Jameson flies toward me, his fist reared back.
“Stop it!” Lily screams, smacking his chest, halting his advance. “How dare you!” She jabs a finger in his face. “How fucking dare you!”
“Do you understand the danger he’s put you in?” Jameson roars, veins bulging in his neck.
Rage gets between them. He pushes Jameson back toward Animal and drags Lily by her arm to stand beside him.
“You fucked up.” Animal clears his throat. “I should have been at home with my wife, waking up with my kid. Instead, we get security footage of you and Lily entering Flesh.”
“So? We like to get freaky,” Lily calls out.
Animal glares at her, punching a fist toward her. “Shut the fuck up. You cause nothing but havoc. Thank your lucky stars Jameson is your brother. Otherwise, you'd be out on your ass for this shit.”
Jameson bristles, and Rage’s jaw ticks.
Turning his fury on me, Animal barks, “Everything you fucking caused tonight was for nothing.” He steps up to my brother and slaps him upside the head, and my spine straightens. If he decides to kill him, there’s nothing I can do but watch.
“Tell him where this girl is.”
Tears fill Leo’s eyes. Snot drips from his nose. “Dead.”
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He’s been off his meds since she left,” I inform them. Animal knows how Leo can get.
“When we went to his house, we found him digging in the yard.”
The hairs on my arms lift. I scan Leo’s body. There’s mud caked all over his knees. “I’m sorry, Zane. My mind kept playing tricks on me.” He sniffles.
“He has nightmares,” I defend, taking a step toward him, the curse to protect him forcing my hand.
“She was in the hole,” Animal informs me, and I stagger backwards. Mom’s rantings play back to me.
“Why did you do it?”
“Why did you put her out there?”
Leo’s dreams. He fucking killed her.
“I don’t remember doing it.” He begins to sob.
“Clearly, he’s mentally ill. Why do you have him tied to a chair, Animal?”
“Don’t fucking question me in my own club! I have him because you went on a rampage with one of our own!” he bellows, spit flying from his mouth. “What happens next is on you! I warned you.”
Rage grabs Lily’s arm, and she thrashes in his grip. “Don’t…please…” she pleads.
“It’s okay,” I call out to her, my eyes clashing with hers. “I wouldn’t change a moment with you.”
I accept my fate if it’s death. When four brothers surround me and grab my arms, panic seizes my joints. “Wait—what are doing?” I can’t move. They’re restraining me.
No.
Not Leo.
No. No. No.
Footfalls come from behind me. A man in a navy-blue suit strolls into the room. Awareness crackles through the brothers, a silent respect.
“Do you know who I am?” he asks with a British twang. His eyes find Lily. Tilting his head, he sweeps his gaze over her. Blood and grime soak her dress. Red speckles coat her skin and hair.