Page 6 (2/2)

Great He definitely has to be using the hole to bury a body Does that make me an accomplice? Fuck, I think it does

Despite how much I want to shake my head, I nod, pick up my shirt and slip it back on Then I stuff my tie into my back pocket, collect the shovel, and round to the back of the vehicle As I’ the shovel into the trunk, Winston approaches Nicholas

“You think this is the best place for this to happen?” he asks Nicholas while assessing the hole

“Have I ever steered you wrong before?” Nicholas asks, crossing his arms

Winston shakes his head “But I want to be careful with this one Gregor isn’t like the others we’ve gone after He’s got ht back”

Nicholas’s brows elevate “You’re nervous?”

Winston’s lips twist into a sht you knew me better than that”

“You’re right My or is going to react if he finds out e did to his precious first”

First what? First born? Are they talking about Ens?

I tense What is Winston planning to do?

“Oh, he’s going to find out That’s all part of the plan But he can’t find out until everything is done and the body’s already rotting—then he’ll have no choice but to break,” Winston says with a rin “Broken men are easier to take down”

“That they are,” Nicholas agrees with a bob of his head “It’s why I refuse to have anything infor”

I mentally roll my eyes as I shut the trunk and head for the driver’s side Give a round of applause for the father of the year

Winston nods in agreeor’s weakness He never could fully let go of the people he cares for It’s selfish of hi the world he chooses to live in”

“It really is” Nicholas shields his eyes froh the tree branches above “I still can’t believe he thought you wouldn’t find out he had a daughter A real one”

I’habout Ruby or Ensley?

“He should know better,” Nicholas adds “All those years wasted not seeing her just so in the end you can find out about her He should’ve coo And now you’ve found his weakness”

“Well, you found her for rips Nicholas’s shoulder “Your loyalty has earned you a place in my family”

No… There’s no fucking way they could’ve found Ensley They can’t be going after her Ithem

Then another thought occurs tothe mafia?

“As I proo to pick up Gregor’s first” Winston releases Nicholas’s shoulder “I just need access to the tracking device on her car”

My heart violently thrashes againstafter Ensley? They knohere she is? Why do they keep referring to Ensley as Gregor’s first? Does Nicholas have a tracking device on Ens car? Does that mean he has one on or for the last few months?

Hopefully not, but it doesn’t reallyEnsley I need to text El what’s going on and then tell Gregor Hopefully, he’ll knohat to do Because while I want to protect her, I’ainst the entire Fareland mafia all by myself

DoingI want to do is appear nervous in front of these guys—I open the door to climb in

“Carter,” Nicholas calls out

I turn around, my heart a nervous wreck “Yeah?” Thank God, my voice comes out even

He stares at ht not to squirht? If not, you’ll have a place right beside the hole you just dug”

I nod “Yeah, I understand”

My fake father gives me a fake smile “Good I’ll see you at home”

Nodding, I cli slower than I want to But seeer will only or’s number and put the call on speakerphone He doesn’t answer, so I leave ahi the cops, but I’ the sheriff off I try to call Ens, but of course she doesn’t answer I call El and Gaige too, but neither of the to God that one of them reads it

Then I press down on the gas and speed like a or’s office

Two

Ensley

A lot of people say you shouldn’t run away from your probles will eventually get better

When I first took off with Elodie and Gaige, I thought I was being a coward, but I was too scared to make another choice Now that I’ve been away from Fareland for a few days, I think Iaway fro to take a breather before I face ht after all shit hit the fan, I o home, I want to be calm Well, as calm as I can be

As for facing Carter, that’s an entirely different story Part ofhto play hi the sa? The truth is I don’t think I can

Still, that doesn’t make my heart ache any less over his betrayal Stupid heart I don?

??t knohy it’s always been so stubborn about wanting to get attached to Carter And hearts aren’t like hormones at all When I had a crush on Carter, I could handle hi me But now that I… Well, I’m not really certain exactly how I feel about his definitely deepened for hi like a tiny hole is burrowing into the center of my heart

“Earth to Ens” Elodie waves her hand in front ofme to flinch She shakes her head as she slurps on her vanilla shake, a gentle breeze blowing strands of her blonde hair into her eyes “Dude, you space out more than anyone I know”

“That’s coe does it more than me” I prop my feet onto the wooden bench attached to the picnic table we’re sitting on

Gaige, El, and I are at a park in some Podunk town about three hundred miles or so away fro a stop to get sohts Unfortunately, the “sights,” if you can even call theas station, a cow farm, and the most pathetic excuse for a park that I’ve ever seen with a rusted swing set and a tipped over slide Still, we decided to chill out at the park for a while so we can eat while Gaige gets high

“Only when I’e protests as he hops onto the table beside me

He has a joint in one hand and a burger in the other, and he’s decked out in all black even though the te toward one hundred But that’s usually how he dresses

He sets the burger down on his lap and raises the end of the joint toward his lips “Which I’in” He s the joint between his lips

Elodie rolls her eyes “This is so not fair Ens and I shouldn’t be forced to have to deal with your stupid stoner talk for the next few hours”