Hideaway (Devil's Night 2)

“You heard what he said,” I shot back. “I’m leverage. That’s all he wants with me.”

“Do you really believe that?” She eyed me. “He could’ve just taken you if that’s what he wanted. He signed that contract, because he was angry. With you,” she pointed out. “He’ll listen to you. I’ve known him a long time, and once he calms down—”

“I knew him long before you came along,” I snarled. “I don’t need you to educate me on who he is.”

She pressed her lips together, shutting up.

“And I’ve known him a hell of a lot longer than both of you,” Will shot off. “Kai’s acting out of character, but he works shit out better when he’s left quiet, okay? If he talks to anyone, it’ll be Michael.” And then he nodded to Rika. “Try him again.”

She sighed and picked up her phone, dialing her fiancé once more.

“And you,” Will called out.

I looked up, seeing him eye me in the rearview mirror.

“Shit’s gonna hit the fan regardless of that contract. You know that, right?”

Yes. Yes, I knew that. Even if Kai put away his anger and Natalya was alive and well, Damon was still coming.

And there was a very good chance he wouldn’t win.

Will blew out a stream of smoke, flicking the ash out the window as we turned onto Darcy Street. “If you ask Kai not to hurt Damon,” he told me, “then he won’t. All you have to do is ask.”

I clutched the door handle, ready to bolt as soon as the doors unlocked.

But I slowly relaxed my fingers, thinking about his words.

Maybe Will had a point. Kai could be intimidating and scary and just as mean as I could be at times, but he wasn’t cruel. He could be reasonable.

I dropped my hand from the door as the car slowed at the top of the incline.

“Here we are,” Will said, putting the car in Park.

I looked out the window again, seeing Kai’s black brick house with ripped shades hanging over the windows and the flickering porch light, looking like something out of one those movies “You go in but you don’t come out” types. What did he use this place for? He didn’t live here.

Where did he sleep? Where did he cook his meals and shower and screw women other than me?

“He’s waiting inside.”

I met Will’s eyes in the mirror again. “How do you know?”

“He just texted,” he informed me, holding up his phone. “Here’s your chance.”

We’d left him less than an hour ago. He wasn’t going to be calm yet.

“Just talk to him,” Rika said, turning to me. “Please.”

The last thing I wanted to do was anything for her. Tension crawled my skin, and I pushed open the door, suddenly wanting to be out of there more than away from here.

Fine. I’ll ask him. Not because they want me to, but because it might work. Damon could come home, I could keep him away from them, and they could all go on with their lives here in the city, while my brother and I continued with ours.

I slammed the door and immediately began walking up the steps to the house.

But my gaze flickered farther up the hill to the house perched on top, seeing a single light on the second floor. And I slowed.

It looked like a lightning bug hovering over a black lake at night. There was nothing up here. No other houses, businesses, and the light from the city couldn’t even pierce the thin forest surrounding the area. We were high and isolated, just that house and Kai’s. Did he know who lived there?

Chills spread down my arms. It was beautiful, kind of turn-of-the-century gothic with pointed gables and a black gate.