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Rissa squeezes my hand as we walk toward the approaching officers, their red and blue lights painting the world in shifting shadows. I squeeze back, grateful for her steady presence.

“Hell of a night,” she murmurs.

I watch another piece of the warehouse collapse in on itself, sending sparks spiraling toward the stars. “Hell of a night,” I agree.

And somewhere in the darkness, my family is heading home without me.

Chapter 26

After the Storm

Ezekiel

My feet hit the ground running as I sprint across the warehouse lot with Leo clinging to my chest, my heart thundering against his small frame. Smoke burns my lungs, but I push through it, dodging debris and focusing on getting him to safety. The night air is thick with gunfire and shouts, but all I can hear is Leo’s terrified breathing against my neck.

“I’ve got you, buddy,” I say, one hand cradling his head as I duck behind a shipping container. “You’re safe now. I promise.”

Eli materializes beside us, gun drawn. “Clear path to the vehicles, boss. Micah’s got the perimeter locked down.”

I nod sharply, adjusting my grip on Leo. He’s trembling, fingers digging into my shoulders hard enough to bruise. The fear radiating off him tears at something deep in my chest. No child should ever feel this kind of terror.

“Uncle Zeke?” His voice is barely a whisper. “Where’s Aunt Evie?”

“She’s coming soon, buddy. Remember, she has to help catch the bad guys first.” The lie tastes bitter, but necessary. How do you explain to a seven-year-old that his aunt can’t leave with us because she’s a cop and I’m … whatever the hell I am?

Sirens wail in the distance, growing closer. We need to move. Now.

“Eli, take point. I want a clean exit.”

He nods and moves ahead while I follow, keeping Leo’s face pressed against my shoulder so he can’t see the carnage around us. The warehouse is fully engulfed now, flames reaching toward the star-studded sky like grasping fingers. The heat is intense even from this distance.

We make it to the SUV without incident. Micah’s already behind the wheel, engine running. I slide into the backseat with Leo still clutched to my chest, unwilling to let go even though we’re relatively safe now.

“Go,” I order as Eli jumps in the passenger seat. “Take the back routes. No tails. And tell the rest of our men to get out of there.”

Eli is shouting orders into his headset while the SUV peels out just as the first police cruisers screech into the lot behind us. Through the rear window, I catch a glimpse of Eve’s silhouette against the flames before we turn a corner, and she disappears from view. Something in my chest constricts.

Be safe.Please be safe.

Leo sniffles against my neck, drawing my attention back to more immediate concerns. His clothes reek of smoke and there’s a nasty bruise forming on his cheek that makes my blood boil. If Alessandro weren’t already dead.

“Hey, buddy,” I keep my voice gentle, running a hand through his hair. “You hurt anywhere? Did they hurt you?”

He shakes his head but doesn’t lift it from my shoulder. “Just scared,” he mumbles. “Want Aunt Evie.”

“I know. She’ll be home soon.” I press my lips to his temple, surprised by how natural the gesture feels. “But for now you’re stuck with me, okay? I promise I won’t let anything bad happen to you ever again.”

The drive home feels endless, even with Micah taking every shortcut he knows. Leo’s trembling gradually subsides but he maintains his death grip on my shirt. I keep up a steady stream of meaningless comfort, more for my own sake than his.

When we finally pull up to the mansion, I’m not surprised to see Seb waiting on the front steps.

“Thank fuck,” he says as we approach. Then, catching sight of Leo, he changes his tone. “I mean, thank goodness. You okay, little man?”

Leo peeks out from my shoulder just long enough to give a tiny nod before burrowing back against my neck.

“He needs a bath,” I say, heading for the front door. “And probably food. When’s the last time you ate, buddy?”

A small shrug is my only answer.