They’d been upstairs. If there was an actual device, if it went off before they evacuated?—
I cut off that line of thinking because it led nowhere productive. "Status?"
"Unknown. The building is nearly fully evacuated now. Emergency services are en route."
I was already moving, grabbing my jacket and keys. "I'm going there."
"Call him first. Don’t just rush in there, Henri. I only picked up the intel from the security team. I haven’t spoken to him myself.”
Fuck that. Fuck all of that. Pip was in a building with a potential bomb and Pierre expected me to sit here and do what? Finish paperwork? Make plans to get dinner later?
But even as the thought formed, I knew he was right. The casino would need managing. Someone had to maintain operations, handle the response teams, and keep things from falling apart.
Someone who wasn't me because every instinct I had screamed to get to that casino.
"Put me through to Pharrell," I demanded.
Before he could, my cell phone rang. “Hold on, Pierre.”
I put him on speakerphone as I answered the incoming call. “You have them?”
“They’re secure. Well, I have eyes on both.”
“What do you mean? What’s wrong? Tell me!”
Panic tore through me at the thought of any of the men being hurt. I couldn’t keep my calm demeanor in place with my mind working overtime to put the pieces together.
“Paramedics should be here soon.”
Here? Here as in the casino?
“And what about the bomb?! They need to get out.”
My psychotic boyfriend chose that moment to give a hearty laugh. If he were here, I’d bend him over my knee for such a response.Hmm. Might need to bring up spanking for our dynamic.
“The bomb has been handled. I took care of it first. If I hadn’t, then maybe he wouldn’t have been stabbed. But then again, it would be blowing up soon, so there’s that.”
Everything around me froze. I felt as if I were in some sort of warped reality.
Had I just heard him right? Surely not.
My brain finally processed what he said, which made me respond in the only way I could. “He deactivated a fucking bomb. Jesus Christ!”
Pharrell called for Pip’s attention about something. I took the moment to calm my racing heart. It was also a chance to mute the call to see how Pierre was doing. My hands were shaking. I looked down at them, at the visible tremor, and felt a distant sense of alarm. I didn't shake. I didn't lose control. That wasn't who I was.
I needed to focus on the task ahead, starting now.
“Pierre?” I asked.
“Yeah, I heard all that. This is a big fucking deal, isn’t it? Could it be his worlds bleeding together?”
That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? Because I had no clue where to begin figuring out who was behind this. I had no doubt Pip would though. Especially after disarming the bomb.
Fuck.
My boy shouldn’t have put himself so close to danger. The idea of losing him… No! I wouldn’t let those thoughts take hold.
I unmuted myself right as Pip made some comment about going hunting. His mind would already be deep into the bloody violence he was preparing to unleash. I wouldn’t be getting any more answers.
