I pushed through a gathered circle to see Kodie on the floor, nasty burns bubbling up one arm.
“Sorry, boss, I panicked,” he said in a voice devoid of fear or pain. He was obviously in shock because that was all he repeated.
“He tried to put it out with water, and it spread the flames across the room,” Andy explained quietly.
When no more fires burst back to life, Judge lowered the extinguisher and pulled out his phone. “Calling Glitch to check every damn camera.” Before he could, his phone rang, and he hit accept. “Yeah?” His eyes squeezed closed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Yeah. Fuck. Call in everyone.”
“What was that?” I asked when he hung up.
“Wicked was hit, too. Fewer windows there for obvious reasons, so there’s less damage. Nox and his crew are going that way.”
Fuck.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
SOLACE
LUNA
After confirming everyone outside wassafe—albeit shaken up—I returned inside to make sure the fires were still out and everything was good.
Or as good as it could be, given the explosive situation.
I hadn’t seen who threw the bottle. It’d been like slow motion, flying through the air to land with a crash and burn. But it had to be someone inside.
I moved toward the back, needing to see and touch Rhys.
Before I could reach him, my cell started ringing. I’d hoped it was Murdoch, but it wasn’t. It was a private number.
I swear, if this is a call about the fabulously fictional trip I won, I am going to use every resource I have to hunt the scammer down and make their life hell.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Oscar,” someone breathed. Rough.Pained.
“Captain?” My chest clenched, and unease skittered up my spine to raise the hairs on the back of my neck. I spun around to see if there was someone right behind me.
There wasn’t.
“Trust no one.” Another haggard inhale that ended in a heavy sob. “He asked to be your handler. I thought he was mending the bridge. Otherwise, I never would’ve…”
“Murdoch?” I whispered.
He told me he was assigned the role.
“It’s not just him. My squad. I trusted… You need to run. He’s coming for you next. It’s—” His words were cut off abruptly by more tears. “You’renot safe. I let you down, kid. I tried so hard. To protect you.” His voice was wobbly and faint. “There’s so much blood.”
“Where are you?”
The phone beeped as the call dropped.
Fuck.
Oh fuck.
This is bad.
I ran into the kitchen, my body colliding with Rhys.
