a fiery inferno, and with it, all of my strength.
I move to stand, but instantly fall back to the ground, so I spit out, “We need to find Ivy.”
“No, we need to call for help. We’re too far away from either club to get back up here in time, but Ivy did tell me of someone who might be able to help who’s nearby.”
I cough, narrowing my eyes in on him. “Hang on! Why are you even here? Weren’t you supposed to be off taking a break or some shit?”
Another section of the roof caves in with a giant thud, which makes us both jump, but Dash shakes his head in confusion.
“Is that what Nycto told you?”
I shrug, clearing my throat, trying to take in a deep centering breath, but I can’t seem to get one.
“No. He sent me out here in secret as surveillance. I was told to be your backup, but to keep my distance. Said I needed to learn to respect your relationship and my VP again. I’m sorry, man, Ivy’s amazing, we both know that. So, as long as you make her happy, which from what I have seen over the last few days, then I’m happy.”
“So, Nycto punished you by making you watch us together, huh? Clever man. I appreciate you taking a step back, brother. But this is all shit talk ‘cause we gotta get her back.”
“Yeah, so let’s make a call and go get your girl!”
Chapter Twenty
IVY
As I’m ushered down a long winding road, the scenery could be seen as beautiful. The hill we’re walking along the top of spreads down, opening up onto an open field with a deep blue lake at the bottom. Quaint little homes line the area, giving this place a real homey vibe.
Void’s father—Wyatt, he calls himself, but I call him asshole—mumbles away about some shit, but I’ve blocked him out.
We walk past a large home on top of the hill overlooking the splendor below. It even has a little sty out the front with pigs being tended to by a woman, but she doesn’t make eye contact with me as we stroll past.
The thing is, I should be taking this all in. I should be paying attention to my surroundings, taking notes about how to make an exit strategy.
But I can’t.
I can’t think!
I’m finding it hard to simply breathe.
Because I saw these assholes light the bungalow on fire with Void inside, and now I’m sure he’s nothing but a pile of ash.
When they dragged me away, kicking and screaming, I’ve never felt so much pain in my life. Now, I completely understand Void and how he got his name because it’s exactly how I feel.
Like a void.
Emotionless.
Unfeeling.
Numb.
Not willing to fight for anything because quite simply, now there’s nothing left to fight for.
“So, you see, we’d been tracking Cade for a while using his cell.”
My ears click into what he’s finally telling me, and my head snaps to the side. “Wait! What? You were following him?”
Wyatt lets out a huff. “Have you not been listening? Yes, from the moment I got out of jail, I had my tech guys hunt him down. Then we tracked his movements. When I saw he was stationary on Van Dyke Road, we went to check it out. Needless to say, that accident helped us in so many ways.”
I tilt my head. “The photos?”
A devilish glint lights up his face. “Not just that, sweet Ivy. Cade was so off his face he had no idea my disciples were on his side of the road. He called for backup, then threw his cell on the ground and spaced out. We had the accident planned, but he made it so much easier being so out of it. It gave us ample time for my guys to move in and put all the software on his cell we needed.”
My muscles tense as I stare at him. “Like what?”
“We could hear everything. Track everything. And from that, we knew everything. It also allowed us when close to another cell to transfer those apps to the second cell. So, when he was given the burner, the apps we installed on his cell and all the others at the club immediately crossed over. We knew your location at the safehouse this entire time... and we’ve been watching.”
“Jesucristo!”
“He won’t help you here, sweet Ivy. Honestly, I’m disappointed Cade never continued my work, my crusade, while I was incarcerated improperly.”
This guy actually believes he was wrongfully jailed. Douche!
“I taught