Page 40 of Dark Things
I turn that around in my mind for a moment. “You’re saying they could be connected to this whole thing and not realize they’re in the middle of a shit storm.”
“I can’t say for sure. Let me take care of this part for you. Once I know something I’ll tell you. I don’t want you to worry until we have some proof.”
“Okay, I trust you. But if it gets to be too much, tell me. I may have already set up a few surprises for them.”
My smirk makes him laugh. “Of course you did. What? Was it hidden cameras? A gift?”
“You know me so well. I’ll give you access to the feeds. I haven’t been watching them too much; it’s been hard.” I swallow before continuing. “I may have also broken into their house and stabbed Colter’s mattress with the same brand hunting knife that killed Nathan.”
He laughs so hard, I’m afraid he’s goingto fall off the bed. “You little minx. Those boys must have shit themselves. I like the idea of tormenting them. Maybe we can fuck with them a little more before this whole thing is over.”
“My petty pitch black heart loves that idea,” I smile, pulling him in for another kiss.
“I’ve got you,gioia mia. Let me take care of it.”
I nod before pulling him into a hug, inhaling the scent of our body wash and everything Haunt. I feel so much better that this secret is no longer standing between us, but I can’t help but fear that it could go all wrong in a moment.
16
Colter
“Fuck, this guy is heavy,” Brooks says, tossing the unconscious man into the bed of the truck. He checks the zip ties on his wrists and ankles before slamming the tailgate closed.
“I hate this shit,” Staff says, pulling open the passenger side door and sliding in.
I let out a breath and run my hands through my hair. “Yeah we all do,” I say, not noticing that Brooks has already rounded the truck and gotten into the driver's seat.
I pull open the backdoor and clip my seat belt on before pulling the door closed and leaning my head back on the seat. Mario is starting to really become a pain in the ass, and if we didn’t need him and his resources we’d never have gotten into this mess in the first place, but he’s the only one who could find out what happened to Belle, and we need him.
Getting involved with the mafia wasn’t the plan, but after we lost her there was nowhere else to turn. Our parents forbid us from seeing her more concerned with their reputations and legacies than what Belle meant to us. They made us stay away, and when we were old enough to look for her ourselves, she was gone.
“The warehouse?” Brooks asks, moving the truck onto the road and heading toward the run down neighborhood a couple of towns over.
“Yeah, Gino is going to meet us there. That fucking psycho better not get in the way. I don’t need to be cleaning brains from my shoes again. I had to throw out my sneakers because that shit wouldn’t come out,” I say.
Staff chuckles in the front seat. “Only a poor little rich boy would complain about his sneakers instead of the dead body with its skull crushed in.”
“Shut it, asshole. You were whining about your shirt last week when you got blood on the cuffs. You’re the only guy I know who comes to a beating with a full suit on.”
Brooks laughs from the driver's seat, “He’s got you there, Staffy. You’re a bigger clothes snob than Colter and you know it.”
Staff punches him in the arm which makes Brooks laugh harder. I watch my best friends, my brothers in every way except DNA and my breath catches in my chest. I never wanted this for us. We were supposed tohave a normal college experience away from our parents, live with Belle, maybe get married after graduation. We were never supposed to lose her or be doing this shady shit to find her.
We pull into the warehouse lot and drive around to the back of the building. Gino is there, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, arms crossed around his chest, one leg propped up against the wall. Not a care in the world.
“Took you fucks long enough. I’ve been here for two hours,” he says, watching as Brooks walks around to the trunk.
I put my hands in the pockets of my jeans because if I don’t I’ll punch him in the fucking face. I hate this prick.
“He ran. Brooks had to tackle him, and let’s just say he isn’t in one piece like you requested. He’s a little rough around the edges,” I say, pulling out a joint and lighting it. I’m going to need to be buzzed to get through the rest of the night.
Gino shakes his head in disappointment before opening up the door. We let Brooks go in with the guy draped over his shoulder before Staff and I follow.
The warehouse is just a big room with old equipment in it. A single light bulb shines at the center. I think they used to make steel here or some shit. I never asked, but it’s creepy as fuck at night. You can feel the desperation.
Brooks sets the guy in a chair that’s bolted to theground, cutting the zip ties and then replacing them so his hands and legs are attached to the armrests and the chair legs.
Gino dumps a bucket of cold water over his head and the guy wakes up screaming.
