when a loud noise erupts in the distance.
George freezes. He drops Henry and yanks his phone from his pocket.
“Fuck!How did they find you so fast?” He whirls around to face me, eyes wide, voice rising in panic. “Do you have your phone on you?”
“What? No! I’m not carrying anything.”
“Wait…they found me?” Elijah is coming for me.
George’s face twists with rage. “Don’t get so excited,” he snarls. “Because I’ll kill you before I let that man take you.”
There’s something spiteful in his voice—pure hatred for Elijah, but I don’t understand why.
Before I can say a word, George lunges forward and grabs my arm, yanking me off the bed with such force I’m amazed my shoulder doesn’t snap.
“If I die, I’m taking you with me,” he growls. “So if your little friends come in here shooting,you’ll be the first one they hit.”
Chapter forty
Elijah
“DoesAvaknowshehas a tracking device on her?” Sebastian’s voice cuts through the room, stopping me in my tracks. I’ve been pacing the length of the tactical space since I arrived, trying to outrun the anxiety crawling up my spine. I look up and meet his eyes—my best friend, my brother—and shake my head.
“We need to be ready to move the moment we get a location,” Kai says, all security director, focus and authority.
“We’ll need weapons and gear to breach wherever they’re holding her,” I add, scanning the faces in the room.
“I appreciate everything you’re doing for me,” I continue, my voice firm, “but I can’t ask you to come with me. This is too dangerous. We don’t know how many men we’re dealing with or how well-armed they are. You all have families, responsibilities. I won’t risk your lives for something that’s mine to fix. Ava ismyresponsibility.”
The room falls silent. Eyes lock on me—some wide, some unreadable. Kade gives me a look I’m not sure I want to interpret. Kaleb, beside him, stares at the floor, shaking his head with a small, knowing smile.
But it’s Gabriel who steps forward, planting himself in front of me, eyes steady.
“If you seriously think I’m going to stand back while you go rescuemylittle sister—because Avaismy sister—then you’ve clearly lost your goddamn mind,” he says, his voice low but unwavering. “And like you just reminded us all, we’re family here.Allof us. So let me make this crystal clear: we are not letting you go in alone. Not now. Not ever.”
I glance toward Sebastian, managing the faintest trace of a smile.
“You’re really going to let him talk to me like that?”
Sebastian shrugs. “When he’s right, he’s right. And this time? He’s dead on. So stop with the noble sacrifice crap and let’s gear up.”
He turns to Kai and Keller. “Can you show us where we can find more weapons?”
“Absolutely,” Kai grins. “Time to hit the toy store, boys.”
“I’ll stay back, be your eyes and ears,” Kade says, standing and pulling me into a firm hug. “Ethan’s already working on pulling the building’s blueprints once we lock down the location.”
He turns to Sebastian. “Did you bring my girl?”
“Yeah. She’s in your office, waiting. She’s worried,” Sebastian replies gently.
“I’m going to say goodbye to my princess,” Kaleb says, and with a glance at Keller and Kai, the three head out.
“Wait near the elevator at the end of the hall on the right,” Keller calls over his shoulder.
“What’s that about?” I ask Sebastian.
He just shakes his head and keeps walking.
