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I kissed her head, then released her. “Babe, we need to do something.”
“Oh, that sounds promising.” She grabbed the front of my hoodie, bunching it between her fingers.
“I wish, but this isn’t what you’re thinking. I need to see the rest of the contents in the box, Brie.” My tone was low and serious.
Her features twisted in confusion. “Is something wrong?”
I rubbed her arms. “Please, can we see what else is in the box?”
“Of course.” Her brows lowered, her forehead pinching together.
I followed her to her bedroom and waited while she joined me on the edge of the mattress with the metal box. She flipped it open, and I spotted the newspaper clipping still on top of the other items. She lifted the contents, then handed it to me.
Dread bundled inside me, and I felt sick as I read the article. I set it on her lap, then sorted through the rest. My attention landed on a little silver chain with a hand-carved moon. I looked at her, my blood pounding so hard in my ears that I couldn’t think straight for a minute.
“Do you recognize this?” I held it up for her.
“No.”
I swallowed, preparing myself to tell her the dark, ugly truth. “Your father made it for you. He had someone inscribe it on the back.”
“What does it say?” She leaned closer as I flipped it over, running my fingers across the smooth wood. “Lyndsay, you’ll forever be under his eye.” My stomach clenched so hard I thought I would puke on her floor.
“Kane? What does that mean?”
“Nothing good.” I reached for the newspaper article. “Remember I mentioned the men in this picture were elders in the cult?”
“Yeah.” Her voice was soft, vulnerable.
“That guy is Barry.” I pointed to the bald man on the left. “That’s Sam, Wagner, Mike, Rigs, and Mitch.” My finger hovered over the guy in the middle. Something similar to fear scraped its ugly nails down my spine.
ChapterForty-Three
Kane
“Brie, Wagner is your biological father. He’s the leader of the cult.”
Brie’s gasp filled the room, her hand flying over her mouth. “That can’t be right, Kane. Are you sure?”
“Babe, I would never fuck with you about something like that. Wagner is responsible for everything that happened to us. He made the law and enforced it, as well as abused and brainwashed us.”
The color drained from Brie’s face. She grabbed my forearm, squeezing hard. “You saidis.”
My head hung down, and a sharp ache pierced my chest. I opened and closed my mouth a few times before I finally found the right words. “Brie, a lady named Linda contacted me after football practice. She’s reaching out to all the victims of the cult that are still alive that she could locate and letting them know that Wagner will be released from prison tomorrow.”
Her eyes bore into mine, and heavy silence descended over us. So many emotions registered in Brie’s expression that I couldn’t pinpoint her feelings about the news.
Afraid I wouldn’t be able to tell her the rest, I continued before I lost my nerve. “The wooden moon and the inscription … it means no matter where you are, he will always be watching you.”
Brie shivered with the ominous promise from her father. “I-I don’t understand, Kane. What do you mean?”
I took her hand in mine. “When Wagner was arrested, I was outside by that time. They threw him on the ground and pinned him down. He spewed threats as the FBI cleaned out the compound, but the one thing he promised above all else was that when he was free …”Shit.Warm, prickly horror clawed its way up my chest, and I was suddenly lightheaded. “That he would find you and resurrect the Light of David again.”
Brie began to tremble uncontrollably, tears filling her eyes. “I’m not safe anymore? He’s coming for me?” Panic threaded through her voice.
I shook my head. “Fuck no. No way, babe. I won’t ever let that happen. I’m older, stronger, and smarter than I was when we were in the cult.”
“How can you make that promise? Things went wrong last time. What if they do again?”
