Page 54 of Bound in Ashes

I glared at her, willing her to look at me.

She didn’t.

Wouldn’t.

She looked over the whole group, but kept coming back to the kids.

I knew that look.

Knew what it meant.

I was so pissed off, I didn’t know what to do. But this was her uncle’s place. And I knew Asia well enough by now to know that she still didn’t quite get it.

She’d want to save them.

I’d have to tell her no.

But Levi was the wild card.

Sure, I could force the issue, making him bend to my will.

Would do just that if it came to it. Hoped that it wouldn’t, because I knew what that would cost me.

“Pat-downs first,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Thank God. You⁠—”

“Save it. And keep your hands up. All of you.”

NINE

Asia

“It’s a bad idea.”

Jack didn’t even let me start an introduction. He jumped right in.

Uncle Levi looked at him, waiting. But Jack didn’t let the space grow.

“Seven mouths to feed. Seven more drains on resources.”

His eyes were lasered on me, daring me to contradict him. Ready to call me out—or worse—for being wrong.

“Or seven more helping hands,” Caitlin said.

We turned as one to look at her.

“You think this is a good idea, Caitlin?” Jack’s skepticism matched my own.

“Of course not. But everybody knows the most effective way to build an argument is to take the strongest counterargument. I think it was insane to let them get this far.”

“Kind of like it was insane to let us in?” I countered.

I got it. I really did. But the thought of leaving those people, so clearly desperate, just like we had been, to fend for themselves. I couldn’t…

I looked at Uncle Levi.

“I should blame Kathleen for this mess,” he said.