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“The fuck do you think you’re doing?” King asks, his gaze swiftly shifting over my cut-up body, just as Grayson and Cruz do, getting a good look at the fresh hell they put me through.
My hands stop on my shelving as my gaze slices to King’s, the tension in the room growing to impossible heights. “Excuse me?” I question, pausing a second to let my glare truly sink in. “What does it look like I’m doing? Grayson said it was all hands on deck. So, I’m coming with you whether you like it or not.”
King chokes back a laugh, staring at me as though he can’t actually figure out if I’m joking or not. “You’re kidding, right?” he finally says, his words falling from his mouth cautiously, almost as though he's terrified of offending me.
What. A. Fucking. Joke.
“Look me in the eye, King,” I implore. “Does it look like I’m kidding?”
Cruz recovers from his earlier heartbreak and takes a hesitant step toward my massive walk-in closet. “Babe, I know you’ve gone through hell over the past few days, and I swear to you, each of us will do whatever it takes to make it up to you, but it’s too fucking dangerous. We don’t know what we’ll be walking into, and on top of that, we can’t risk you getting pinched by Paris. Taking you there is literally hand-delivering you into the lion’s den.”
I slap a stupid smile across my face. “How sweet. All of a sudden you care if I live or die. That’s nice, but I’ve made up my mind. I’m coming, so either start including me in your plans, or I’ll find my own way there. And trust me, you won’t appreciate my version of busting in there. Take your pick.”
Grayson clenches his already bruising jaw. “Ellie, please. These are our little brothers and sisters. This isn’t just some simple raid where I can hold your hand the whole way through. I’m sorry, babe. It’s really not my intention to make things worse right now. Believe me, if there was something I could say to make it all go away, I would, but you can’t even hold a gun without shaking.”
I don’t skip a beat, tearing the gun out of the back of Carver’s jeans, and shooting a bullet straight between Grayson and King’s heads, watching as it sails directly between them and lodges into the wall behind my bed.
Cruz flinches, staring at me as though I’m some kind of stranger while I stand unmoving, Carver’s gun held firmly out before me as my aim remains true and my hand unwavering.
I meet Grayson’s surprised stare. “Do you need a second to reevaluate just how pathetic you think I am?” I question. “I am the rightful leader of Dynasty. I am your leader, and no longer your girl who can be pushed around by your bullshit egos. Whether you like it or not, your actions at the cabin changed me. Laying alone in the cold dirt, surrounded by woods and the unknown, I had more than enough time to reevaluate the person I wanted to be. Call it a little bit of soul searching, but I have realized that I am not weak. I am not afraid, and I am sure as fuck not some dumb bitch who can be led around by the tits. You four may be the Kings of Ravenwood Heights, but I’m your goddamn queen. From here on out, I am your equal, and you will treat me as such. So man the fuck up, get out of my room and offer me just a shred of privacy so that I may ready myself to help save the young lives of Dynasty, like any other leader should do.”
The boys just stare and after a long moment, Carver steps into me and takes the gun from my hand. He meets my eyes as he stands before me, pride surging through his gaze as he nods. “Okay,” he says. “You are our equal. Be ready in fifteen minutes and meet downstairs to discuss the plan. You’ll need a face covering like me. I know you don’t approve of this ‘you’re dead’ plan, but it’s what we’re working with and we’re going to use it to our advantage. You’ll stay concealed behind it unless you physically cannot anymore.”
I nod and Carver takes my chin between his fingers before leaning into me and gently murmuring against my lips, keeping his comments low and private. “Is it wrong for me to be so fucking turned on right now?”
I pull out of his grip and roll my eyes. “Go. Get out of here and take your band of douche canoes with you.”
Carver simply nods and strides out of my room, leaving the three assholes behind. “Winter,” Cruz starts, only to be met with a firm shake of King’s head. “She’s not ready, man. Just give her some time.”
