Ravens parted, Alexander slumped down in the booth, his eyes squeezed shut and his sickly pallor back. “I’m fine,” he rasped. “It will pass—” He flung forward, hitching at the waist as he vomited again, so much more blood leaving him than before.
“He needs a hospital,” Mickey rushed.
“No,” Alexander growled.
“Brother, I swear to you, we will get Florence out, but youhaveto go to the hospital. Now,” Mickey continued. He snapped his fingers at Monty. “Call an ambulance, bella.”
Monty fumbled with her phone, tears streaming down her face.
“Halden is expecting me,” Alexander argued.
“One of us will go with her,” Matthias said. “We’re capable, despite your assumption that we’re not.”
Alexander shuddered, a wave of pain passing over him, shutting everyone up. “I have to do this for her,” he begged. It didn’t seem like he was begging us but more so himself. His voice broke around the words, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.
My eyes burned as I gently wiped it away with my thumb. “You have my word,” I whispered. “The only way this day ends is with Halden on fire and your sister safe.” My chin trembled. “Just promise me you’ll be alive to see her return.”
He nodded. “Remember Arden, Creed is a unit. So are the Ravens. Dispatch accordingly.” He coughed but shook his head, gripping the edge of the table. “Take a Raven, not a Creed, to the meeting. You should be fine with glasses and gloves, but the guys are too recognizable still.”
“I’ll go,” Mickey said, his expression still hurt but his tone soothing as he rubbed Alexander’s back. “I can handle it.”
“They’re expecting me, so I need to send word that mycousinis coming in my place.” Alexander looked up toward Monty. “Please.”
She was furious and bitter but she dipped her chin in agreement. “I’ll get Mickey in there.”
“Cousins now?” Mickey asked. He hesitated and moved away. “Guess I better change and come up with your Italian lineage.”
“I’ll help you,” Heath said and followed him back into the townhouse.
Monty rushed to the restaurant doors when the ambulance pulled up, and I held my breath as Alexander was gently placed on a stretcher. The minute he was, it was like the fight left him. He passed out, his lids fluttering shut as the paramedics escorted him to the hospital. I sniffed and wiped tears from my cheeks, turning to Creed. “Do you know your jobs?” My voice wobbled, my entire being shaking. That could’ve been it. Alexander might've been—
“You sure do know how to pick ‘em, Miss Creed,” Thorne said, forcing a small grin. “Would it kill you to choose a man—no offense, Rafe, seeing as this includes myself—without decades of trauma, a vendetta, or death wish?”
An exasperated laugh left me, and I clutched my stomach, shaking my head. “Not in this lifetime, it seems.”
“I think it makes a whole lot of sense actually,” Kane said. He walked to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, tugging me into his side. “Our flame attracting so many death moths. It’s kinda poetic of you.”
I bite my tongue against a sob. “That’s me. A magnet for death.”
Kane holds me tighter. “That’s not how I meant it, sweetheart.”
“Then what?” I whispered hoarsely.
Thorne draped his arm over his brother’s, trapping me between them. “It means we’re fucking grateful to you for letting us bask in your warmth. Most of us moths never get the chance.”
I looked to Rafe, finding him still standing away from us, and my heart broke.Alexander and I aren’t together in that way. I swear. I’m sorry.
But he closed the distance and stopped me, wrapping his hands around mine. Carefully, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss between my brows. Then he pulled back with a sad smile.You’ve nothing to apologize for. I’d say I’d kill him for the marriage, but it seems Mother Nature already got the message.
A laugh strangled me, Thorne and Kane chuckling too.That’s not funny, Rafe, I tried.
He shrugged a shoulder.It made you smile.
“Alright,” I said, drying my eyes and stepping out of our huddle to face the Ravens. I sniffed and straightened, rolling my shoulders back. None of them looked happy that I was leading, but too fucking bad.
I had a devil to burn, andno onewas going to take that from me.
?Arden?
