What if we were too late?
“It’s the only place in Hawksridge that has no cameras. All rooms, bathrooms, cellars—they’re all monitored. We couldn’t run the risk of Cut seeing them.”
I straightened. “What about the cameras last night?”
Her hands dived into her hair. Unpinning the clip, she let her sleek bob fall into place around her chin. “A few months ago, Kes taught me how to upload a virus that put the cameras into hibernation for a few hours. After a time, they reboot as if nothing happened. If anyone attempts to fix them while they’re down, the virus hijacks the hard drive and ruins two months’ worth of data.” She shrugged. “Either no one noticed and will think the lack of recording was a technical fault, or someone did and will put it down to a damaged hard drive.”
“Interesting.” Vaughn rubbed his face. “You’ll have to show me that handy trick.” His stomach growled again, even louder than before.
I couldn’t help Jethro or improve his prognosis, but I could help another man I loved. Turning back to the cupboard, I grabbed an armful of apples, biscuits, and another box of muesli bars. I shoved them at my brother. “Here. Have these.” Dashing to my wardrobe, I pulled free a few extra-large jumpers that I liked to wear off the shoulder with a belt and gave those to him, too. “And these. To keep you warm.”
Jaz wheeled forward. “That’s a good idea. That room is freezing.” Her shoulders rolled. “V, it hasn’t exactly been easy dealing with you tonight, but you’ve been amazing. Helping move Jet and Kes, driving the van, filling out the paperwork at the hospital. Don’t think I’m not grateful because I am. But…”
Vaughn had his mouth full with a crisp green apple. “But you have to take me back.”
Jaz nodded.
“No, surely you can just let him go—” I moved between them.
Vaughn swallowed his breakfast. “No chance of a warmer room? Something without a broken window?”
She smiled sadly. “Sorry. We have to make it seem like nothing happened. Cut can’t know Jet and Kes are alive. Any escapes or room changes will make him suspicious. However, I’ll do what I can and move you in a few days.”
I stood in front of V, cutting Jaz off. “I won’t let them keep him in that place.” Putting my hands on my hips, I glared. “Why can’t you just let him go? You were off the estate tonight. Just take him back to London and let him hide until this is all over. Cut can just blame me if he gets suspicious.”
Vaughn grabbed my shoulders. “You think I’d do that? Run away and leave you here?”
I shrugged him off. “If you’re not here, they have nothing to control me with. I’ll be free to do what needs to be done.”
Vaughn’s eyes flashed. “Don’t be so stupid, Threads. I’m not going anywhere without you. End of fucking story.”
Jaz stiffened. “You do realise saying ‘when this is all over’ is accepting your death, right?”
I groaned. Great. Perfect thing to say in front of an overprotective twin.
“What?” Vaughn demanded. “What the fuck does that mean?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not accepting death. I have my own plan to end this. Either way, I need you gone, V. I can’t have people I love here.”
Jaz suddenly shot forward and grabbed my hand. “Don’t do anything reckless, Nila. I made an oath to Jethro to look after you. I can’t break that promise.”
My eyes widened. “When did you make that?”
Her face softened. “There are a lot of conversations and stolen moments in this house that you don’t see or hear. The day the police came for you after the Second Debt, I knew you’d changed him. He refused to speak to me. He pushed me out of his life completely, but he didn’t need to tell me for me to understand.”
“There is so much shit I don’t know about,” Vaughn grumbled. “I need some education. Someone needs to fill me in on what I missed. Second Debt?”