Page 76 of Mystic's Sunrise

Lucy’s face hardened. “Then you know why I can’t stand this fear. Ihateit, Zeynep. I hate that I let it take hold.”

I nodded. “But pretending it is gone does not make you strong.”

Her eyes flicked to mine.

“You are strong,” I said. “But you are not untouchable. None of us are.”

She stared at me for a beat, then muttered, “We shouldn’t have to live like this.”

“I get that,” I said softly. “But I am scared. Because Fang is still out there. Because Drago... he never lets go. He’ll hunt me till I’m his again.”

Lucy flinched at that.

I let the silence settle before I continued. “You say you hate being afraid. But fear is not weakness. It is warning. You just have to listen.”

Her voice dropped low. “They’ll come back for us.”

“I know.”

She looked down at our hands. “Then we’d better be ready.”

“I have been ready,” I said. “But I do not want to be alone in it.”

She gave a slow nod. Then leaned her head against my shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she murmured.

“So am I.”

We sat like that for a while. Two girls shaped by different kinds of pain. Bruised, but not completely broken.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

THE WHISKEY BURNEDas it slid down my throat,but it didn’t do a damn thing to settle the fire inside me. I paced the length of my office, the scent of smoke hanging thick in the air. My hands clenched and unclenched at my sides. Jackel sat across from me, a fresh scar slicing down his cheek, his lip curled in a sneer like he had something to prove. I should put a bullet in his head for losing Lucy to those Devil’s House bastards, but right now, I needed him breathing.

“You’re lucky you made it out alive,” I muttered, dragging my hand over my jaw, the coarse stubble scraping my palm. “How the fuck did it even happen?”

He shifted in his seat, nodding stiffly. “We got ambushed. Fuck if I know how those bastards found us.”

I slammed my fist on the desk, making the empty glass rattle. “And they fucking destroyed you, almost killed Fang.” My voice dropped, low and venomous. “They made a fool out of us. Made a fool out ofme.”

His jaw tightened, but he didn’t say a word. Smart. He wasn’tthatstupid.

I exhaled sharply, trying to refocus. Losing Lucy was bad enough, but losing my chance to get Zeynep? That was a wound that wouldn’t stop bleeding. My whole world was tipping, spinning, and I had nothing to hold onto. No one understood—no one but her.Shewas the only thing that kept me steady, the only thing that made the rest of this shit worth it. And those bastards had stolen her from me.

I dragged my chair back, sinking into it deciding to change the subject. “Tell me about the cartel.”

Jackel straightened. “They want their money, but they’ll keep working with us. They don’t give a damn about our beef with Devil’s House, long as it doesn’t interfere with their shipments. They’re expecting the next load to move in three weeks.”

I nodded, mind working through the numbers. We had to rebuild. Regroup. But I couldn’t focus on business while myqueenwas out there with those bastards. I pictured her, curled up somewhere, scared and confused, missingme—because she did. She had to, the only reason she left was because of the bitch Lucy putting shit in her head. No one could love her the way I did.

I leaned forward, leveling my gaze at Jackel. “Find out how they found us.”

His brow furrowed. “Drago—”

“Find out.” My voice was sharp enough to cut. “I don’t care what it takes, who you have to shake down, how much blood you have to spill. You find out. You hear me?”

He glared at me wanting to tear into me, I felt it but he knew better. “I hear you.”

I sat back, rubbing my temple, the throb behind my eyes unrelenting. “And Jackel?”