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Ice flooded through Beau’s veins.
“Are you threatening her?” A sharp question from Douglas. He’d been avidly watching the byplay, but now he straightened to his full height. “You don’t get to threaten?—”
“I’m not going to touch her. I can’t. I’m locked away inside this hellhole. Solitary. All alone. No friends.” His head turned toward Beau. “You won’t be there.”
You can’t kill him in front of the DA. “Guess you didn’t hear the lady before. Where she goes, I go.” And if that meant into the fire, through the fire, so freaking be it.
“Does your shoulder still hurt?” A tilt of Everett’s head to the right. “I bet it does. The skin is all twisted and warped, isn’t it? Because that’s what I’ve been told the fire does. It reshapes you. Changes you. You become someone brand new when the fire takes you.” His tongue snaked over his bottom lip. “Who did you become? A scrawny gang member turned into…what?”
He knows too much. “I became the man who is going to kick your ass.” He lunged forward. Grabbed the bastard by the shoulders. Wrenched Everett up as far as those chains would allow. “You were warned,” he breathed, the words low enough for only Everett to hear.
All the color bleached from Everett’s face. And there hadn’t been much color to begin with.
But guards were shouting.
Douglas was barking commands.
Two of the guards went for Beau. They hauled him back and away from Everett even as the prisoner cried out, “Assault! You saw him! Assault! DA, you charge this man with assault!”
“Get LeBlanc’s ass out, now!” Douglas demanded. “Sonofabitch!” He ran a hand over the top of his head.
The guards hauled Beau toward the door.
He looked back. Avalon still sat at the table. Spine still straight. Fisted hands in her lap. No emotion showed on her face.
Douglas was rushing after the guards. Two were taking him out. That left only one in the room with Avalon and Everett. The guard who’d trailed Everett into the room. One guard. Fuck that. “Don’t leave her alone!” he bellowed.
Douglas froze. Glanced back.
Avalon had been whispering to Everett. And whatever she’d said…
“Take me out!” A wild yell from Everett. “Forget him—take me back to solitary! Get me out now! Get me out of here!”
The guards dropped their hold on Beau, and they grabbed Everett.
Chapter Thirteen
“That was a complete waste of time.” Douglas slammed the door shut. He kept one hand on the frame and his back remained angled toward Avalon.
Her heart raced. Her palms were soaked with sweat. And she wanted to get the hell out of that room, that prison, but… “We learned quite a bit, actually.”
“From that shit show? Seriously?” He straightened. Whirled. Glared at Beau. “Do you have any concept of what the word control means?”
Beau shrugged.
Avalon thought Beau had displayed admirable control. And incredible trust. When she’d told him how this scene needed to go down, he hadn’t hesitated. Well, he had hesitated on one point…
No fucking way do I leave you alone with the guy.
She’d tried to tell him that she wouldn’t be alone. At least one guard would remain with her, if her plan went correctly. She’d just wanted a moment to speak with Everett without others hearing her. She’d needed that moment.
And she’d gotten it.
While the guards and Douglas had been distracted by Beau, she’d whispered to Everett, He’s tying up loose ends. He killed that kid who was waiting in my room. Drove over him with a car. You know who he is. Do you think he’ll let you live with that knowledge? Or do you think your friend will find a way to get to you?
She’d seen terror take over Everett’s expression. The killer hadn’t been able to get away from her fast enough. “He knows who the arsonist is.”
“Uh, how the hell would he know that?”
