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“Not anymore.”

Strong arms carefully wrap around my body and lift me from the ground. The pain radiates through my chest, my back, my stomach, my head. Every muscle in my body feels like it’s been torn straight from the bone, and I can barely stop the cry from slipping from my lips.

“If you need to communicate with Ember, you will do it through Orion. And if I catch you anywhere near her from now on, I’ll fucking kill you myself.”

And with that, we’re walking.

Each step Killian takes is like knives stabbing me over and over again, but I ignore the pain. Or at least I try to.

The warm sun hits me the moment we step outside, but Killian doesn’t pause. He just keeps walking until we’re at least a block from the club.

I can’t be sure, of course, because I still haven’t managed to force my eyes to open, but I’ve done this walk a million times. I know approximately how many steps it is.

“Ember?” Killian’s voice is soft, void of the anger from moments ago. “Can I take you to a hospital?”

“No,” I choke out. “No hospitals.”

He curses but doesn’t bother arguing with me as he shifts my weight slightly.

I hiss as agony slices through me, and he flinches.

“I’m sorry, Ember. Fuck, I’m so sorry. I need to call Orion so he can get his personal doctor to the penthouse ASAP.”

“I don’t need a doctor. I’m fine.” But even to my own ears, the argument is weak.

“Somehow, I don’t think Orion is going to see it that way.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

ORION

Ipace back and forth across my office, stopping to check my phone with each lap.

It’s been half an hour since Ember’s last update. She promised to check in every ten minutes while she was with Lucas, and it’s been three times as long.

To say I was hesitant to let her meet with him is an understatement. He’s been holed up somewhere for the last week, hiding like the weasel he is, and this is the first time we’ve had a credible lead on his location.

The plan is to let Ember meet with him at the club, and then as soon as she’s safely at her therapist’s office, he’ll meet his end with a bullet to the skull. Not nearly enough suffering considering all the pain he’s caused my girl, but to no longer have him as a threat is worth the quick death.

Her tracker is still locked on the club, which is the only ounce of comfort I have to cling to.

Maybe they confiscated her phone for the meeting,I reason with myself, but it does nothing to calm my worry.

I hover my thumb over Killian’s name, but he’ll get pissed if I call. It’s not that I don’t trust him with Ember’s life, because I do. But there’s no one I trust with her more than myself.

As if I’ve conjured the devil himself, my phone starts vibrating with his name across the screen.

“Killian.” I force my voice to remain even, but to my own ears it sounds strained.

“We have a problem.” He starts.

“What happened? Is Ember okay?” I rush out.

“Shut up for a minute so I can tell you,” he snaps. “Ember is hurt. I’m on my way back to the penthouse now. You need to get the doctor there as soon as possible.” His voice is too calm, too even, and it’s unnerving me.

A soft whimper comes down the line, and I tighten my hold on my phone so much I swear I hear it crack under the pressure.

“Killian.” I force out through gritted teeth.