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“Get home as soon as you can,” I growl. “There’s trouble brewing in here too.”
“What do you mean—”
“Get home!” I bark and switch off the call.
Callahan’s cruel face rises in my mind. There’s something off about the man but I can’t figure it out.
A lieutenant like him is a powerful figure.
He outranks me and my brothers. He wouldn’t be able to touch us in a fair fight but he could use his position to damage our reputation. And that’s exactly what he’s doing right now.
Damage to our reputation would make our superiors lose faith in us. It’s a slippery slope toward demotions. We’ll lose our ranks and our ability to command our soldiers.
Callahan’s threat of destroying us is a very real one.
My protective instincts rage through me in the face of such a threat. Not only are my brothers in danger, Callahan is targeting Iris as well.
The beast within me grows restless.
A threat to my mate is a threat to my very own existence.
Iris ismine,the thought takes firm root in my mind. No matter who it is, I’ll never let anyone hurt her again.
28
Iris
Julian’s smiling face suddenly morphs into that of a stranger. He bends toward me, offering me a glass of wine.
It only takes me a moment to recognize the scene.
I know what happens next.
“Get away,” I shout but barely a whisper escapes my lips. I try speaking again but I can’t seem to be able to breathe.
My anxiety grows with every passing second. Any time now, someone will pull the trigger and shoot the waiter in the head.
I close my eyes, willing for the man to go away.
The sound of a gunshot knocks the air out of me. Warm blood sprays across my face and neck, drenching my clothes.
It’s become impossible to draw in breath into my lungs.
I’m suffocating.
I’m dying.
A scream finally tears through my lips. My body jerks, forcing my eyes open, and I suddenly find myself staring at a ceiling.
My heart races in my chest while my mind tries to process my surroundings.
As the seconds tick by, I realize I’m in Julian’s bedroom.
My hands rise to feel my cheeks and neck. There’s dampness on my skin but it’s just sweat.
I push myself to sit up. A groan escapes me as the sheet covering me falls away. My body feels sore and a headache starts pounding at my forehead.
A bedside lamp glows in the corner, leaving the rest of the room shrouded in shadows. I look toward the windows and see that it’s already dark outside. How long have I been asleep?
