A sob grows on the other end of the receiver, and my chest burns. But I still have one more request.
"Take care of Eleven for us, Cee."
"Love you, Cee," Sev says in a lethal whisper, and I end the call.
It's out of our hands now. We have to trust Céline can get herself and Ellie to safety. We have to focus.
"What was that?" Eli spins, eyes tracking toward the bright windows. "Did you hear that?"
I press a finger to my lips and get low, signaling for the others to do the same, but Sev—stubborn fucking Sev—spins in a slow circle as he pulls the semiauto from his back. Eyes scanning the bay windows.
It's almost indecipherable above the sounds of the sea, but the vehicles that approach aren't rental cars. They're heavy. And if they're coming in close enough for us to hear them, then they intend to come in hot.
If I wasn't a hundred percent sure we'd been made five seconds ago, I am now.
Aurora.
Aurora.
I'll kill him. I'll rip him apart with my bare hands.
I'm coming, Trouble.
Daddicus is coming.
I whistle for Sev's attention, and he finally bends to a crouch. I jerk him closer by the barrel of his weapon. "Get that table down and get behind me," I order in a lethal whisper.
His brows draw down.
"No," Elijah hisses. "It's not your job to keep us safe."
"We're brothers," Sev growls.
"We look out foreach other," Eli snaps.
I fight the urge to shout and release a shuddering sigh instead. I want to argue that it is my job, but there's no time, so instead I say, "Leave me one alive."
Sev nods.
I pass Eli my shotgun, indicating he should switch me for his rifle. He doesn't need accuracy to blow buckshot into anyone who comes through that door.
He takes it wordlessly.
"No mercy," I whisper to him, making sure we're on the same page.
"No mercy," he agrees.
59
MY MOTHER’S DAUGHTER
AURORA
My face betrays nothing. Even as everything around me—within me—crumbles like brittle stone.
Did you really think I didn't know?
Maybe it's not what I think. Maybe the warning singing in my veins and churning in my stomach is mistaken.
