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“You sure youwant to do this?” Theo asked it, and Otto roughed an agitated hand down his face. Kane and Cash were leaned back against the wall of the abandoned building that they called home. River’d been with his crew since the day he’d met Theo outside the store when he’d made his first theft.
There’d been a fuckton of them since.
But this was the first true crime he was going to commit.
“Yeah. Don’t want to involve any of you, though. Just need you to keep an eye on Raven when I go.”
Raven was technically supposed to be living with their grandmother. He’d taken her there a couple days after they’d run away, thinking it’d be the best situation for her since he couldn’t imagine a nine-year-old girl growing up on the streets. Sure one day they’d get caught and she’d be sent back to her parents. Their grandmother had promised she was going to call CPS and get Raven permanently placed with her.
Only their grandmother had called their mother instead, and her father had come for avisit.
A month ago, Raven had taken five city buses across town to find him. He’d never forget her standing in the doorway to that abandoned building, tears on her face.
She’d begged River to never make her go back.
He’d sworn he wouldn’t.
Theo shook his head. “Nah, man, if you’re going to do this, I’m going to have your back about it. Raven’s our family, too.”
It’s what they’d become.
Family.
And now it was going to be written in blood.
The lights from the SUV parked down the street flashed once.
A sign.
A go.
He moved, a wraith who crept through the darkness under the cover of night. Crouching low to keep himself concealed as he hustled across the manicured yard. His back pressed against the exterior wall of the brick house to make sure it was clear. Quick as he accessed the door where the lock had already been cracked so it’d look like it was an actual break-in.
Silently, he slipped across the house and down the hall to the room.
He didn’t slow or hesitate.
The bastard was exactly where he knew he would be.
Asleep.
Deep, rattled snores lifted from the right side of the bed.
Unseen, he coasted to the side of it, a shadow that loomed high, and he released a low, vengeful growl.
The piece of shit startled, the whites of his eyes blowing wide in the murky pitch of the room.
But the monster had no time.
No defense.
Not when he’d earned this punishment.
There was only the satisfying flash of recognition in his expression before River’s hand clamped over his mouth, and he tipped his head back right before he dragged the blade across his throat.
Then he was gone.
Without a sound.
