Page 85 of Pride
“Prudence,” Alice said. “Is there anything you can add that might help us take down the Syndicate?”
Prudence looked down and played with her food. “I’ve been thinking on it all night and I think you know much of what I know. They have bases around the world. Each base has a different leader, but it seems Julius Allcott was the one who spearheaded the research while they funded and controlled it. I can give you a list of these leaders’ names. It might help consolidate what you already know.”
“Did you see Daisy?” Parker asked, unable to help himself. “Or Despair as you might know her.”
“We called her Falcon a few years ago. Julius called her Despair. And yes, I saw her recently. In fact, she was the reason I was captured.”
Parker’s eyes closed, and he rubbed his temples. “I’m sorry.”
“No, you misunderstand me.” Prudence pushed her bowl away. “She wasn’t at fault. I tried to help her and thus exposed my cover.”
“When was this?” Parker’s spine stiffened.
“About two months ago, give or take. I lost track of time in that place. I was a guard on duty at one of their bases when I’d heard she’d been taken around the world to visit all the sites. The other guards laughed about it. With each trip, her treatment worsened. Julius paraded her around like some kind of sick freak show. He’s not all there. I mean, I don’t think he ever was, but since he took Daisy, he’s truly lost it. I think he’s been tapping her spinal fluid. I overhead the scientist—Van Jansen is his name—murmuring about it. The poor woman was nothing but a shell when she got to Columbia and I couldn’t take it. I tried to free her but… yeah.” Her face crumpled. “They, um, tortured me but I never gave away anything, even though I feared death would bring me closer to Hell.”
Alice went to Prudence and hugged her. She whispered something Parker had trouble hearing, even with his advantage, and then Alice kissed Prudence on the cheek before giving Parker a nod, indicating it was time for them to leave.
Each Sinner stood as he did. There was an air of finality that twinged Parker’s chest.
“One last question,” he said to Prudence. “Do you have any guesses as to where Julius took Daisy?”
“I can’t say for sure, but my gut says she’s back in the States. There were a few random facilities that I can list for you. I don’t think she’ll be there, as he seemed to want to keep her close. Like a pet. It was why he paraded her around.”
He gave Prudence a nod, and then took his mate by the nape and laid his lips on the top of her head. Later, when they were alone, he would show her exactly how much he thanked her for giving up her life here. And to the women, he gave them a dignified nod. The respect of a fellow warrior. Each of them felt familiar to him, whether it was because he’d been raised by one of their own, or because a Sinner was now his purpose for living. He sensed a greatness in store for them. They had their own story to tell, and it was only beginning.
31
Alice wasquiet as she dressed in Parker’s penthouse bedroom later that afternoon. Before they’d left the abbey, she’d found the Reverend Mother, and they’d said their final goodbyes. It was surreal. No one in the history of the Sisterhood had simply been allowed to walk away. Mary had escaped and evaded. That was different. The Rev said this wasn’t walking away. This was the Long Job. Alice was expected to continue her mission until her dying breath. If the Deadly Seven ever turned, she would take them down. No mercy.
The Rev knew it.
Alice knew it.
And Parker knew it.
She wasn’t hiding the truth, so why did she feel so icky? Why did she feel as though this tainted her relationship with Parker? Would they ever be so completely pure and in love like his siblings were with their partners? Or maybe it was that thiswasher dream… but at some point, dreams ended with waking up.
“You ready?” Parker asked from the doorway.
As always, he looked impeccable and delicious all at once. Pressed slacks, a shirt tailored to hug his musculature and accentuate those broad shoulders and tapered waist. A purple silk tie. Square jaw she wanted to lick. The bionic hand gave a dangerous edge to the luxury package.
But there was work to do.
They were about to go downstairs to the basement for a family meeting, and they were late. This was Alice’s second official appearance at their table, not just representing an alliance, but also as his mate. That word meant more than partner. She was his number one—he’d said so himself.
For her entire life, that’s all she’d wanted.
But now that she seemingly had it, she started to doubt it. How real could it be when he had no choice? This pairing was etched into his DNA. His scent was designed to lure her in. Her, the broken, evil thing used by the virtuously worthy so they didn’t have to get their hands dirty. When the previous Reverend Mother had found Alice in foster care, she’d said Alice was already going to Hell—no one wanted her, that’s why she was there. It’s what she told all the new recruits. So… if Alice was already on her way down, why not do some good on the journey. Why not save lives? To a lonely teenager, that had sounded like a good plan.
The previous Reverend Mother had lied. Alice hadn’t been going to Hell, but everything she did afterward paved the way. The only reason she was in the Sisterhood was because they wanted a replacement for Mary. She believed that now.
Alice’s spine straightened as another thought hit her. The Sisterhood had psychics. Maybe someone had a premonition that Alice would one day be Parker’s mate. Maybe they’d planned to train her, give her the tools to kill, and then plant her right where she needed to be to finish the job Mary couldn’t all those years ago.
She closed her eyes and started tapping the beat to her favorite Nina Simone song on her thigh. But it didn’t bring the same solace it used to…My baby don’t care for—
“Alice?”
She smoothed her hands down her simple stretch singlet and jeans. “Let’s go.”
