Page 93 of My Cruel Salvation

Lamar bursts in, then stops short when he sees Christopher. He looks from Christopher to Ronan and then to me.

“Well,” he says. “I guess I made the right call.”

I frown. “What do you mean.?”

“Officially we don’t have shit. I’m coming with you.”

“Lamar…” I’m shaking my head. “We’re not—I mean, oh, hell.”

“She means we’re not intending to play by the rules,” Ronan says flatly.

“But you intend to get them back.”

“Absolutely,” Ronan says.

Lamar glares at Christopher. “And you have a lead.”

“Looks that way,” I say.

“Then I’m in.”

I swallow. “Are you sure? The consequences.”

“It’s Brandy,” he says, then takes my hand. “And it’s Devlin.”

I nod, blinking back tears.

Ronan, apparently satisfied, returns his attention to Christopher. “Answer the fucking question. Do you know where they’re being held?”

“I do, at least I think so. That’s why I’m here. I’m supposed to bring supplies up. But, Manny has Brandy, and—”

“Manny?”

“One of the kids who was on the compound with Devlin,” Ronan says. “One of Joseph’s lieutenants.”

Christopher nods. “I know what he’s capable of. I thought—”

“What?” I demand.

He looks down at the ground. “All I want to do is help. Please,” he says, his voice cracking. “They have Brandy.”

I hear the pain in his voice and try not to let it affect me. “You tried to kill me,” I say again, this time clutching Lamar’s hand.

“Because of Joseph. He’s—he was—my family. The only family I ever really had. So when he wanted my help, I agreed. I like Devlin, and I should never have gone along with it. But you didn’t know Joseph.”

“That’s all ancient history. Tell me why the fuck I should trust you now.” Because, dammit, as much as I’d like to think that Christopher is our answer, I know that it’s way more likely that he’s the bait to a much bigger trap.

He looks between me and Lamar, and I see Reggie and Ronan exchanging glances.

“I love her,” Christopher says, his eyes on me. “I love Brandy. I understand why you might not believe me,” he says, as Ronan makes a raw scoffing noise, “but I never meant to hurt anybody.”

“You goddamn son-of-a-bitch,” Ronan growls.

Christopher cringes and hurries on. “I came to the DSF because Joseph wanted me there. Because Anna had told him who Devlin really is. I used my books as cover, and all I was supposed to be doing was gathering intel on Devlin. Where he went, who was important to him. Anything that Joseph might be able to use against him.”

He draws a shaky breath. “And, yes, when Joseph thought that the best way to get to Devlin would be to take you out, I had a hand in that. I regret it. I do. And I know you don’t believe me, and I don’t even care. But you have to believe me about Brandy. I love her. He wasn’t supposed to take her. She wasn’t supposed to be with Devlin today.”

Ronan looks at me, and I don’t know what to do. I want to hate this man, and I do. But part of me feels sorry for him, too.