Page 78 of The Ashes of Summer

Carter watches my face and says nothing. He already understands. That's why he's Carter.

"We get to Summer before he knows we're on the property," I say. "That's the plan."

Constance's face twists. "Then why the fuck are we still standing here?"

"Because running in without a plan gets her taken again," I snap.

She flinches. She doesn't back down. Not Constance.

"She's my best friend." Her voice breaks on it.

"She's my fucking life." My hand comes down on the table hard enough to send blood flecking off my knuckles onto Kurt's map.

Silence drops. Adelaide's eyes fill instantly. Constance's mouth opens and nothing comes out.

I drag a breath through my nose and force the rage back into the shape of something useful.

"And because she's my life, I'm not charging in there like an idiot and handing him the time to put her in another helicopter."

Constance swallows. The fight doesn't leave her face, but understanding starts to break through it.

"I'm coming," she says.

"No."

"Jacob—"

"No."

Adelaide steps forward. "We can wait in the truck. We can⁠—"

"No." It cuts harder than I want, and I hate the way her face folds around it, but I don't soften. I can't. "I already lost Calder. Reyes is still in a bed down the hall. I'm not adding either of you to that list."

Constance's eyes shine with fury and fear together. "You don't get to treat us like we're fragile."

"I'm not." I look between them both. "I'm treating you like the women Summer loves."

That one lands. Adelaide looks away first, covering her mouth with trembling fingers.

I keep going, because they need to hear all of it. "If anything happens to you because of me, she'll never forgive herself. And she'll never forgive me."

Constance blinks hard, her jaw working like she wants to fight and knows she's already lost.

"Bring her back," she says finally. Low. Broken.

I nod once. Because if I open my mouth, I don't trust what comes out of it.

Carter turns to the bed. "And this son of a bitch is coming?"

Kurt huffs a rough, humorless laugh. "Apparently."

Tamara moves instantly. "Absolutely not. He cannot leave this hospital."

Kurt turns his ruined face toward her. "I'm self-discharging."

"You can hardly breathe!"

"And she's at Rivers Ridge."