Queen of Quarantine (Brutal Boys of Everlake Prep #4) - Caroline Peckham Page 0,123

Niall laughed, slapping my arm. “That was fun. For a second there I thought you weren’t gonna take the wheel and we’d both die.”

“That would not have been my fault,” I said in disbelief, opening his door and sliding out onto the ground, my legs still shaking with adrenaline. Fuck him for driving like he had a death wish, but I couldn’t deny I was feeling as high as a kite right now.

“Liar,” he scoffed. “I wouldn’t let my nephew’s girl die. What kind of person do you think I am?” He opened the glove compartment, taking out a machete, a Zippo lighter with the words If you can’t fix it, burn it engraved on the side and a pair of night vision goggles.

“I’m not going to dignify that question with an answer,” I said as I gave those items a pointed look and he smirked, walking around to the back of the car and opening the hatch to the trunk. He casually took out a box of fireworks and a gallon of gasoline then tossed me the goggles.

“Here, you can watch our backs while I set up a decoy,” he said as he took out a green T-Rex mask and pulled it over his head.

I took the gun from where it was wedged in my waistband and let him do his crazy thing as I followed him through the trees, putting the night vision goggles on so I could see the way forward.

We made it close to the edge of the woods and Niall set about placing fireworks in a long row through the trees. He doused the whole lot in gasoline as I kept my gaze on the perimeter of the camp and the single watchtower in the distance. The soldiers wouldn’t be able to see us unless they managed to cast some light this way or were watching with goggles of their own, but we needed to be quiet all the same and I continually told Niall to shh as he broke into song, started whistling or cracking jokes. Thankfully, he listened and he soon had his decoy set up and ready to blow. He tugged his mask up, lighting a cigarette as he smiled at his work.

I took out my phone, finding a reply from Kyan and my heart swelled.

Koala:

On our way, baby. See you soon for a *squid emoji* reunion.

P.S. we might be running late

Tigress:

Looking forward to it.

We’re on the north side of camp ready and waiting *octopus emoji*

I sniggered and looked to Niall as he dragged on his cigarette, seeming lost to some daydream as sadness crossed his eyes. For a moment I found myself captured by that look on his face, like I was getting a glimpse beneath the mask he wore to the man who had lost his wife in such a horrifying way all those years ago. It sent a chill down my spine as I imagined living with grief like that and I was struck with the urge to hug him, but I held off on account of him being a beast of a man and a psychopath.

“They’re coming,” I said and he nodded, his face immediately lighting up again.

“Alright, I got a quick favour to ask though,” he said, holding out his hand. “This is the address to my house. If I die, can you make sure the girl in my basement is let out. You can leave the guy there to rot if you like, but the girl…” He pressed the folded piece of paper into my palm. “Don’t let that one die.”

My lips opened and closed at his words, shock racing through me. “Is it that girl from Royaume D’élite?” I blurted. I’d thought of her a bunch of times since Niall had bought her and had often wondered what had become of her. Ending up as someone else’s prisoner didn’t seem like a much improved fate, but surely Niall wasn’t harming her, was he?

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “What’s it to you?”

“People don’t deserve to be kept in cages, Niall,” I growled, wondering if I’d gotten the guy all wrong. Sure, he was as nutty as a pistachio and was clearly used to killing people, but…

I didn’t really know where I was going with that argument. It didn’t seem like it was gonna redeem Niall O’Brien.

“It’s a nicer cage,” he said with a shrug like that made it okay. “Besides, she owes me. Can’t let her go without that debt being cleared now, can I?”

He sounded so damn