“We’re not talking about my memories right now!We’re talking about your obsession withScarlett—”
“There’s only one girl I’ve been obsessed with,ever. And she’s standing right in front of me.”
“Bullshit.”
“It’s not bullshit, Ember. It’s the fucking truth, whether or not you want to acknowledge it. Now, tell me what’s the deal between you and Dagon so I canfix it, and we can move on.”
“Move on?” I repeat with a bitter laugh. “Move on fromwhat?Towhat? What are you hoping to achieve here, Max? Do you think we’ll have some sort of sick happily ever after like Scarlett and Greyson?Not going to happen. A happily ever after isn’t in the cards for me—only indentured servitude leading to my early death is. I’ve made my peace with that. But your selfishness won’t even let me havethat.”
“I am selfish when it comes to you,” Max agrees with a nod. “But I’m not uncaring. Once again, Ember, tell me what he fucking has on you.”
“No.”
“Tell me!”
“No!”
“Tell me, or whatever bomb he’s holding is going to detonate. You’re not getting out of here on your own, and I’m certainly not going to hand you over to Dagon, so fucking tell me before he does whatever it is you’re desperate to keep him from doing. He told me you have four days to get back to him yesterday—that leaves three days for me to help you before everything goes to shit—”
“What?!” I screech. My eyes go wide as saucers, and I shove Max away with all my strength. He actually stumbles back a step, blinking. “You… youspoke to him and didn’t tell me?”
“Wait a second.” Max holds up a hand. “I was going to tell you—”
“No, you fucking weren’t! Otherwise,you already would have.Just like you weren’t going to tell me about Scarlett.” I could skin Max alive right now. “What did he say?” Other than putting a countdown onherlife.
“Nothing.”
“What did he fucking say?” I demand. “This is everything to me, Maximus. If you don’t tell me word for word right now, I will kill you the first chance I get. If you’re right, and I’m never getting out of here, then I’ll die happy knowing I killed you.”
He runs a hand through his hair, looking frazzled and irritated. “It wasn’t like that, Ember. Seriously.”
“Then explain to me what itwaslike,” I hiss.
“He called to demand I give you back to him. I said no. He told me I have seventy-two hours to release you, and you have four days to go back to him before he does whatever your indentured servitude keeps him from doing.”
I take a step back. My mind reels at a million miles per minute, and it feels like the whole world bears down on my shoulders, forcing them to sag.
I have no real escape plan—the compound isfartoo well armed and planned for me to get out of here withoutmonthsof planning. And, since Maximus is too fucking self-involved to let me go, that means she’s going to die.
She’ll be dead. And it’ll be my fault.
“Goddamnit, Ember,” he hisses, gripping my arms again. He gives me a vicious shake. “Tell me what he has on you!”
All the fury, helplessness, and anger coalesce within me, making the words tear up my throat and through my mouth. “My sister!”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Max
Her words ricochet through my thoughts like a bullet. Hersister.
Hersister?Ember doesn’thavea sister. Her dad was a functional drunk who preferred the gambling tables to the company of women, and her mom left when she was a baby.
“What?” I breathe.
“My sister,” she repeats harshly.
“Ember, baby, you don’t have a—”
