Page 89 of While He Breathes

“I’m going to shower and change, and then we’ll go over the rest of the plan.”

Half an hour later, Killian and I are both clean and dressed in fresh clothes.

We’re back in my office, which has become the hub of our strategy sessions, but I’m hoping one day soon it will return to the quiet place Ember and I share while we work.

I pour four glasses of whiskey and hand them out, taking a seat on the couch rather than around the desk.

We may have come out of the explosion relatively unscathed, but my body is fucked. The blast slammed the table into us, and while it protected us from the initial impact, the heat and smoke are wearing on me more than I would like.

“Tell us your plan.” Darius takes a long drink, and I follow his lead.

“By taking Killian and me out, Lucas won’t be able to help himself. His need to inflate his own ego is too great for him to sit on this information until after he’s got Ember locked down. He’s bound to come out of his hiding place in order to try to take over our business, and that will give us an opportunity to follow him without him knowing, because he thinks we’re dead.”

“This is all based on a lot of what-ifs,” Max points out.

“It is. But I’ve worked with Lucas for many years, and I make a point of knowing everything about the people who work for me. I know he’ll need to rub in the fact he took out the Hunter, and that will trump the rest of his plans.”

Darius considers me for long seconds, and I think he’s going to tell me my plan is stupid. He’s told me so with every other one I’ve brought to the table, but instead he nods slowly. “I agree. I obviously don’t know Lucas, but I know men like him. Their egos are their greatest downfall nine times out of ten.”

Max sighs, running his hand down his face before draining his glass. “I swear to god if you get my best friend dead with this plan, I’ll kill you.”

I nod. “I’ll hand you the gun.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

EMBER

Instead of being taken back to my cell, I’m led further down the hallway, my heart beating against my ribs so hard I’m starting to wonder if it’s going to break one.

Trembles rack through my body of their own accord as fear beats down on me. Not knowing where we’re going is making me so anxious I think I might throw up, and something tells me Cain is not going to appreciate that.

“Will you keep up?” he snaps.

“Sorry,” I murmur, forcing my legs to move faster, but after days of sitting around and barely being able to stretch them, they ache with every step I take.

He shoves a door open and gestures me inside. “Wait here. We’ll be leaving in fifteen minutes.” His eyes flicker to something behind me before glowering. “And don’t chatter. I fucking hate that shit.”

My brows tug together in confusion as he slams the door shut, and I’m left staring at it.

I turn slowly, my eyes moving over the cell that’s not too different from my own until I notice the woman sitting in the far corner. The same corner I inhabited in mine.

Her red hair is long and matted over her shoulders, and what I’m sure are usually bright green eyes are dull as she takes me in.

“Hi,” I say, stepping toward her. “I’m Ember.”

“Elsie,” is the only response I get.

I nibble at my lower lip before stepping closer to her. Not wanting to invade her space, I pause, lowering myself to the floor a few feet from her. “How long have you been here?”

She tilts her head to the side, glaring at me like I’ve just asked the stupidest question in the world. “How would I know? It’s not like there are any windows.”

“Sorry,” I whisper. She’s right. It was a dumb thing to ask her, especially because I lost track of time almost immediately.

Her eyes move over my bare arms and face, frowning when she doesn’t find whatever she’s looking for. “They haven’t hurt you.”

I shake my head. “Cain got a few kicks in to my ribs. But Lucas said he wanted me unharmed for the wedding.” The word falls from my lips as bile climbs my throat.

She nods in understanding. “Ah, you’re her.”