The Havoc We Wreak (The Four 3)

Before he could even finish the fucking word, she was addressing me. Us.

“I know you’re listening in. I know it’s you.” She sucked in a breath, and spat out the next words as if they were acid. “Caiden Cavendish.”

I felt the eyes of everyone on me, and bile rose up in my throat. How? How the fuck did she know I was involved?

I didn’t have a chance to think about it, because she continued speaking. “Bring Allan, alone, to Alstone Docks within the next hour. No tricks. If you don’t do as I say, Miss De Witt will meet an unfortunate end.” She punctuated her words with the sound of a high-pitched scream, which I assumed was from Jessa.

I heard Winter gasp next to me, immediately clapping a hand over her mouth the second the sound escaped.

My head was fucking messed up. How the fuck did Jessa get involved in this shit? And why was Christine using her to threaten us?

She knew I was there, so there was no point hiding.

“Christine.” I drawled her name, my tone completely indifferent. Inside, though, I was fucking raging.

She laughed, if you could call it a laugh. Acerbic, setting my teeth on edge. “I knew you were involved. Not so clever now, are you?”

“What do you want?” I got straight to the point.

Her words seemed to echo around the warehouse. “Be at the docks with Allan.” There was a pause and the sound of a muffled voice, and then she added, “Bring the Hyde boy, too. No one else.”

The call abruptly ended.

Fuck.

This was it. Our time was officially up.

I sank into the chair behind me, running my hand through my hair. Shit, how could I do this? How the fuck could I keep anyone safe? How had I fucked up so badly that she knew who I was?

“I’ll go on my own,” I finally said.

“No.”

The voice came from behind Allan, and I jerked upright to see Cassius standing there, arms folded across his chest.

I shook my head. “You heard her. I have to go alone. Not only that, it’s too dangerous.”

He came around Allan to stand next to me. “Allan’s seen me now, anyway. I’m coming.”

“Me too.” Weston joined him. “Hi, Allan.” A brief expression of hurt flashed across his face, but he masked it. Allan winced at the sight of him, his face falling.

“And me.” Winter’s grip on my hand tightened.

“Same.” Zayde’s tone was uncompromising.

They were fucking insane if they thought I was going to let any of them get within reach of Christine, but I went along with it for now.

I indicated with my head towards the office, and the others followed me in. After closing the door, I swiped my phone from the desk, powering it on. “We’re out of time. West, can you forward everything we have to Dad? I’m gonna try and get hold of him.”

My call went straight to voicemail. Fuck.

“Cass, Z? Can you try your dads?”

“They’re at AMC. No phones allowed.” My brother’s eyes met mine. “Leave Dad a message. I’m sending everything to him now.”

I pulled up the message thread with my dad, tapping out a new message.

Me: DO NOT IGNORE!!! Check your email as soon as you get this. Leaving you a voice message too.