Ready Or Not (The Hunter’s Club #2)

Chapter 57

57

Alkaline - Sleep Token

“You think I care? Give them my fucking number.” I hang up the phone. I’ve been trying to track down Rachel’s friend Cali, and I’ve finally got her pinned down. Only Wyatt is being a royal pain in the dick about it.

It’s been a week since Riley’s angry murder spree, and we brought Rachel back. I had to burn the truck Riley stole. She threw a fit about it, so I had to promise to buy her the same make and model.

It’s been a disaster trying to keep the cops off Riley’s ass. An expensive disaster. Thankfully, the only murder with any evidence was the first one. And DNA records can be “misplaced” when you have enough money and the right connections. Her image is still all over social media, but with her mask, a lack of DNA evidence, and our lawyer’s heavy involvement, there isn’t much to go on besides speculation. And if you’re rich enough, speculation never lands you in jail.

My phone buzzes in my hand. It’s an unknown number.

Well, that was fast.

I find Rachel in the barn with Riley. They’ve been spending a lot of time together out here. It’s mostly silent, each of them working on their respective projects. Rachel hasn’t gone back to her house except to bring all her skulls to Riley’s garage. I offered to get them, but she told me she’d ‘cut my balls off’ if I messed with her system. So Riley and I just went with her and watched as she carefully packed them up to bring back. It took hours. Rachel insisted she could do it herself, but we aren’t letting her out of our sight. Not until we’re good and sure she won’t spook.

“Rachel. Phone.” I hand it to her.

Surprised, she looks up from her buckets of chemicals with some bones inside. “Who is it?”

I shrug.

She looks like she doesn’t want to take it, but she does. “Hello?”

There’s a beat of silence, and then Rachel jumps upright. “Oh my god. Cali?” There’s another beat of silence, and then she lets out a squeal and moves to the other side of the barn.

Riley throws me a look. “Cali?” Riley has short silver hair now, and I think it suits her. It’s hot, and it just makes me want to fuck her now more than ever.

I reach out to wrap my arm around Riley’s shoulder, but she ducks away from me, brandishing the knife she was using to skin a deer. “You found Cali?”

I hold up my hands. “Yes. And?”

Riley’s face draws more into a scowl. “You mean, the Cali with whom she was in love with? That Cali? The one who is actually still living?”

I cock my head. “She was in love with her?”

Riley throws up her hands. “For the love of god. Where is she so I can kill her?”

I grin, darting in to snatch the knife away from Riley. “No sharp objects while we fight. I want to stay alive.” I toss it onto her workbench and wrap my arms around her.

“Let me go!” Riley struggles, but I just hold her tighter. “You mean the Cali who’s on lockdown so much that I now owe Wyatt a huge favor for a simple phone call?”

“Oh?” Riley perks up. She loves any time I talk about The Hunter’s Club, which still pisses me off. I don’t want her to have anything to do with them. It’s not safe.

“I don’t think you have anything to worry about. I’ve seen the way Rachel looks at you.” I rest my chin on her head. Riley is stiff for a second, then slowly relaxes. She’s been lighter since everything happened. Less angry. And it feels like the band that was perpetually around my chest has loosened.

Of course, I told her what I was doing with Noel. I expected her to fight me on it, but she just requested to talk to my jail contact to put in a few requests of her own. He will live a very long and very excruciating time in prison. I’ve seen to that.

Rachel returns after a few minutes, face bright.

Riley has been trying to play it cool, but she can’t stop fidgeting. So I’ve kept her in my arms.

“How is she? Still breathing?”

“Yeah, she’s great.” Rachel hands me the phone, then glances at the ground, her voice soft. “Thank you for that.”

Riley growls, “Good. More fun for me then.”

“Riley,” I shake my head. “No more killing.”

She gives me the most annoyed look, and I shrug. “Not this one. Wyatt would actually kill both of us, and that sounds like way too much work.” I don’t mention that she made it into The Hunter’s Club. I figure she’ll find out sooner or later. I’d rather it be later. My gut is already twisting at the thought of protecting her during a brutal group hunt where the hunters are in just as much danger as the hunted.

Riley rolls her eyes. “I’m better than him.”

Rachel snorts.

Riley turns her gaze on Rachel. “Want to repeat that, bambi?”

Rachel continues with her bucket and bones. “That’s naive.”

My eyebrows shoot up, and I let out a loud laugh.

Rachel glances between both of us, confused. “What’s so funny? She’s saying she’s better than the head of an organized crime club, but she only has four bodies under her belt? And one of them was on camera?”

Oh, bless her factual little heart; she’s only digging her hole deeper. My grin just widens.

Riley tries to get out of my arms. “Again, little doe?”

Rachel realizes her mistake and pales. “Uh…I mean…”

“Here’s how this is gonna go.” Riley’s voice lowers. “You’re gonna run. I’m gonna catch you. Then I’m gonna teach that pretty little mouth a lesson, yeah?”

Rachel squeaks and looks at me. As if I’m going to protect her. I laugh again. “Better get going, or she’ll catch you pretty quick.” I know Riley won’t actually hurt her. I see the lack of any real anger in her. It’s just their fun game.

I let go of Riley, and she growls, “Ready or not, here I come.”