Seeing Emily frown, Ryan filled her in on his phone conversation, but left out the details about his plans for the chapel. I guess he was still hopeful that he could do something to rectify that part.
“But what good will it do going down there?” Emily asked.
“I don’t know,” he snapped back. “But it’ll make me feel a damn sight better. I can’t just roll over and do nothing.”
Ryan stood to leave and the rest of us blindly followed. We couldn’t let him face this alone, no matter what our own thoughts on it were. Brandon stayed behind with Harper and the twins, and we told him we’d keep him posted.
“Don’t let him do anything stupid,” he whispered to me before I left. “He’s not thinking straight.”
I nodded, but in reality, none of us were. We were all living in a daze of confusion. Our lives had been turned upside down and nothing was ever going to be the same.
When we pulled up to the old asylum, the front doors were wide open. We all parked, and Ryan stalked out of his car, banging his door shut and muttering to himself as he walked like a man on a mission. Emily followed not far behind, calling out, “Babe, calm down. If you go in there all guns blazing, you’re gonna make matters worse.”
“How could they be any fucking worse?” he shot back without breaking his stride.
Effy, Liv, and I kept quiet, making our way over the debris and rubble scattered along the path leading to the entrance. Music was blasting out so loudly that we all grimaced as we entered, letting our ears adjust to the level of noise. My artwork lining the corridors leading off the main entrance hall was still there, but now it was marked with crudely sprayed tags. All the subtle and intricate details lost underneath the amateur graffiti of some kids who probably bro
ke in with nothing better to do than destroy what’d taken hours, days, months even to create.
“What the fuck?” Ryan looked around and then stormed towards the source of the music. “I was here a week ago and it didn’t look like this. It’s a fucking mess in here.”
When we reached the doorway where the music was being played, we all stopped dead in our tracks.
“I wondered how long it’d take for you to show up.” Adam Noble stood in the middle of the room, his stance cocky and self-assured as he folded his arms over his chest, tilted his head and smirked at us. The other soldiers were lazing around the room, smoking rolled-up cigarettes and drinking bottles of beer while their Rottweiler lay in the corner eating raw steak, slobbering and growling.
“Turn it down, Colton,” Adam said without taking his eyes off us, and the music went from ear-splitting drum and bass to a quieter hum that matched the tension and adrenaline running through our veins.
The other soldiers just sat and stared at us, their eyes glazed over like zombies. Maybe those were more than rolled-up cigarettes they were smoking?
But what none of us could fathom was, what the hell were they doing here? This was Sandland, not Brinton. They were trespassing on our turf.
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re doing here but I came to speak to the owners.” Ryan held his nerve and spoke clearly, even though I could see the tell-tale twitch in his neck that said he was close to losing it. “I think I might give the agents a ring. I’m sure the new owners wouldn’t be happy to find out filth like you are squatting here.” Ryan pulled his phone out of his pocket, but Adam just laughed back at him.
“And what makes you think we’re squatters?” He took a few steps towards us, still grinning. “You are looking at the new owners of this building.” He held his arms out and cackled. “Welcome to The Sanctuary.”
We all stood there, stunned into silence. What the actual fuck was happening here?
“I don’t believe it. How could you afford this?” Ryan frowned, glaring at Adam and waiting for the answer.
“Because of him.” Adam nodded over to me and then winked. It took everything I had not to launch myself at him and wipe that smug smile off his face.
“We made a hell of a lot of money betting against Mathers,” he announced proudly, and then he stared right at me again. “And your uncle might’ve donated some towards it too. Not that he had much choice. We cleared out his house and his bank account when we’d finished with him.” He shrugged. “Call it pay back. We spent all night burying his body parts all over London. He owed us.”
I felt sick to my stomach, but Ryan still wasn’t buying it.
“No way,” he snapped, shaking his head. “That’s bullshit. I know how much this place was going for. You couldn’t have.”
“Why couldn’t we?” Adam smirked and looked around at his fellow soldiers. “Because only the Renaissance men can put on events in Sandland? Because we’re not as talented as you? We raised the money, made the deal, and signed on the dotted line this morning. You lose, Hardy. We win.”
“This isn’t over. I won’t let this happen,” Ryan shouted back.
“You’ve got no choice. And I would remind you that you’re on private property… our property, right now, but arguing with you is so much fun. I love seeing how red your face is getting.” Adam was having way too much fun poking Ryan. He was getting off on his anger.
“Just say the word and he’s gone,” Devon Brady piped up, but Adam held his hand up.
“And spoil all the fun? You need to watch this space, gentlemen. The Sanctuary is about to become the hottest place to be in Sandland.” He winked, knowing his use of the word ‘hot’ would strike a knife into all of our hearts.
Ryan lurched forward to take out his own justice, but Emily stood in his way.