Proof of Life (The Potentate of Atlanta #4) - Hailey Edwards Page 0,47
you still at the Faraday?”
“About to walk out the door, why?”
“Head downstairs to see Abbott about your hands. All of your hands. All of you…and their hands? Whatever. You know what I mean.” I gestured Midas forward. “I should have made that a priority. My head wasn’t in the right place earlier. I’m sorry.”
“Fine,” she said gruffly. “Only if it’ll make you feel better.”
“It would.” A smile tugged at my mouth. “Much better.”
Grumbling under her breath, she ended the call to, I hope, seek medical treatment.
Abbott knew who and what she was, and he was the only person I trusted with her secrets and her care.
After putting up my phone, I checked with Midas. “Did you catch all that?”
“I did.” He cut his eyes toward me. “You’re a good alpha to your people.”
The praise caused heat to rise in my cheeks, and I ducked my head until they cooled.
Without a destination in mind, I fell into the old habits of walking my familiar patrol routes. I wish there had been a disturbance, a physical outlet for my helpless anger and anxiety, but the city remained quiet, as if she mourned with me. Which was ridiculous since she was still bonded to Linus.
And Linus wouldn’t regret never seeing Boaz again, would he?
Surprising no one, least of all myself, I circled back to the restaurant. I wasn’t sure how long I stood there before I noticed a peculiar gleam among the debris or when I decided to pursue it. Midas didn’t stop me when I picked my way through the wreckage to reach it, but he followed to keep me from stumbling or collapsing, one or the other.
Nestled in a pile of ash, a ring winked up at me. The thick gold band was familiar, as was the glass stone.
Once upon a time, I had begged Boaz to let me wear his class ring. Other girls had worn their boyfriends’ rings, and it made me jealous. I didn’t date much in high school. Most of my friends ended up having sex junior or senior year, which I also envied, but not enough to get naked with a guy I would have to see for the rest of school, who would ask questions about my scars.
Fear tasted metallic in the back of my throat when it hit me Midas would see them too.
Suddenly, his choice to see me as I truly was as opposed to the glamour I wore made me twitchy.
“Gold wouldn’t have survived this without warping or the glass cracking.”
Startled from my thoughts, I glanced over at Midas. “It’s pristine.”
Well, as pristine as any piece of jewelry that had survived daily wear since his teenage years could be.
“Do you want me to get it for you?”
The words hung in my throat, so I nodded, which came easier.
Midas crouched and raked his fingers through the crumbling flakes, collected the ring, then cleaned it on his shirt before handing it to me. “What does this mean?”
Along the inside of the band, Boaz’s stamped initials had faded with wear, but I could still read them.
“This means…” I slid the ring onto my finger, “…my brother is alive.”
That was the obvious conclusion.
What does this mean?
A direct link to my brother rather than my sister hinted that the coven knew my true identity.
What does this mean?
I didn’t have a frakking clue.
“Boaz’s ring was planted. They meant for you to find it.” He crouched again and ran his hand through the ash one last time. “The Remys and Bishop wouldn’t have missed it. It’s too big.”
“Who planted it?” I rubbed my thumb over the stone then slid the ring off my finger and put it in my pocket. “The bomber? Boaz? The coven?”
“Boaz would have called or made contact if he was able, so that leaves the coven or their agents.”
“Why haven’t they reached out? If they took hostages, why not name the terms for their release?”
“I don’t know.”
But we both had a good idea why they might have kept them, what they might have done to them.
If my brother or Addie, or their—our—parents, had miraculously survived, I would have no choice but to greet them with a finger stick and not a hug.
That really, really sucked. It made my head throb and my heart ache. But I had to be smart about this.
Until I reached for him, I hadn’t noticed Ambrose’s absence, which unsettled my stomach. Usually, I kept a closer eye on him. Now was not the time to relax my vigilance, no matter how