Page 4 of Ramshackle
“Kell, just…lay off for now.”
I frown, my hands fisting and loosening repeatedly, before I finally choose to let it go. Not forher. But because I can see that Dane’s dealing with his own issues right now and doesn’t need me complicating them.
Vera smiles at me. “I hope we can become good friends again, too, Kellan. We were once a long time ago, so I don’t see why we can’t be like that again. You still like cars?”
Nope. I can’t do this. Not when my girl is stuck somewhere, forced to do whatever fucking shit Gordon did in the past. Turning to the kitchen, I rummage through the cabinets until I find whatever liquor bottle isn’t currently on the floor. I grab the first one and spin the top until it flies off, then bring it to my lips.
I haven’t had a drink since that night Raegan and I snuck out to dance. Or our mini dance party here at Old Red. And then,since she just came back into our lives before that. The smooth burn of whatever I’d grabbed, Aiden’s bourbon, I think, is like reuniting with a long-lost friend. I know I shouldn’t go right back to this the second she’s gone, but I’m having a weak moment.
Sue me.
Aiden walks in as I’m downing my second long drink. I raise a brow, daring him to say something. Instead, he huffs and checks his phone. “Cassandra and Reid went back to the bunker to sleep, but they’ll return in the morning to check on him. Let’s go sit in the living room. I want to know where everything stands with Vera. As of right now, she’s not to leave the firehouse.” He keeps his voice to a soft murmur, so the conversation stays between the two of us.
I flick my eyes over to the couch and catch Vera watching us closely.
Fantastic.
We’ve let a rat in the house.
“Jack’s going to murder her when he wakes up,” I mock, even though we both know I’m not entirely joking.
He doesn’t even argue it. “We have a week to get this figured out before we have to deal with that.”
My hand tightens on the neck of the glass bottle. “You mean we’re getting her back before he wakes up, right? Tell me there’s a fucking plan to get her back, Aiden.”
Aiden looks at his phone again, ticking me off that whatever he’s waiting for is more important than this conversation, and then he checks in on Vera and Dane. He shakes his head when we see Vera still eyeing us, then strides into the living area to sit on the seat across from her.
That head shake better mean ‘not now’ and not ‘no’.
I growl and take another drawn out swig of alcohol, then follow him. I sit between Dane and Aiden on the couch, although there’s still plenty of room between us.
I stretch into the corner where there are some throw pillows to lean against, then spread my legs out in front of me to get comfortable.
“It’s been a long time, Vera,” Aiden begins smoothly.
She smiles softly and reaches over to put a hand on Dane’s knee, then gives her brother a sorrowful look. “I wish I could have told you that I was still alive sooner. But at least we’re finally together again now, right?”
Dane stares at her hand on his knee. He doesn’t move to take it, but he doesn’t pull away either. “Why couldn’t you?” His expression becomes serious when he lifts his face to look at her again. “Who’s been controlling you, Vera?”
Her body flinches the barest amount. She retracts her hand from him and laces her fingers in her lap. “No one. Even if I wanted to reach out to you, you ran away. I didn’t know where you were until I saw you on the roof that night,” she states matter-of-factly with a small shrug.
Aiden crosses his leg over his knee and links his hands together on top of it. His phone is resting in his lap, screen up, so should a text or call come in, he can look at it right away. I consider snatching the device from him to find out what he’s up to. If Vera wasn’t here with us, I would. I’ll just have to confront him about it when she’s not around. Whenever the fuck that will be, since she’s going to be staying here with us, and I have a strong feeling Aiden’s going to make me her babysitter.
“We’re jumping ahead a bit. I want to know what happened from the beginning. When did you start working for GE and with Gordon?” he asks calmly as if we have all the time in the world to chat about her last six-plus years and Raegan isn’t behind enemy lines.
I take another drink.
Vera raises her eyebrows and looks around at us. “You mean she didn’t tell you?” She looks genuinely surprised, thencontemplative before she answers. “It was just after I turned sixteen. Gordon was helping me train my gift. He would tell me about all the great things they planned to do. How they were training us up to be like superheroes from the comics, fighting bad guys and all that. I mean, who wouldn’t want to join that?”
I lean forward and slam the bottle down on the coffee table with a caustic laugh. “And you believed that bullshit?”
“Kell—” Aiden tries to stop me, but fuck. That.
“You think they’reheroes?” I spit out. I jump to my feet and take a step closer. “They murdered my family! My little sister! Just to kidnap and try to brainwash me like they did you. They’re not saving anyone. They’re power-hungry maniacs obsessed with controlling anyone with a gift to use as a weapon to get what they want.”
“Kell!Kellan!” Aiden’s hand touches my arm, snapping my focus on Vera to swing around to him. “I know you’re upset, but you need to calm down.”
I breathe heavily, my chest heaving.
