Page 101 of Pretty Lethal
“Where are we?” Wilder hisses, clearly unaware of the definition of stealth.
Ignoring him, Kai peers through the crack in the door before pushing it open wider. “No clue.”
We follow him into a dimly lit room with mahogany wood flooring and similar dark paneling covering the walls.
Wilder takes one look around the room and says, “I think we’re in the Elite clubhouse. The one Robbie brought me to the night they took Em.”
“We’ll need to be quiet. There could be people in the house.” Kai’s voice is barely above a whisper, and I have to strain to hear him.
Wilder pulls out his phone, grinning down at the screen. “Bingo.”
I’m guessing that means he’s got a signal, and both Kai and I crowd around him as he loads the tracker app. A moment later, a flashing blue dot blinks to life on the map.”
“She’s only a five-minute walk from here,” Wilder says, anticipation making him forget he’s supposed to be at least trying to keep his voice down.
Crossing the room before Wilder can beat him to it, Kai slowly opens the door, pausing to listen for any noises beyond the room before pulling it open wider and slipping through it. As we sneak along a corridor, we’re met with more dark paneling and low-level lighting. I can hear voices coming from deeper in the house, but thankfully we don’t pass anyone as Wilder directs Kai and me toward the front door.
When freedom is in sight, he pivots, moving toward another door.
“What are you doing?” Kai hisses, his eyes darting around us.
Wilder pays him no attention as he eases open the door to a small cloakroom and disappears inside.
Goddammit, Wilder. We don’t have time for this shit!I mentally berate as the seconds tick by—every one of them another second where Emilia is fearing for her life with no idea that we’re coming to get her. Of course, we’ve all made promises that we won’t let anything happen to her, but I can agree the situation looked pretty dire when she was dragged away from us, so I couldn’t blame her if she was doubting us right about now.
Kai and I share a glance, and I can tell he’s as close as I am to saying fuck it and continuing on without Wilder when the man himself pops his head out of the cloakroom, grinning in victory as he holds up a see-through baggie containing our phones and weapons.
“Jackpot.”
He looks so fucking proud of himself as he rips the bag open and hands us back our guns and phones, and I can’t even tell him off for wasting time.
Kai doesn’t seem to be of the same opinion though, as he stares deadpan at Wilder. “Are you done mucking around now?”
Unbothered, Wilder holds up a finger, still grinning like a fucking maniac. “I only have one question.”
“What?” Kai growls impatiently.
“Are you wearing your t-shirt?”
“What t-shirt?”
Wilder gapes at him in horror as I roll my eyes and suppress a groan.
“The t-shirt I gave you!”
Kai flashes me awhat the fucklook. “Uhhh, no?”
Glaring, Wilder huffs out a sigh. “Kai, you’re letting the whole team down.” He spins at me, raising an expectant eyebrow. “Tell me,you’rewearing the t-shirt.”
I grimace. Wilder barged into my bedroom after the night Em was chased through the forest, telling me to keep it on me at all timesjust in case—whatever the fuck that meant.
… I’m guessing this moment is exactly why.
“I’m so disappointed in you two right now. Letting the team down big time, guys. You told us before we left to go to my grandfather’s that we needed to prepare,” he argues, staring pointedly at me.
“I meant with weapons,” I belatedly clarify—having assumed the meaning was obvious.
Still shaking his head, he pulls off his jumper to reveal his #darkknighttotherescue t-shirt—the exact replica of my #grumpyknighttotherescue, and presumably Kai’s #whiteknighttotherescue.
