Bad Boys Never Fall

Isaiah

“You meanto tell me that you think my sister is at the Covens right now? There’s no way. I would have known. The workers talk there. They talk to me.”

The tick in Tobias’ jaw was moving back and forth, back and forth, much like mine. His voice creaked like a door that was seconds from flying off its hinges, and I was honestly pretty sure he, too, was seconds from flying off the hinges. His face was nearly purple after he got over the hump of shock that my not-so-real uncle, Tate Ellison, was actually his father.

“I need to see a picture of Gemma.” Journey finally spoke for the first time since telling us that she had been at the psych hospital.

I stared at her with my leg hopping up and down from across the room. “Why? Did you see her there? She hasn’t been there for long.” I glanced at the clock and swallowed back panic. Any amount of time would have been too long.

“Give me a picture.”

“Don’t have any.”

“She has brown hair. Green eyes. The same color as his.” Tobias nodded over to my uncle, his father. “I haven’t seen her in years, so I can’t say much else.”

“Scars around her wrists,” I said, my voice no more than a whisper. I shut my eyes before opening them again to see Tobias’ entire demeanor change.

“From the chains?”

My entire body shook. I gave him a quick nod before taking a deep breath to steady myself.

“Journey, did you see a girl before we left?”

Her hesitant gaze met Tobias’ as she crossed her arms over her chest again. Her voice softened when she spoke to him, and my uncle and I shared a fleeting glance.

“Remember when you asked me how I was able to steal the keycard?” Tobias nodded slowly, eyeing her suspiciously. “And I told you to forget about it because we didn't have time for explanations?”

“And I knew you were stalling, and I reminded you that we told each other everything.”

Her bottom lip trembled, and it was like going back in the past. Instead of seeing this new, raw version of her, I saw the girl that I’d found with her wrists slit, lying in the middle of the courtyard. So innocent-looking and vulnerable. “Well, I cornered Hank, did something to…distract him, and stole his card. He was the easiest target. So easily swayed. But right before I left the room he was in, I saw a girl. He was about to give her an injection. I’d never seen a girl down there before. I thought it was weird, and I asked who she was, but he blew me off, and my goal was getting us out, and I knew we didn’t have much time.”

“Journey, what did she look like?”

My uncle asked that question as Tobias and I shared the same blank expression. There was a goddamn war happening in the thick of my brain, and I couldn’t form sentences as it fabricated images of Gemma inside that place.

“Not good. She…she looked bad. There were marks around her neck like she’d been choked, some cuts on her face. It looked like her head had bled at some point, too.” I climbed to my feet. “I didn’t get a good look at her. It was a quick glance, but...her hands were tied behind her back. There was blood on her gown.”

“Where at? Where was the blood?”

Journey bit her lip, glancing away from Tobias. “Where do you think?”

“I’m not waiting. I’m going to get her.” I stormed to the door with Tobias hot on my heels.

“I can get us in. I'll be enough of a distraction for them. Let’s go.”

“And what’s the plan?” My uncle rushed after us, and I didn’t know Tobias at all, but we were instantly on the same side, working together. We were going to get Gemma, and no one was getting in the way.

A blur of dark-blonde hair whizzed in front of us. Journey reached up to her tiptoes and grabbed onto Tobias’ shirt. “Do not go back there, Tobias! You promised me that once you were out, you were never going back! No matter what! Not even for revenge!”

His hands landed on her arms gently as he pushed her out of the way. “That was before I knew my sister was there. I’ve spent four years trying to get back to her. I’ve spent four fucking years in that place, allowing them to break me over and over again just so I could finally fool them and get the fuck out. Nothing will stop me. Not even you.”

“Tobias!” she shouted, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Don’t go back in there.”

My uncle entered the hallway from his office, his phone pressed to his ear. “I can’t stop them.” He paused, glancing at the three of us. “Isaiah and…Gemma’s brother. He just showed up. He’s…he’s been at the Covens this whole time.”

“Tobias!” Journey stepped in front of him again as he began to shift forward. His jaw flexed, and he heaved a heavy sigh, not even bothering to hide his agitation.

“Journey. I said I would come here with you and make sure you were safe. After that, I was going to find my sister. For once, fate was on my side. I’m being led right to her! Now please get out of my way.”

“Remember what they did to you! You can’t go back there. They’ll kill you if they know you aren’t what they thought you were.”

He scoffed. “I’m already fucking dead, Journey.”

And with that, her hands fell as hurt covered her features. Tobias glanced at me, and I nodded, and we both stepped around her.

“Isaiah.” My steps faltered as I heard Cade bellow down the hall. “Is everything set in motion? My dad just called and said your father is on his way to meet with Ric—”

There wasn’t a single sound to be heard. I couldn’t even hear Jacobi on the other line with Uncle Tate. The doors to St. Mary’s were open, and not even the cool night air could lessen the tension inside this entryway.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Cade standing there, hands down by his sides with his face free of emotion. It was as if he’d seen a ghost, too, and to be honest, Journey was a ghost to us.

“Journ.”

Tobias flung his dark hair over his cut eyebrow. He slowly angled his head to Cade, and I saw murder in his eyes.

Cade sliced his attention over to Tobias, and I could feel the tension rise. “Who are you?”

“Are you Cade?”

Journey stayed completely silent as my uncle began talking to Jacobi on the phone again. “We’re on our way. Yeah, yeah. Okay. I got it. I’ll call you when we’re at the spot. Do you have eyes on Carlisle? Cade just said that Carlisle is on his way. I’m assuming to meet Richard regarding his shift in business partners.”

Cade stepped closer. “Yeah, I’m Cade. Who are you?”

Right there.That sick grin that covered Tobias’ face proved to me at that exact moment that he knew more about Journey than we wanted. His feet took him over gracefully, like he was on the hunt for prey.

“Tobias,” Journey warned, taking a step forward. But it was too late. Tobias’ arm came back, and he sucker punched Cade without even a flinch of emotion. Blood instantly rushed, and Cade’s entire gaze turned dark. He turned toward Journey, but she quickly glanced away, looking afraid instead of ashamed. Huh.

I quickly spun all the way around and rushed over to Tobias. “We don’t have fucking time for this!” I got in between them. “Let’s go. You two can have your WWE match later. It doesn’t matter right now.”

And with that, we all left St. Mary’s behind, knowing we were walking right into a gunfight.