Chapter 67

West

Back and forth, I paced, getting angrier with every minute. How in the fuck had this happened? And the bigger question was, why the fuck had I put my trust in a man I was so uneasy about? I saw the way he had been overprotective of Everleigh. Especially when it came to the lashings. But hadn’t I thought I put an end to that by showing him who owned her? I never expected him to try to break her free. Did he not think I’d know he was responsible? He was the high leader and her guard. With the children and my wife kidnapped, what made him think that I wouldn’t have killed him for letting them get taken in the first place? Even if he was innocent?

I glanced at Abbot, the new high leader, glaring before I took in the computer technician who had been trying to crack Bram’s password since we’d been back. It was fucking impossible. He was the best, and he still couldn’t get in.

“Tell me what the hell has to be done. Can we trash this system and put in a new one? Maybe somehow tie the new one into the cameras already set up?”

The red-haired boy looked up from the screen, shaking his head. “If it was that easy, I would have suggested it weeks ago. They’re encrypted.

Everything encrypted. Without the password, everything is useless.”

“God … dammit!”

“Sorry, I’m trying.”

“Try. Harder. I’m not paying you a fucking fortune to type in random words. Use that brain of yours and all your fancy equipment and get to cracking. You,” I said, turning to Abbot. “Tell me you have something on who Eli was working with. Anything. Tell me something. It’s been three fucking days.”

“We’re working on it, Main Master. I have people out right now trying to find everything they can about the van. We have the files on all the children, and men are already staking out their homes.”

“Jesus. I should have slaughtered the entire fucking Cradle when I had the chance. That, or had the auction earlier. Something. If one of those kids says anything …”

Abbott’s head shook. “Won’t happen. If the van is taking them home, we’ll put a stop to it before they ever get within feet of the door. If it’s law enforcement, we’re tapped into scanners all over the place. One mention of a missing kid and we’ll get in and take care of it. Even if we have to put a bullet in their head right there in the station. The identity of

Whitlock won’t get out.”

“You better pray to God that it doesn’t. I’m heading back to check on my wife. She’s terrified if I’m away from her for long. If she wakes up and doesn’t find me there, she’s going to be upset, and then I’m going to be upset for making her upset. Then you’re not going to want to bring me any bad news.”

“Yes, Master.”

I barged out of Bram’s door, walking right into Everleigh’s panicked frame. Her good arm flailed and I barely caught her before she collided with the wall.

“Jesus, what are you doing walking out here by yourself? Did you learn nothing?” I ground out, hugging her into me tighter. “Are you hurt?”

“N-no. I couldn’t find you. I got scared.”

“So you decided to come here? To Bram’s?”

She paused, stepping back from my arms. “I was headed to the meeting room when one of the guards told me you were here.”

“And the idiot didn’t accompany you to make sure you made it to me safely?” I placed my hand on the middle of her back, leading her back toward our wing. “You’ll show me which one it was so I can remind him why the fuck I keep him around.”

“Please, don’t. I told him not to escort me. It’s my fault. I didn’t want him to get in trouble for leaving his post.”

“To protect the Master’s wife? Eveleigh!”

At the sobs that burst from her, I couldn’t help but clench my teeth. Today was not good. Not for the guards, or her. I had to get her back to bed and try to avoid her as much as possible until this passed. If not … I knew what was going to happen. All of the hard work I’d put into my wife would be for nothing. I’d tear it apart, just like I wanted to do to her. And God did I crave it more than anything. I wanted to hear her screams. Her cries. I wanted her fear. She fought as she tried to struggle away from me. Most of all, I wanted to be the one to physically induce a pain so great inside of her that it sated the evil in me.

“I’m sorry. … I don’t want anyone around me. Only you. I don’t trust anyone here.”

“Not all the guards are like Eli. You have to trust them. They’ll look out for you. That’s one of the main things they’re supposed to do. Speaking of which …”

I picked up my pace, letting the rage build and burn inside of me. The moment we rounded the turn, my eyes locked on the guards. He took one look at me, and then Everleigh. His mouth parted and he shifted nervously as I approached.

“How did she get out?”

“I-I was only gone for a moment, Master. I promise. The restroom and right back.”

“That’s not the way it works! If you leave, you call in for someone to replace you until you’re back.”

The guard looked between us nervously. “There’s no one else, Main Master. Everyone is either on patrol somewhere else or gone on the search.

Heat bubbled within me and all I wanted to do was choke the life from him. “I’ll deal with you later.” I threw the door open, pulling Everleigh through the large living area until we were back in the room. “Will you be leaving me, again? You’re not going to leave me.”

“Only for a little while. I need to …” I pulled at my hair as sweat began to coat my skin. “I have to go.”

“Well … if you have to … may I have my book, then? The one you took when we returned. I think I’d like to read some of the poems if that’s alright.”

I stopped dead in my tracks, glaring over my shoulder. “Bram’s book?”

“It’s just poems.”

I turned, slowly, walking toward her. My anger knew no bounds as it surged through me like scorching lava. And she saw it. With each step I got closer, she pushed further into her pillows. “Are you sure that’s why you want it? Maybe you just miss him and you want to take a trip down memory lane. Just like with your dreams. Like with the popcorn. Do you love him so much that you can’t let him go!”

“I did love him, but—”

My slap to her face was automatic.

“But—”

Again she tried to explain her emotions to Bram, and once more I struck her. And I would have done more had I not wanted to injure her and put her healing time back even more.

“Save your excuses for someone who gives a shit. You want your stupid book, it’s in my library. Let’s see you go get it.”

Her head shook and I knew she was aware I was wanting more of a fight.

“If you don’t get up and go get that book right now, I’m going to go in there and burn it. How much does it mean to you? How badly do you want it?”

Everleigh threw the covers back, pushing from the bed. Not once through her light steps, did she turn her back to me. She was ready to run.

Ready for me to attack.

The door opened and the white nightgown she wore wisped around her ankles as she picked up the pace. The moment she made it through the living room and entered the hall, she spun, sprinting for my library door. And I was on her before she could make it through. My fingers wove in her hair and I drug her into the large room, not stopping until we reached the bookshelf behind my desk.

“Middle shelf, right in front of you. Take it. Pick it up.”

“Don’t do this, please.”

“Do what? This?”