Page 6 of Deliverance

“We’ll agree to disagree,” Danny murmured.

I didn’t protest, sinking into the familiar comfort of his embrace. Tonight had been a lot. From the operation to take down the director to HQ blowing up, my brain was fried. But I wanted to see him and Grace before I crashed, because I was going to crash hard. But not for long. We had too much to do.

“HQ is gone,” I murmured, grateful that the guys had given us some privacy and weren’t around to hear the uncertainty in my voice. I sounded like a child who had her toy taken away, and I hated that, but HQ was gone. Kingfisher had blown it up. Maya almost died tonight.

“I know,” he murmured, resting his cheek on the top of my head. “We’re going to find him. He’s not going to get away with this.”

I wanted to believe him, but I was struggling to see how we were going to take down someone like the Kingfisher.

“Izzy said Grace woke up a bit?” I pulled back so I could see his face.

“Just briefly. She was still really groggy from the sedation, but the doctors said that was normal. She’ll be clearer tomorrow.”

“That’s good.” I knew they kept her sedated to give her time to heal, but I could really use her as we went into this fight with Kingfisher.

“She’ll be okay.” Danny squeezed my arms. “Matt called. The arson investigator is calling it a gas explosion?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I figured it would be simpler. We don’t need the extra eyes right now.”

“It was a good call. We’re going to nail this bastard.”

I could only hope.

There was a knock on the door, and Izzy stuck her head through. “Maya’s been discharged. Detective Patel is taking them home to sleep. Liam’s going with them, and we’re going to meet at SDS after lunchtime today.”

“Great, so this one can go home and rest?” Danny asked, pointing at me.

“Why does everyone keep assuming I’m not going to rest?” I threw my hands up.

Danny and Izzy just stared at me flatly.

“Maybe because you haven’t voluntarily rested in the history of, I don’t know,ever.” Danny folded his arms and glared at me.

“I sleep eight hours.”

“Yes, but only since your boyfriends figured out how little you were really sleeping,” Izzy said.

“Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?”

Izzy crossed her arms. “Iamon your side.” With both of their arms folded, I felt like I was getting stared down by my parents. Well, if my parents had ever cared about me enough to notice if I was resting or not.

“Fine,” I said, exasperated. “I’m going home now. Happy?”

“Very,” Danny said, reaching out and folding me in his arms again. “Now, let’s get you to your boyfriends.”

“You know I’m capable of walking out the door myself?” I snarked at him.

“Yeah, I just like saying ‘your boyfriends,’” he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and guiding me out the door.

Izzy opened the door, and I stepped out into the hall. All my guys and Dominic were huddled around Dominic’s phone, faces grim and bodies tense.

“Fuck, what happened now?” I asked. This couldn’t be good.

Alexander frowned but handed me the phone. “It appears Kingfisher sent another message.”

A single text thread with three images filled the screen. HQ in rubble, Alexander, Sebastian, and I entering the hospital, and Marcus, Adrian, and Dominic entering the hospital. The pictures were accompanied by a single sentence. “There’s nowhere I can’t reach you.”

“Fuck,” I breathed out.