Forget about me

Chapter thirty-three

Shade

"You lost her? You fucking lost her?" Ryder screams in the man's face. Ten minutes ago, we got a call from the guys watching one of the roads out of kings cove saying a blonde on a motorcycle got through and shot at them.

"Sorry, boss." Vincent lowers his head, shoulders slumping forward.

"Sorry? You're fucking sorry? Oh, well then, that's alright." Sarcasm drips from Ry's words making the men flinch. "I don't want your fucking sorrys, I want her back here!"

"Ry," Jem says carefully knowing full well he's not in the man's good graces at the moment, "we know where she's headed. It's more than we had fifteen minutes ago."

Ryder turns his back on Jeremy freezing him out. It's not Jems fault she ran but he did let her out of his sights knowing she's a flight risk. So, Ryder's giving him the silent treatment which is far worse than being yelled at by him. After Ry yells and throws a punch or two, he forgives and moves on. When he doesn't... that anger festers and turns into something dark and ugly.

"Two of us should head to the old Ravens house and the other two follow Lexie." I speak up for the first time since we arrived. Once me and Hunt got the diary I've had my nose buried in it, skimming through the pages after any hint of where our girl may have gone and is heading now.

Follow the raven to the lake. There's only one place with a connection to a raven. I'd bet my right hand we'll find out where Lexie is heading at the Ravens manor.

Ryder runs a shaky hand through his hair. "You take him," he nods in Jems direction. "Me and Hunter will chase her down. Call us if you find anything." Hunt tosses me his keys while he follows Ryder to his sleek sports car. The tires screech against the pavement as they rush off, disappearing down the road.

"Come on, let's go." I clap Jem on the shoulder, giving him a light push toward Hunter's car. The vehicles deep purr rumbles beneath me as it glides up the hill. The manor rises in the distance.

"You think he'll forgive me?" Jem murmurs, fiddling with his fingers nervously.

"Yeah, of course he will." If we find her. I don't add. Jem's steel grey eyes lift to mine looking hopeful. "Once we find her everything will go back to normal. Or as normal as things are nowadays."

Jem's brows draw together. "You ever wish she didn't come back?" immediately, I shake my head no. "Hunt does and... I don't know. I don't wish she hadn't come back but I wish she'd never left. Everything's so fucked up now." He lowers his head making his dark hair fall over his eyes. "At first, I didn't recognise her at all, but lately, I've seen more and more glimpses of the Alex we knew and loved. Know and love." He corrects himself before I get the chance to. "But then she goes and does something like this. If she'd only asked I'd have taken her. We all would help her if she only let us in. Talked to us. Instead, she left again." He sighs and brushes a finger under his eye thinking I don't notice the shine to his eyes.

"I don't think she just up and left us. Not of her own volition. Something happened and I intend to find out." My knuckles turn white on the steering wheel as we come up to the guarded gate. "We won't let her slip through our fingers this time. We'll get her back and figure out what the hell happened all those years ago. I'm sick as shit of all these questions. It's about time we get some answers. All of us."

I roll down the window and state my name and business to the guard who calls up to the house. He exchanges a few words with whoever's on the other line before silently punching a button that makes the gate slide open. Saluting him, I slowly pull up to the front door, stepping out of the car as it opens. An older woman moves toward us slowly the click of her cane filling the silence. Her dark blue gaze is steady on me as she makes her way down the stairs. Mrs. Ravens was and still is a beautiful woman. Chin held high and white hair elegantly twisted back she takes her time perusing us.