Page 67 of The Predator

What the fuck?I cock my head to the side, my adrenaline spiking. There shouldn't be anyone else in the house, but clearly someone is in fact in the house. Ely’s expression turns fearful, and I’m about to tell her it’s okay when a familiar voice greets us.

"I know you’re in there, and I doubt you want me to come in, so get out here, we need to talk.”Fucking Drew.All I can do is shake my head. “And preferably with clothes on,” he adds.

I drop my forehead to her sternum and release a long sigh. "Fucking hell. The only reason he would be here is because Bel’s here. I don’t know what he wants to talk about, nor do I care.”

Ely's lips spread into a smile. "What are the chances he goes away if we ignore him?"

"The chances are zero. He’s far more stubborn than even you.”

She pokes her tongue out at me, but her eyes watch my face carefully for a reaction to her teasing. This is new territory for her, so I give her a grin then take her tongue into my mouth and kiss her deeply. Her laugh melts into a groan.

"Believe it or not, my ears work fine, and I can fucking hear you both in there, so get your asses moving. This is serious.”

Ely pushes at my chest gently. "Let's see what he wants, and then in a little bit we can start this whole thing over again.”

I narrow my eyes. "I'm holding you to that."

We quickly pull on some clothes, Ely dressing in one of my T-shirts and a pair of gym shorts. I forgo a shirt and pull on a pair of shorts I find on the floor. Mentally I try to prepare myself for whatever it is that’s going on, but that’s hard to do when I haven’t a clue. Hand in hand, Elyse and I leave the protection of our bedroom and head to the kitchen.

There we find everyone, and I meaneveryone. Drew, Lee, Aries, and Bel are all here, and the air in my chest shutters out. Bel appears the most anxious as she rolls a water bottle between her palms. Drew stands at her back, protective as ever.

I peer around the room to my two other friends. Lee is sprawled out across the other counter, his feet hanging off the edge while Aries is braced near the back of the kitchen, his gaze ping-ponging between us and the back door.

"What the hell is going on?"

Drew pins me with a look I can't quite read. "Looks like the sheriff decided to retaliate against you.”

My entire body goes rigid, and Ely’s grip on my hand tightens. "What do you mean? What happened?" She asks, and I hate the shake in her voice.

I guide her over to the stool next to Bel and force her to sit. Then I turn her to face me and speak directly to her. "It’s okay. I’m not surprised. We knew he would do something. He wants our attention..”

"Yeah but I…. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me," she whispers.

"I understand, but there will be casualties; there always are. It’s all about tactics. He wants to break us down, isolate us so we have no one and nothing in our corner, but he doesn’t know a damn thing about us or our brotherhood.”

“Not yet, but he will soon.” Drew adds.

Lee shoves himself into a sitting position and I grit my teeth when I catch sight of the black and blue bruises overtaking half his face. I don’t need to ask what happened, my gut tells me already, but I need him to tell me so I know it’s true. "What happened? Did you get into another fight?"

He shrugs, but the typical playboy humor he carries with him is gone. Right now he’s callous and cruel. "Seems one of the sheriff's men didn't like seeing me and my friend Phillipe together outsideThe Rat House."

Even though I suspected it, I can’t seem to reign in my reaction. "He did that to you?"

His lip twists up into a wry grin. "First, you should see what the other guy looks like, and second, I took exception to him calling me a faggot. Then I punched him in his dumbass face so...I mean...technically I started it."

Out of the corner of my eye I watch as Ely’s face fills with terror.

"Fucking asshole,” I sigh.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Elyse blurts out, and the pain in her voice cuts deep into my skin.

“There isn’t anything for you to be sorry for.” Lee gives her a sad smile. “We’re all the victims of our parents' sins. The bruises will fade.”

“He’ll get what’s coming to him.” Aries announces and cracks his knuckles like he’s ready to deliver a beat down.

“We need to approach this the right way. I knew he would retaliate, but I didn’t think it would be so soon. I’ll need to move up the timeline on some of the ideas I have. There’re a lot of moving parts to keep straight.”

“Are you saying there is more going on than I know about?” Bel accuses.