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I didn’t have to look back to know that the flames were streaking toward us. That was the trap. Emmanuelle must’ve rigged the explosion to go off at a certain time, near flammable material. She would’ve left before it blew, and she would’ve made me die after living through my worst fear.

Fire.Smoke and death and heat. The sizzle of it against my skin. The scent of my own flesh melting off. The sight of my brother’s body charred beyond recognition.

I stumbled. My knees hit the ground; the walls closed in. Somewhere high above me, or far from me—I wasn’t sure—I heard Roman shout. Ayana shouted back. Then the noises dulled to a low, steady roar so the only sound that broke through was the franticthump thump thumpof my heart.

The heat was intensifying. It didn’t have to touch us—we were so flammable it only needed to come near us to guarantee instant death.

That was why I should run. Leave. Escape.I should I should I shouldbut I couldn’t move and the memories and the smell and?—

Strong hands grabbed me. Roman.

The world was a blur as he half-dragged, half-carried me toward the exit.

Roman.

This was all his fucking fault. This washisplan.

He’d told me Emmanuelle was the other faction leader and that she was working with Wentworth. He said the photographer and another Brother were the ones who’d grabbed Ayana off the street. After months of lies about him not having insights into the other faction, he’d finally told me the truth.

Emmanuelle had thought he was loyal to her, and he’d convinced her it was her idea to send him to me as a double agent. She had no idea we were really conspiring against her and not the other way around.

In order to guarantee I got to Ayana safely, Roman had pretended to betray me. We had to make it convincing, hence the bound hands. While my men engaged the rest of the Brothers, we would bide our time until the right moment. Once Emmanuelle and Wentworth were sufficiently distracted, Roman would free me with a quick slice of the ropes and give me back my weapon (which he’d tucked into his waistband) so we could take on the pair and rescue Ayana together.

He couldn’t shoot either one of them before freeing me first. The risk of the other attacking him while he was busy with the first was too great. He needed my cover.

It was a shitty plan, which made sense because it ended up going to shit. We hadn’t foreseen Emmanuelle shooting my leg first, though I suppose that was my fault for spitting in her face after she baited me.

I should’ve kept my calm. I should’ve—I should’ve?—

Fresh air slammed into me. The scent of roasting flesh faded as I gasped in a breath, and the world returned in splotches of color and movement.

Roman had somehow managed to carry us to safety.

Us.Ayana.

I searched for her in the dark. Roman was doubled over next to me, his chest heaving. Shadow sat at my feet, his small face worried while Sean and Bruce rushed toward me from the car. I didn’t see Mav; I also didn’t see Ayana.

“Where is she?” I demanded. I grabbed Roman’s shoulders and shook him. “Where is she?”

“I don’t know,” he gasped. “She said I should take you and go ahead since you were injured. I thought she was right behind us.” He lifted his head and looked around. “Fuck. I—where are you going?”

I was already halfway back across the lot.

I didn’t know where I found the strength. A second ago, I would’ve sworn I didn’t have any left. But if Ayana wasn’t out here, then she was in there, and I hadn’t come all this way to let her die. Irefusedto let her die.

“Sir! Vuk!” Sean’s panicked voice grew closer. He grabbed me. I shook him off. “You can’t go in there! The fire is already…” He kept talking, but his protests blended into one long, continued whine of noise.

My ears buzzed; my heart pounded so hard, I might throw up. My wound was bleeding out, but I barely felt the sticky warmth dripping down my leg. My pain was nothing compared to the sheer, blinding terror of what I might find inside.

Ayana trapped. Injured. Dead.

Roman said she was right behind us. The only reason she wouldn’t have followed us out was?—

No. She was alive. She had to be.

If she was gone from this earth, I would feel it. I wouldknowbecause I would be dead too.

Somehow, I made it back to the warehouse. Sean gave up trying to convince me and followed me inside.