An explosion shakes the building and turns my stomach. It’simpossible to tell if it’s coming from the roof or the lower floors. Either way, the eighth level is too high up to survive a collapse. Crumbs of drywall fall like sand around us, urging me into action.
“Emery. I need you to get up, love.” I hate myself for pushing her when she’s in so much pain, I hate that it’s come to this.
She slowly moves and forces her arms beneath her. “It hurts,” she cries, tears trickling to the floor.
It guts me to hear her in misery like this. My lower jaw tightens and I can’t help but try to get to her, pulling against the chains even though I know it’s futile.
Emery stops and leans against my leg. The contact of her warm hand on my skin knots my throat.
“I know, baby, I’m so sorry. This is my fault.Please, don’t cry,” I murmur in an attempt to soothe her. “I want to hold you so badly. I’m sorry I can’t wrap you in my arms and keep you safe. But do you hear that? Fury is coming, they’re going to extract us. We just need to hold out a little bit longer.”
She lets out a small whimper as she climbs into my lap and rests her cheek against my chest. I let my head drop to hers and inhale her floral scent. I am only a wicked man filled with demons, but she makes me feel like the sea on a stormless night—calm and clear.
Her voice comes as a whisper. “Is what you said about the lieutenant true?”
My insides twist. I really didn’t want her to hear it from me. But it happened this way and there’s not much I can do about it now.
I nod. “Yes, he is your uncle.”
Emery takes it in as she slowly sits up in my lap and leans to the left to unlock the cuff around my wrist. I swallow the guilt that festers inside me with her silence.
“How long have you known?” Her voice breaks with hurt, breath warm against my ear.
God, I fucking hate myself for this.
“I’ve known since right before we were captured by your father.”
Emery slowly lifts her head and looks into my eyes. There’s a wealth of sorrow there, bleeding and melding with my own. “Why didn’t you tell me on the roof that night?”
I wince at her words. “I didn’t think it was my story to tell.”
It really wasn’t, but that doesn’t mean I’m less of an asshole for keeping it from her.
“How does Fury know where we are?” she asks warily.
My eyes lift to the door, willing my squad to burst in any second to stop this uncomfortable conversation. I don’t want her to hate me more than I’m already convinced she does. But the room goes quiet and her pleading eyes force me into words. “They removed our trackers, as I’m sure you already know.” I brush my lips over the back of her neck where a little red scar remains. Reed probably found it as soon as he put us under for surgery, likely the same with mine. “Mikah had me swallow one so they wouldn’t find it.”
“And you knew they were coming this entire time?” The weakness in her tone has grown cold and stiffer. The first shackle releases and my arm drops like a weight to my side. She moves to my next arm and sets to unlocking it.
“I didn’t find out until moments before they captured me.”
Her eyes narrow. “And you didn’t think I should’ve known too?”
The next cuffclicksand my arm falls to my lap. The muscles in my biceps are weary, but I manage to lift my hand to her cheek, wrapping my other arm around her lower back and pulling her close against my chest. “Part of me believed that you might tell your father. You were so angry with me… I didn’t know where your alliance was.”
She leans back and looks at me like I’ve just torn her heart from her chest.
“Let’s just get out of here. I don’t want to talk,” she whispers,sounding resigned. Her eyes are filled with hurt. I feel like such a piece of shit. Emery staggers to her feet.
I force myself to stand and struggle to stay up, but I manage to get to the doorway and brace an arm on the wall. I try the handle. Locked.Fuck, of course it is.Neither of us have the strength to kick it down.
Emery coughs and covers her mouth as blood trickles from her lips.
My eyes widen and I grab her firmly by the shoulders.She’s already at this stage?The pounding of my heart roars through my ears.
“When did you start coughing up blood, Em?” She keeps her eyes down and refuses to answer me. “We need to get you to Reed. I told him this stage might come up, he had a stabilizing shot made for you in case this happened.”
Emery glares at me, but realization dawns on her the moment it does on me.
