Page 68 of King of Ashes

"Secure him," I order, pressing a handkerchief to my bleeding arm. "He's our message back to whoever organized this."

Ash kicks away the fallen weapons while Flint checks the hallway for more.

“That took some guts,” Blaise says, pushing the moaning man into a chair until we can tie him. "Hampton's reach is longer than we thought.”

"Or someone else wants us gone," Flint adds, returning with zip ties he tosses to Blaise to use on the surviving attacker.

My thoughts immediately turn to Keira. Is she involved? Did she know this was coming?

“Who gave your orders? Hampton? Or is someone else trying to take over?” I bark at the man.

“Fuck you.”

Ash puts his gun to the man’s head. “That’s fuck you, Mr. Ifrinn.”

The man sneers up at him.

“Let’s see if he enjoys the accommodations with Hampton.” I grab my coat and put it on. “Let’s get these other gentlemen out of here as well.” I glance at the door. “Any concerns out there?”

“They killed two men on the way in,” Flint says. “The secretary was under the desk. She looks terrified.”

So she probably wasn’t a part of the plan to let them in. “Let’s go.”

We drag the bodies back to the SUV, the one living attacker still struggling despite his broken arm. Blaise shoves him into the trunk with little ceremony, ignoring his muffled curses.

"He'll talk," Ash says, pressing a makeshift bandage to my arm. "They always do."

I nod, scanning the street for witnesses or additional threats. "Let's move. I want him secured before anyone realizes what happened."

The drive back to the estate is tense, everyone on high alert. My mind races through possibilities.

One is that someone inside the house is secretly conferring with and sending out orders from Hampton. One of the men we think are loyal to us? Keira?

The other option is that someone, either a man of Hampton’s or another family, sees an opportunity.

"You think Keira knew?" I ask out loud without meaning to.

“Oh, geez, not this again.” Blaise rolls his eyes.

“What?”

“You act like she’s a witch with magic powers or something. You have her locked in the house surrounded by guards. How could she arrange this?”

He’s right, but I play devil’s advocate. “One of the guards could be helping her.”

“Has she visited Hampton in the basement?” Ash asks from the passenger seat next to me.

“No. But that doesn’t mean she’s not a part of this.”

Flint laughs.

I glance at him through the rearview mirror. “What’s so funny?”

“You are. You’re grasping for reasons to hate her. Why? You afraid you might love her again?”

“Two little love birds…” Blaise sings.

“Shut up, Blaise.” As I drive through the gates of the estate, uncertainty gnaws at me. Just when I'd started to doubt my suspicions about Keira, this happens.