Kinsley’s throat bobs. “I don’t—I can’t—”
Xavier Bowen lets out a sigh. “How disappointing.”
In a split second, he removes the gun from Addie’s temple and shoots.
Her scream echoes through the air as the bullet rips clean through Kinsley’s skull, and he falls to the ground.
“Oh, shut up,” he snaps, putting the barrel back against her head. “You’re going to lose your voice rather quickly if you scream like that every time someone gets shot. This is the second time tonight—you’d think you’d be used to it by now.”
My blood runs cold. Second?
“Where’s Vander?” My heart aches for Addie as her face screws up in pain.
“Caught that, did you?” Xavier lets out a humorless laugh. “At home, regretting his life decisions. He’ll live, but he’ll think twice about going against me again.”
Sam steps forward. “What are you going to do with Whitmore?”
“I’ll think about answering that once I have Brooks in hand,” he sneers, stuffing Whitmore’s gag back into his mouth.
“You could just take him with you,” I offer, raising my hands. “You don’t need Brooks anymore if you have him.”
“Trust is a very fragile thing, Ms. Harding.” Xavier drags Adela over near one of the bonfires, studying the flames. “Oncemytrust is broken, it is gone forever. I cannot depend on him anymore.”
A loud crashing sound has him looking up, eyebrow raised.
I grin. “Declan’s here. Which means Brooks is too.” I nod at Adela. “So if you don’t mind sendin’ her this way…”
“You will wait,” he snaps. “Damn omegas, sopushy.” Kole growls low, and Xavier shakes his head. “See?Thisis why we need the drug I’m developing. You alphas are no better than damn dogs.”
I bristle. “Hey now—”
“Don’t get me started on omegas, Josephine Harding. Out of all the simpering fools, you’re the worst of them all. At least other omegas are submissive. Docile. You bite the hand that feeds you and then act like you were being poisoned.”
“With all due respect,” my tone turns sweet, “if a man likeyouthinks I’m the worst, then that’s the biggest compliment I could ever get.”
Suddenly, the sound of tires squealing has us turning. Declan parks his van right in the space between the buildings, while Rory slides open the back and kicks Brooks out of the vehicle before promptly taking off again.
In and out in a flash, just like we planned.
The doctor lands face-first in the grass, his cries of pain muffled by the gag, and Kole sighs as he walks over, picking him up and placing him next to Whitmore. “There. You have your doctor. Now give us Adela.”
Hayden sighs. “Nothing like a good ol’ hostage exchange to liven up a party.”
“Where did they go?” Xavier looks at the space Declan’s van had occupied less than ten seconds ago.
I shrug. “You know who my brother is. He doesn’t have time to be drivin’ up and down the Appalachian Mountains all night.”
Xavier’s mouth goes tight, and he releases Addie, pushing her towards me. She breaks down in a sob as I catch her, my arms wrapping around her tight.
“Vander!” she sobs, covering her face with her hands. “He tried to stop him from taking me.”
“Oh, Addie, Addie, shhh…” Now that Addie is in my arms, I nod at Sam, who starts to walk to the Cathedral. “Xavier?” I look up at him.
“What?” he snaps, pushing both Whitmore and Brooks to their feet with the threat of his gun.
“There’s somethin’ we want to show you first.”
At my words, Sam opens the doors to the Cathedral. Lights shine from cameras propped on two cameramen’s shoulders, and a woman in a suit jacket with a microphone stands in the doorway.
