Page 71 of Bound

Silence. Sharp, beautiful silence.

Then Blaze coughs once, badly hiding a laugh.

I look at Rafe. He gives me an encouraging smile and a gesture to keep going.

I shove my hands in the pockets of my coat, like a hostage negotiator might. I steady my voice. “You’ve killed your closest confidant. Your woman turned against you. And the man you envy above all other men survived.” I sneak a glance at Lucian. “And I’d say he’s thriving.”

Lucian does not smile.

Carlos’s voice changes. Only slightly. But it changes. “Well hello. How is my purchased replacement? Bargain bin edition.”

That hurts. It shouldn’t but it knocks me speechless and I falter.

Only for a moment.

I bite back. “Yes! I wanted to thank you, by the way, for introducing us. That first blind date,” I let out one of Cass’s low wolf whistles. “Whew. If New York penthouse apartments could talk.”

He gives a dark laugh. “I can imagine. You had a lot riding on that night. You had to make it convincing.”

Paid whore.

It makes me petty. “Too bad you’re not as good at playing matchmaker for yourself.”

Isobel laughs then.

It’s a real laugh and it’s a beautiful sound. For one moment, she glances over her shoulder and smiles at me.

Lucian smiles at me and I smile at both of them.

No matter what happens as we enter hell, we know at least some part of us has healed.

“Come out so I can thank you properly,” Lucian says.

“Where are you hiding, Carlos?” I say. “You came for us.”

“You mistake hiding for positioning, little queen.”

Rafe speaks quietly into the team channel. “Got another bounce. East sublevel to old courier chamber. Still not full location.”

Gregory adds, “He’s routing through a dormant gate relay. We need one more activation.”

“No,” Lucian says.

Rafe doesn’t argue.

Because we all know what one more activation means.

Opening the gate farther. Giving Carlos more of the play he wants. And that was not our plan.

Isobel looks at the speaker. Her voice shakes, but it carries. “Carlos.”

The comm line crackles.

Then his voice returns. Softer. “Belle.”

Lucian goes so still I feel it in my bones.

Isobel’s face is pale, but she does not retreat. “You always did love making women feel small.”