Page 56 of Corpse Roads

Anxiety brushes over me like a phantom’s skeletal hand. “You w-want me to… s-speak to those people?”

Hunter shakes his head. “Forget them. We’ll handle it. You need to sit down with us and tell us everything you know.”

There’s no escaping me, sinner.

You thought you could be someone else.

Pathetic, soulless demon.

Shaking Pastor Michaels’ voice from my mind, I look into Hunter’s chocolatey irises. He’s so hard to get a read on—passionate one moment and cold the next—but I think he wants to help.

If I can’t trust him, I can at least trust his actions. They’ve kept me safe, given me clothes and a warm bed. It’s more than anyone’s ever done for me. I’m safe because of them.

“I’ll tell you what you need to know,” I finally say. “I can’t remember everything. It’s all so blurry still.”

“Any information will help.” Hunter glances up at Enzo. “I’ll have Richards meet us at HQ tomorrow to supervise.”

“You want to take her in?” Enzo asks in surprise.

Hunter shrugs, pulling his wild hair back. “We can do everything there where it’s safe and secure. Theo needs to meet Harlow, and he’s got some updates for the team.”

Enzo falls quiet again. He’s studying me with such intensity, I shift uncomfortably in my seat. There’s raging fire and violence in his eyes. I’ve seen that look before.

It scares the living daylights out of me. Rage can corrupt even the gentlest of souls, and he’s teetering on the edge of that dangerous fall.

Leighton claps his hands together. “Well, it looks like I’m returning to the office. Christian and his sexy body will have to wait.”

I don’t miss the way Hunter narrows his eyes at him.

CHAPTER 12

HARLOW

MANIC MEMORIES - DES ROCS

As we wind into Central London, a dark atmosphere descends. The streets and urban surroundings grow busier, with endless fancy cars and people rushing about.

I watch with my nose pressed against the tinted window. There are so many human beings, wearing different clothes and hairstyles, and no two people look alike.

Some are smiling and some not, some walk while others run. It’s dizzying, the sheer variety of it all. I feel intimidated by the size of the world I’ve been locked away from.

“Why don’t you live here?” I ask randomly.

“We like our privacy and quiet,” Enzo answers from the passenger seat. “This place is a fucking cesspit.”

“I don’t mind the city,” Hunter chimes in. “We have several spare apartments in HQ. I stay there sometimes.”

Leighton is strapped in beside me, his hand wrapped around mine. I don’t mind. The way his thumb strokes over my knuckles is reassuring, grounding me in the present.

“I spend more time here than with them and sleep wherever I pass out, princess.”

“That’s worse than Goldilocks.”

“I will pin your nickname down eventually,” he vows with a wink.

The buildings grow so high, they touch the dreary, cloud-covered sky. I study the glass monsters in awe and blanch a little at the one we head straight for.

The skyscraper is a towering, black monstrosity, cloaked in darkness and hard steel lines. The windows are tinted extra dark, concealing all activity inside. There’s even a helicopter pad on the roof.

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