Regan answered on the second ring.
“Destiny?”
The sound of her voice broke me.
Not loudly.
Not all at once.
Just one clean fracture straight down the middle.
“Hey,” I said, and it came out wrong.
The line went silent.
Then Regan’s voice changed.
“What happened?”
I covered my face with one hand.
“Dylan was shot.”
She inhaled sharply.
“Nate too. Border run, I think. They brought them here. Albuquerque General.”
“Are they alive?”
“Yes.” I forced the word out. “Nate’s going to make it. Dylan…” My throat closed. “Dylan is critical. Surgery was bad. He flatlined once. They got him back. Next twenty-four to forty-eight hours are fifty-fifty.”
“Where are you?”
“Fire escape.”
“Are you alone?”
“Lily’s here.”
“Good.”
I could hear movement on her end. A door. Voices. Regan covering the phone and saying something muffled to someone else. Probably Edge. Maybe Tarak. Maybe both. The machine would start moving now. Calls. Flights. Men waking from sleep with weapons and fear.
“Tell me what you need,” Regan said.
That was Regan.
Not, Are you okay?
Not, Calm down.
Tell me what you need.
“I don’t know.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
I laughed once, broken and wet. “I still love him.”
