"Sev," someone says.
"Sev, stop it!"
Atty goes for my gun, and for a second, I don't see him. I can only see the different patterns of blood all over these tiles and wonder which ones came frommywoman.
My woman who I wasn't here to save.
I slip out of Atty's grip, but only for a second before he muscles the weapon from my hands, thrusting it at Eli to grip me by the arms.
"Enough," he snaps, his face a dark cloud of rage and regret. "You don't get to fall apart. No one gets to fall apart until we get her back. Hear me?"
When I see Eli unclasping the necklace from around Diana De La Rosa's neck with trembling fingers, I know he's right, but it doesn't put a stop to the chaotic thoughts swirling in my head, begging me to hurt and maim and kill.
"Yes," I say, jerking against his hold.
He doesn't let up, shaking me until I meet his eyes.
"Ambrose knew we'd come," he says. "That means it isn't safe here."
"We can't leave." Eli's voice is tense, watery, and I can't stand to hear the pain in it. "What if there's something here that can lead us?—"
"You're not listening," Atticus snaps. "We need to leaveright now. We can't fucking find her if we're dead."
Finally, he lets me go, and I rush toward the desk, ripping drawers from their sockets.
"I saidnow, Sev."
Eli takes my lead, tearing open cupboards and filing cabinet drawers, but everything is fucking empty.
It's all cleared out.
He knew this was coming.
The motherfucker played usagain, and we let him.
A broken shout scrapes from my throat as I throw the last drawer through the window and down into the sea.
"We have to go." Atticus's voice is lethally calm now.
"Go where?" I demand, gesturing with my gun. "We have no idea where he's taken her!"
I kick another drawer, and it sails into the wall.
Atticus works his jaw, and speaks through his teeth. "I know, Sev, but I'm going to find her."
"Like you found Eli?" I snap, even knowing it's not fair.
He steps up like he wants to hurt me for saying it, but he won't. "I am going to find her!"
Is he telling me?
Or himself?
"He's right, Sev," Eli says, his tone hollow. "She's going to need us. We need to get out of here."
"Julian," Atticus mutters, eyes tracking back and forth over the floor as he thinks. "Julian knows something, I'm sure of it."
Eli's brow furrows, shadowing his eyes.
