter, biting my fingers into her skin, hoping to elicit some kind of reaction. “Open your eyes, Rae—open ’em, baby.” My eyes fill with tears. Actual fucking tears. “I can’t tell if she’s breathing,” I snap at Reap. “What the fuck do we do?”

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