His face is lit by the flames behind us, his expression carved into something monstrous.
And the fucker is smiling.
Not shocked.
Not horrified.
Fucking smiling.
My stomach plummets. My skin goes cold. My pulse spikes so violently it hurts.
“Son of a bitch,” Sin mutters under his breath.
Derek’s gaze locks with mine. His smile widens, slow and satisfied. That dickhead is proud of what he’s done.
Proud of the destruction.
Proud that he almost killed Queenie.
Something snaps inside me, sharp and white-hot. I jump to my feet before the medic can blink, ripping the oxygen mask off, rage tunneling my vision until it’s just me and that smug fucking grin across the lot.
“Nitro!” Sin barks, grabbing my arm, but it’s as if his voice is underwater.
Because Derek just tipped two fingers to his brow in a mock salute, then turns and walks away into the smoke.
And I swear on everything in me, he won’t walk away next time.
“He killed them.” My voice breaks. “He killed them, and he’s walking away.”
“Not for long.” Sin’s grip tightens. “Wewillget him. Wewillmake him pay. But right now, right here, we take care of Queenie. That’s what matters. Taking care of her and you.”
The fight drains out of me all at once.
He’s right.
As much as I want to hunt Derek down and tear him apart with my bare hands, I know that Queenie needs me.
The paramedics are loading her into an ambulance. Her face is still too pale, her breathing still too shallow behind the oxygen mask. I watch them secure the stretcher, watch the doors start to close, and something inside me fractures.
“I’m going with her.” My voice is hoarse, barely recognizable as my own.
“Sir, we need to check you out.”
“I’m. Going. With. Her.” I meet the paramedic’s eyes, and whatever he sees there makes him nod.
“Okay. Get in.”
Sin helps me to my feet. My legs barely hold me, but I make it to the ambulance. Before I climb in, I turn back to look at my president.
My brother.
“Find him,” I demand. “Find everything. I want to knoweverymove he’s made, every breath he’s taken. When Queenie is stable, when I know she’s going to live… I’m coming for him. Withevery-fucking-thingI have.”
Sin nods slowly.
His mismatched eyes are set hard as stone.
“We’re already on it. Ghost will pull everything… security footage, phone records, financial transactions. We’ll know where he is and what he’s done by tomorrow.”
