He lifted a brow and I launched towards him when my body was hit off-balance from the side. All my focus was on the pretty boy before me, my brain blocking out the tiny blonde as a non-threat—which I paid for.
Before I could even register her movement, she’d released a high kick that hit directly into my ribs with an echoing crack. My knees buckled to the ground, shallow gasps escaping my throat.
I narrowed my lids at her approach. The little kitten had claws, and judging by her deadly expression, she was ready to deliver. The metallic twang of blood rolled over my tongue. I coughed up the remainder and spat at her feet, the gauntlet well and truly laid.
“Don’t underestimate me,” she said, her sing-song voice chiming like bells.
“An oversight on my part. One I won’t make again.” Jolting to my feet, I rolled my shoulders back in preparation. I’ll snap Pixie Face in half, then dispose of her companion, pop some of those porcelain teeth straight out of his smug mouth (which hadn’t lost its smirk since I was knocked to the ground).
Pretty Boy gripped her shoulder. “We aren’t here to fight, Meek. We’re here to break him out.”
“Who the fuck are you?” I growled.
Pixie Face sneered and shook off his hand. “We’re wasting time. We should cut our losses and search ourselves.”
“We would waste more time if we got lost down there.” His tone was impatient, as if he was restraining himself from rolling his eyes. “We can’t kill him. Micah wouldn’t be pleased.”
Golden Girl?
“Where is Micah?” I demanded.
I watched the fight filter from Pixie’s striking blue eyes, her next words resounding through my skull. “That’s the problem. We don’t know.”
“What does that mean?”
They shared a weighted glance and my patience evaporated into the atmosphere—gone, adrift in the fucking ether. I stepped up to bodycheck her, despite being twice her size. Undeniably an asshole move, but my girl was missing, and no one was getting in my way. Fucking no one.
“You better spit it the fuck out, little one.”
She raised an eyebrow, not the least bit intimidated, when I was shoved back by a firm male hand. “Back the fuck up. We’re Micah’s family, and she’s missing. We don’t have time for this.” Before I could charge forward, his eyes narrowed. “She wanted to come here herself.”
“Then why didn’t she?”
His jaw clenched as his condemning eyes narrowed on Pixie Face. He was fucking livid—at her.
Her features slackened under his scrutiny. “The mission got pushed forward and…she stayed.” Her voice turned harsh. “We don’t know why, but she stayed behind without us.”
A strong impression of foreboding tingled down my spine. “Mission? Ava? What happened?! You were supposed to get me first.”
The two women that ruled my life…their fates intertwined into one, causing my heart to plummet into overdrive at the possibility of either of them being hurt.
“Ava is safe. Micah wouldn’t have it otherwise. While your sister is secure, my own sister is now missing.” Her tone was sharp, but not quite accusing. “She entered the underground via Forbidden Garden. That was her last known location. We don’t know the Caverns well enough. We’re out of our depth. We need you. She needs you.”
Half a breath. Bittersweet. Relief for Ava’s safety was quickly overpowered by concern for Micah. “That’s all I need to know. Get me out of here and I’ll find her.”
“We will find her.”
“I work alone.”
“Not with this, you don’t. She’s ours first and foremost, so get that into your dick brain right now.”
Dick brain? She advanced and dug a finger into my chest. “We work together, that’s how we operate. Don’t fuck with our system. Don’t fuck with her.” We weren’t exactly talking about the mission anymore. She was concerned for Micah, and would protect her against everything. Including me.
I raised my hands in surrender and plastered a cocky smirk on my face. “I’ll help you. But once I find her, she’s going to be punished so fucking hard for breaking her promise to me.”
They both groaned in unison, equal expressions of disgust written on their faces.
The male surrendered a knife to me with a heavy stare, weighing me for judgement. He let me take it, which was a surprising gesture in itself.
“Don’t take this for granted,” he said, and I nodded.
As we ventured down the deserted hallway, more light filtered through the barred glass panels. My eyes roamed over their features, their mannerisms. They appeared different, yet moved scarily similar to my golden girl. It was uncanny.
“What are you looking at?” he asked.
“Just wondering how Micah got all the good genes.”
The brown-eyed male huffed, then looked over his shoulder to flick a finger between he and Pixie Face. “Tanner and Emerson King. Finally we get to meet the Psycho. Let’s hope you live up to your reputation.”
They wouldn’t have to wait long. I was more than willing to deliver.
We rounded familiar corridors, my escape inevitable. I’d thought I’d be elated, exhilarated by my release. However, I couldn’t concentrate on anything except Micah. My freedom would amount to nothing if she wasn’t beside me. Imprisoned and trapped in a wholly different way. I refused to settle, refused to even consider that future a possibility.
The duo led me past the harrowing grey basement door and my gut churned. “What’s today?” They halted by my side. They didn’t have to answer, the hairs on my arms rose on end as I pushed against the lever. “Do you have access?” I’d relinquished Fern’s swipe to Micah after I got in trouble.
Emerson shook her head. “There’s no time.”
