Page 94 of My Cruel Salvation

He’s a naive man who got caught up with a powerful brother, a man who had power for all the wrong reasons. Now he’s dead and Christopher is lost. And whether he loves Brandy or not, he was never the man she believed him to be.

But none of that matters. All that really matters is whether or not I believe that he loves her. Because if he does, then he might really be here to help us. And that means that we might actually have a chance.

More than that, it means that Christopher is probably our only chance. Because if he knows where Devlin and Brandy are, or even if he just says he does, that’s a risk that I’m willing to take.

“Put the gun down,” I tell Ronan. The Nordic god towers over me, a look of incredulity on his face. “The hell you say. You aren’t running this operation.”

“The hell I’m not. My best friend. My boyfriend. The man I love with all of my heart. They’re the ones who are at risk here. Not me, not you, not Lamar, not Reggie. Them. And I will do anything in my power, including selling my soul to the devil if that’s what it takes to get them back.”

“You listen to him, and you really might be selling your soul to the devil. Don’t you see? If this is retribution for what Devlin did, then the best plan is to get you there and kill you in front of Devlin. Make him watch. Killing him? No big deal. Devlin’s been trained for a hell of a lot more than that. But watching you die? That’s about the only form of torture I can think of that would break him.”

I hadn’t thought of it that way, and without thinking I glance toward Reggie. She nods. “He’s right.”

I feel cold all the way down to my bones. “I can’t just stand still because I might be at risk,” I say.

“You won’t be at risk,” Christopher says. “Or you would if they knew you were there. But I’m not going to be the one who tells them. I swear to you. I swear to you on Brandy’s life.”

I can hear the passion and the heat in his voice. I think of all the times I’ve seen him and Brandy together. I think of the way this man has laughed in my living room.

And then I make my decision. “If it’s the wrong call, then it’s on my shoulders. But we’re going to trust him. And I need you two to follow my lead.”

To her credit, Reggie nods, just one quick inclination of her head as evidence that she’s agreed to my terms. Lamar does the same. Ronan is not so amenable. Instead of answering me, he looks to Christopher. “What exactly do you have to offer?”

“I know where they are. I’m supposed to meet them there with supplies. Years ago, Joseph bought this place. I mean like it’s been at least ten years. It was this cabin up close to Big Bear right at a pass. An old pass, one of those Indian trails. It was a cabin at first, like a century ago. And then later it was used by trappers. And then during the WPA era it was used as office space while they tried to build a road. But it never got finished. So it was only a half-built little road out there with that secluded cabin just sort of cut into the mountains.”

“Keep going. They’re at the cabin?”

“He built a house over it, but yeah. The cabin’s at the base of it. There was some mining there at some point, and then it was a place where settlers traded with the Native Americans. It’s got a lot of history. It’s actually pretty cool. I thought about writing a book about it, but—”

“Christopher.” My voice is harsh and sharp. I don’t give a fuck what kind of book he wants to write. I want to know where Devlin and Brandy are.

“Sorry, sorry.” He wipes his hands on his jeans. “Yeah, so, that’s where they’ll be. It’s had so many layers built upon layers that there’s this stone basement. He’ll have them in there.”

“And what’s he proposing to do with them?”

Christopher shrugs. “Kill them. But he wants Ellie first. That’s why he sent me. I told you. He wants Devlin to hurt before he dies.”

“You’re supposed to take me to Manny.”

“Yeah. With the supplies.”

“It’s a trap,” Lamar says. “It has to be a trap.”

“I promise you it’s not,” Christopher says. “Please. Please, I have to make sure Brandy’s safe. She’ll be the first he kills. He’ll do it to punish Devlin, so he feels weak. And so that he’ll know what’s coming when they bring Ellie in. I don’t think she has much time. If you don’t trust me that’s okay, but please at least believe me.”

Ronan looks at Reggie, and she understands the silent message. She leans against the wall, pulls out a gun and aims it casually at him. “Why don’t we just wait here while those three go have a little chat?”

Chapter Thirty-Eight

“We’re screwed, aren’t we?” Brandy whispered, and the terror that Devlin heard in her voice tortured him more than anything Manny had done.

“I’m not counting us out yet,” he said, also whispering. They were alone now, but he imagined people were listening at the doors. Not that their conversation meant anything. It’s not as if they had a plan for escape.

“But…”

He closed his eyes and drew in a breath, acknowledging the reality of their situation.

“But, yes, we’re not in a good position. I’m sorry, Brandy.”