Wicked Ties (The Tether Trilogy Book 2)

“We can’t go to The Trench. It’s too dangerous.”

I whip my head up, looking at him. “Caz, we have to go.”

He stops pacing, looking me in the eye. “Willow, that place is horrid.”

“You promised we’d go after him. This woman just told us where he is! We have to save him from that place!”

“This could all be a trap,” he counters. “We don’t even know how this woman infiltrated us! And I just saw her vanish right before my very eyes when we chased her. She’s a vanisher, and I’ve never trusted them.”

Rowan and Killian nod in agreement, arms folded.

“What if this woman is holding him hostage?” I ask.

Caz frowns, holding my gaze for several beats before allowing a sigh to escape him. “Everyone out, please. I need to talk to Willow.”

The clan file out of the office one by one. When they’re gone and we can no longer hear their footsteps, Caz walks around the desk to stand closer to me.

“Willow, I want to be completely honest with you. The Trench was not designed for survival. It’s a toxic place, and I don’t want you there. I know you want to save Warren but it’s not worth putting your life at stake. We can find an alternative. Seek Danica out again or—”

“Caz, my brother is out there waiting for me to come to him. This woman knows we’re related, and you said it yourself, you don’t think she’s a threat. If I have to go by myself, I will. I’m not kidding.”

He holds my eyes, frustration washing over him as he stands tall again. He makes his way toward one of the windows, peering out while shaking his head. “I can send men there in place of us—”

“No. If you do that, there’s a chance Danica will change her mind, and I might never see him.”

“Willow, you have to work with me here,” he snaps, turning toward me again. He moves across the room, his boots thumping on the hardwood. When he stops in front of me, he clasps my face in his hands. “It’s not safe, and I swear if something happens to you, I’ll burn that Trench to a crisp.”

“So do it,” I counter, and his eyes stretch, surprised. “If it’s a trap, or they lie to us, or we see them hurt my brother, burn it down.”

His eyes flicker with something hard to describe. It’s not apprehension or worry. It’s a cross between pride and astonishment.

“Right. I promised we’d find your brother. Let’s go find him.”