Page 129 of Rage
“What happened?”
I turn.
She is awake now, pushing herself upright, the blanket slipping from one shoulder. Her eyes are still heavy with sleep, but fear is already finding its way back into them.
I hate that. I hate anything that touches her before I do.
“They found something in Monica’s room,” I reply, not wanting to lie.
Her face pales. “Did they find her?”
“No.”
She pulls the blanket tighter around herself. “Then what did they find?”
I cross to the bed and crouch in front of her because standing over her right now feels wrong.
“Proof that Victor has her.”
Her lips part. “Victor.”
A knock sounds downstairs. Three sharp raps.
Amy flinches.
My hands curl into fists before I can stop them. “It’s Valen,” I tell her. “You stay here.”
“No.”
My eyes lift to hers. “No?”
“I’m tired of everyone telling me to stay somewhere while they decide how much of the truth I can survive.”
There she is. The part of her I love the most. The part that makes me want to kneel and ruin the world in the same breath.
“You want the truth?” I ask.
She swallows. “Yes.”
“Victor is the kind of man who takes girls because powerful men taught him the world would let him. He’s not coming for Monica because of Monica.”
“Then why?”
“Because someone took something from his family.”
“The ledger,” she whispers, remembering enough pieces to cut herself with them. Azriel told her enough.
“Yes.”
“And now he’s sending a message.”
I nod.
Her voice gets smaller. “To who?”
I look at her. “To me. Because of you. Everyone knows I was with her, and it’s no secret. But he knows what I care about the most.”
The color drains from her face. Downstairs, the knock comes again. Harder this time.
