“This is a tragedy that someone would do something so heinous to an innocent girl.” I lick my lips dragging my piercing along my bottom lip and rub my palms together to keep focused, “We just wanted to say something to Cas because even though she’s no longer with us, I know she can hear us.” I arch my eyebrow staring at them with their microphones stretched out. They nod.
“Mio vedova nera, you listen to me. We are sorry we weren’t there to protect you.” Pausing for dramatic effect, I stare into the camera. “But we are here now, and we won’t be resting till we get to the bottom of who’s responsible for taking you from us. We’re coming for you.” I say exactly how we rehearsed it over the last couple of days. People will think we are coming for the killers, but in reality, we meant it for her.
With a tip of my chin, I dismiss them, and they scatter away. “It was weird attending a funeral for someone you know isn’t dead,” AJ says, letting out a long breath. I have to agree, but knowing she’s out there having god knows what, happening to her makes me physically ill.
Once we find her, I know I won’t be able to live with the fact that I failed her once again. “If she sees us, do you think she’ll understand our message? That we are coming for her?” Edward asks. For a moment, I stare at him. He looks awful. There are dark circles under his eyes and they’re bloodshot. None of us look great, but Edward’s father is still missing, so I really feel for him.
“Yeah, she’ll know. I think we need to wait for whoever’s collecting those ashes.” I tell them, knowing that I’m going to. Maybe they won’t come, but I feel like they’re also sending a message, so I think they’ll be here. They agree and we all hang around.
It’s been about an hour, and everyone is long gone. People are waiting to lock up the church. We exchange a look that says we waited long enough. As we stand up, the back doors open, and in walks Cas’ trainer. His eyes fall on me. It’s easy to tell he’s not happy to see me here.
He stalks up to me, getting an inch from my face. “Are you happy now? I hope the money was worth it. But more than that, I hope you see her face every time you close your eyes.” Kel’s face is beet red and the vein in his forehead and neck throb.
His words leave me puzzled. What fucking money? “What the fuck are you talking about?” I ask, walking into him, making him step back a little bit. Because I don’t care who the fuck he is, nobody steps up to me and it’s best he knows I’m not cowering to him.
“Oh, cut the fucking act, Ash. You know you made a deal with your grandpa and Tommaso. You handed Cas over for fucking money.” He stares at me with pure hatred while my brain tries to play catch up with his accusations. I feel the guys staring at me.
“At least tell me you didn’t know what he did to her when she was younger?” Kel steps back toward me, his eyes looking into mine, and I see the moment he realizes I’m confused. Younger? Bile rises to my throat when I remember the guy in the warehouse a few months back. He said something about checking into what my gramps was doing. He mentioned something about kids. It seemed so bizarre, but now—
“Fuck, you have no idea, do you?” Kel says as I continue to stand in stunned silence. “Follow me,” he walks in between the pews and up to the altar. We walk with him and up the few steps that lead to a door off to the left. “Leave your phones out here.” He tells us as he twists the doorknob on the wooden door.
Exchanging a look with the others, we nod, setting our phones down. I don’t rattle easily, but I’m rattled right now. There’s a dreadful feeling building up in my gut. Whatever I’m about to find out, there’s no turning back from here. Emery’s the last one through the door. He shuts it behind him. “Hey, what are you doing?” Edward asks as Kel pats him down.
“Arms out,” Kel instructs.
“He’s making sure we aren’t wearing wires.” I guess as Kel continues to pat down the others, he reaches me, and I cooperate. Yeah, whatever this is. It isn’t good, but he might have some answers and an idea of what’s going on with Cas.
Cas
One Week Earlier
A blunt object hits me in the face, waking me up. My legs are still numb from whatever was in that needle that was injected into my thigh, but they are tingling awake.
It takes me a minute to recall everything that happened to me before waking up and the second I remember; I wish I could forget. There’s no point in defending myself. With Dad dead and Ash being the one to hand me over, along with the other stuff, I found out… death would be a kindness.
My real mom died before I even had the chance to know her. And here I thought Francesco selected me at eight randomly, but then I find out that it was intentional and that he’s Ash’s grandpa.
The hit comes again, smacking me hard across my jaw. It’s the hand of a large man with gobs of grease that slicks his black hair away from his face.
“Where the fuck is it?” The man asks me, and I have no idea what he’s talking about. I’m in a dark and dank room. The walls are cement and there’s only one light in the room and it’s shining in my face. My eyes fall on a younger-looking man. His tan skin is smooth, he wears his dark hair short on the sides, a little longer on top, and it’s messy. His dark eyes roam over me and I swear he looks terrified for me.
Trying to cup my face, I pull at my wrists, but they’re cuffed. The man that’s been hitting me raises his hand up, ready to strike again, but the younger man interrupts him. “Maybe she doesn’t know what you’re asking.” He says with a Spanish accent.
The man lowers his hand and gets in my face. “Your father’s men are following us.” He growls. Arching an eyebrow at him in confusion, I try to process what he’s saying. Where am I? They could have very easily followed him out of the driveway. “They knew exactly where to find us. Even now that we are in Italy.” The younger man explains.
The bottom of my stomach drops out. Italy? “So, where’s the tracker princess?” Hit you with his hands, McGee asks, causing me to flinch. There’s that nickname I hate. Francesco always taunted me with it when he would come into the room to touch me.
At first, I don’t answer. It’s my only shot at being found. The second that’s gone, I’m as good as dead, but the big man keeps talking. “You either can tell me or I can cut up your skin until I find it.” He says with spit flying from his mouth and landing on my face. I shrivel inside at the feeling. I would rather he hit me again.
For a split second, I almost get my wish. He raises his hand to hit me, but once again, the younger guy grabs him. “Tell him. The sooner you do, the sooner this is over with.” He looks at me with pleading eyes. Why does he care so damn much? He has to be heartless to be doing what he’s doing. He walks over to me and the big guy steps back. The young man rests his hands on the arms of the chair I’m in.
He’s wearing a blue t-shirt and jeans with high-top Nikes. Staring at his forearm, I spot the skull tattoo with a snake in the shape of an S in the middle of the eye sockets. I fucking knew it. He’s a Sinner. Francesco’s been working with them. Shit. The young man licks his lips, and my eyes linger a tad too long. He smiles with his white teeth glowing against his tan skin.