Ripper (Hunter #1)(108)

I thought about it. There was really only one thing I wanted. “Bottle of tequila?”

Donovan rolled his eyes. “No. I won’t send you in drunk.”

“Then you’re worthless to me, Your Highness.” I sat back and closed my eyes. “I’m gonna take a nap. Wake me when it’s time for my execution.”

Donovan cursed again and I heard the door opened. “Fix her, Marcus. Zack, I need you with me.”

The bed dipped again as Marcus sat back down. “Kelsey? Kelsey, is there anything I can do to talk you out of this?”

I didn’t bother to open my eyes. “Nope.”

I was ready for it to be over with. There wasn’t much to look forward to anyway. I wouldn’t see Gray again. Nathan and Liv had sold me out. The way I saw it, it didn’t matter what Castle did to me. If Castle killed me, then I didn’t have to rot in a cell so it might be a win for my side either way.

“I’m going to speak with the wolves. Perhaps I can talk some sense into McKenzie. I will return. Please reconsider.”

The door hissed open and all was blissfully silent once more. I shifted and let my head find the pillow. Sleep seemed like a really nice thing to do, but it wouldn’t come. I lay there thinking of Gray. I’d been so happy with him. He’d made me feel like I had something to offer a man besides a quickie. Nothing ever felt so right as lying in his arms. It was really hard to believe that it was a lie.

I went over every moment of our time together in my head as time passed. I remembered every touch, every glance, every time I made him crazy. Even though he’d lied to me, I wondered where he was. Was he as lost as I was? He wouldn’t be waiting for me in the parking garage this time, or at least I hoped not. I wasn’t going to come out of this place, it seemed.

I was going to die here. Would anyone tell him? Would he mourn for me?

The door hissed open and I sighed because I didn’t want to listen to Marcus beg me again. I tried to pretend to sleep.

“Lady,” a voice several octaves higher than Marcus’s said.

I opened my eyes and Lee Quinn stood there holding a key card and a bottle. Despite the seriousness of my situation, I had to smile. “You’re a good little thief, aren’t you?”

He grinned. One of his teeth was missing. He was going to be a looker when he grew up. Now he was one sweet-looking boy. “That’s what my granddad says.”

I sat up and studied the kid. I should call his dads. Neither one of them would want their baby boy in here with me, but I found myself curious. No grand desire to pummel the child rushed through my veins, so I thought we were safe. “Who’d you steal the card from?”

He plopped down on the chair his dad had previously occupied. He was surprisingly self-possessed for a kid his age. “I swiped it off Trent. He can be easily distracted. I stole this from the bar down in Ether. I just grabbed it, though, so it’s not tequila. Is rum okay?”

I laughed, the first amusement I’d found in anything all day. “What do you do? Eavesdrop?”

He passed me the rum, which would work nicely. I held it in my lap as he replied. “I snuck into the security room. Almost every room in the building has cameras in it. Lots of people say Papa is paranoid, but I don’t know what that means.”

“It means he’s careful. It has to be getting late. Shouldn’t you be in bed? Tomorrow is a school day.”

Lee set his feet up on the coffee table and stretched his arms out behind his head. “Don’t have to go. Got suspended.”

He said it with no small amount of pride. His parents were going to have so much trouble with him.

“What on earth did an eight-year-old do to get suspended?”

“Punched a guy in the face,” Lee admitted. “He called Mia fat and made her cry. Mia’s my friend. I had to stand on a chair though. He was a lot taller than me. I’m in third grade. He’s in fifth.”

Oh, I liked Lee. “Sounds like you had good cause. Did he punch you back?”

“No, I was faster than him, but not faster than Mrs. Nichols,” he allowed. “Actually, I am faster than Mrs. Nichols. She snuck up on me. Are you going to drink that? Papa always drinks when he gets really upset. He calls it Papa juice, but Mama drinks it, too. I think it’s one of those things adults say when they don’t want you to do something because you’re a kid.”

I nodded. “I think you’re right.”

He got very serious. “I’m named after your dad. He died saving my mom and my papa.”

No wonder he was practically a saint to these people. “Lee is a nice name,” I said because I didn’t know what else to say.

“Are you gonna fight the alpha?”

“Yes. He did something really bad and I know about it. I could lie and then I wouldn’t have to fight, but he would get away with hurting some girls.”

Lee’s little jaw firmed. “He killed them. He should pay for that. My dad thinks you shouldn’t fight him though. Mama is mad.”

“Sorry.” I didn’t much care about Quinn and Donovan, but I liked the kid. I didn’t like causing him trouble. It was hard enough being eight. “I think she’ll probably get over it.”

“I don’t know about that,” a voice said from the doorway. I looked up and the queen stood there. A harried looking Trent started toward Lee, but the queen put a hand out. “Stop that. She’s not going to hurt Lee.” She gave me a wry smile. “Are you?”