Page 91 of Tempest’s Torment

I close my eyes. "I'm sorry."

"No. Lilah, you fucking stay there. I'm almost⁠—"

I hang up. My hand shakes as I lower the phone. Evan watches me descend the final flight. "Good girl."

"Don't call me that."

His smile disappears. Good. I reach the bottom but don't step off. Instead, I hit record on my cell. If he kills me, if he kills Jinx, I want there to be proof of who did it.

"Let Jinx go."

"You first."

"No."

His eyes narrow.

"Gun goes down and he walks away."

For a second, nobody moves. And then Evan nods, and the man behind Jinx lowers the gun. "Untie him," Evan directs.

"Lilah—"

"Shut up, Jinx."

Even now, he looks offended. Good. He's alive enough to be offended.

The man cuts whatever is binding his hands. Jinx immediately tries to get up. He makes it halfway before his legs give out.

"Go," I tell him.

"I'm not fucking leaving you."

Evan pulls a gun from the back of his waistband and points it at Jinx. "Then I'll make the decision easier."

I step off the ladder. "Stop." Evan looks at me. "I'm here."

His gaze moves over me. "Yeah." I hate the satisfaction in his face.

"Now let him go."

Evan gestures with the gun, and the other man grabs Jinx beneath the arm and shoves him toward the mouth of the alley. Jinx stumbles and turns. "Lilah."

"Go."

His face twists. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Because I made the choice, not him.

He takes another step and the man moves behind him.

I see it a second too late.

"Jinx!"

Something comes down hard against the side of his head. His knees buckle and he hits the ground. "No!"

I lunge toward him, but Evan catches my wrist. Every instinct in me screams. I twist hard and drive my knee forward, but he knows it's coming. His grip tightens.