Page 69 of Shadowman
My mouth just hangs open, and I feel myself reaching for Luthor’s hand because I just needsomethingto hold on to right now. I need some form of contact to calm me down before I break in half.
No… No no no, we can’t lose him too.
Not him…
Just as my mind is slipping into an even darker place than I’m used to, one of the doors at the opposite end of the corridor swings open, and Ren comes traipsing through. Like nothing happened.
Like he didn’t just scare the ever-loving shit out of us!
He really needs to stop doing that.
Ren grins and waves while Luthor and I are releasing exhales of mutual relief. His eyes widen at the guards. He turns, and I catch him whispering something into whatever room he just came out of before closing the door tight behind him. Then he scampers over to join the herd, sliding right into place beside Luthor and myself.Where he belongs.
Jasper gives him a surly look, but Ren just winks at him.
“Where were you?” I ask, attempting to rein in my emotions.
“You scared the shit out of us,” Luthor adds.
“Confidential meeting,” Ren murmurs, lowering his voice to a whisper. “I’ve got details.”
Fuck.My stomach creeps back up into my esophagus.
“Spill,” I demand. But he holds up his hand.
He doesn’t have to speak. I know he’s telling me to wait until we get some privacy.
Easier said than done, bro.
In the caf, we grab our trays fast, rushing to our usual table. And once we’re settled and away from the prying ears of everyone else, Ren sighs.
“Okay, so… here’s what I know.” He’s watching Luthor closely before his eyes jump to mine. “Felix Darcey killed O’Malley, then set Dash free.”
The ignite of rage starts slow, like early crawling flames, while I process those words. But it spreads quickly, absorbing brush and oxygen. Weaving from my gut, into my veins and muscles, until I’m engulfed in an inferno of wrath.
Crackling red splashes in my vision, and my fists clench tight.
That preppy little shit?
He’sthe one who killed my friend??
Luthor’s hand drops onto my shoulder, and I flinch. “You okay?”
“Are you sure?” I hiss quietly at Ren, teeth gritted so tightly I can barely articulate. “How do youknow?”
“I can’t tell you,” he states evenly. “I have a source, though, and they confirmed it. Darcey got out of his cell in the East and into O’Malley’s with a weapon, stabbed the fuck out of him, carved him up, then somehow meandered his way into Dash’s cell and let him out.”
I’m fucking stunned speechless. Blinding anger of the highest degree is overwhelming the confusion of what I’m hearing.
I knew O’Malley was dead… From the moment we heard the rumor, I justknewit was true. And despite Ren’s theories, I refused to believe that some self-righteous, narcissistic, wannabe Bundy fuckingfanboywas the one to take my friend’s life—my friend, the absolute manic terror.
The fuckingCarverdid it. He chose to murder one of my friends and let the other go. Before I had the chance to say goodbye… to either of them.
“How the fuck did that even happen?” Luthor asks Ren while I’m gripping the edge of the table so hard I might snap a chunk off. “Like just…how??”
Ren’s quiet for a second. “I’m… not sure.”
He’s lying.
