“I received a text from Nite. He informed me that my assistance was needed,” he begins. “He had removed her from the house, but he couldn’t put out the fire.”
“Jesus …”
“I guess when he found her, she was refusing to leave, but he didn’t give her a choice. He picked her up and carried her out.”
“Fuck!” I look at Nite. “Thank you.” I knew placing him as her detail was a good idea. Bones put two guys on the house, but I used him for her personally. Nite is the only guy I trust with this. We wanted to keep this as quiet as possible. The break-in. Her mother’s death. We don’t want it public knowledge.
Jeffrey steps closer to me and lowers his voice to a whisper, “I need to know what you want me to do here.”
My brows pull together at his words before I understand. He thinks the fire was intentional. And if so, she was the one who started it.
This is what she asked Bones and me to do, right? Start a fire and let George burn to death. Was George here?
I have to protect her. No matter what. “It was an accident,” I say.
He nods once. “I’ll be in touch.”
He goes to walk away, but I ask, “Was there anyone else in the house?”
Nite is the one who answers by shaking his head.
I run a hand through my hair and walk back over to the ambulance. She still sits in the same position. She has ash on her face and black marks on her arms and legs that the blanket isn’t covering. “I’m taking her home,” I state to the paramedics.
“Sir?”
“I’m taking her home,” I repeat with a growl.
“She needs medical attention,” the female says to me.
“And she will get it.” Dr. Lane is meeting me back at Kingdom. I called him the moment I got off the phone with Jeffrey.
“You want her to sign a waiver stating that she understands she is refusing medical attention?” she asks, verifying.
Emilee shrugs off the blanket and holds out her hand, silently complying to my demands.
Shaking her head in disbelief, the paramedic hands Em a clipboard that she signs and then starts to exit the ambulance. I hold out my hand, and she takes it. I help her over to my car and into the passenger seat.
By the time I’m over in the driver’s seat, she has her head back, eyes closed, and is softly snoring.
CHAPTER THIRTY
TITAN
“IT WAS ARSON,” Jeffrey states as we stand in the living room of our Royal Suite at Kingdom. He reaches down and picks up his shirt and jeans to start getting dressed. You can never be too careful about who might be wearing a wire. He knows the drill after working with us for so long.
Everyone is here. Bones, Grave, Cross, Luca, and Haven. I guess Nite had messaged Luca. Then Haven called Jasmine. It’s one big party. Emilee has been passed out in my bed for the past eight hours. Dr. Lane is here waiting to check on her. He took her vitals while she slept, but he wants to examine her closely for the next twenty-four hours, so Grave has given up his room for him to crash in while we wait for her to wake.
Bones lets out a growl. “What the fuck was she thinking?”
“She’s been through a lot,” Haven snaps at him. Luca places his hands on his wife’s shoulders to calm her down.
Everyone is on edge.
“Is that what your report says?” Cross asks, sitting on the couch.
He turns to look at him. “No.”
“Thanks.” I reach out to shake his hand. It’ll cost me a great deal of money. His help always comes with a price. But it’s always been one I’m willing to pay.
“Why did you lie?”
We all turn to see Emilee stepping into the living room. She looks like a victim from a bombing. She’s still covered in ash and has black marks all over her skin. Her once perfect makeup is smeared under her eyes.
“Em …?”
“Why did you lie?” she asks, staring at the marshal.
“Why did you start the fire?” Bones asks her.
EMILEE
I drag my eyes to look at Bones when I answer him. “It all needed to burn.”
“Jesus,” Titan hisses.
Bones steps into me. His eyes narrowing at mine. “Have you lost your goddamn mind?” he snaps.
Jasmine places her hands on his chest and pushes him back. “Let me talk to her.” She doesn’t allow anyone to protest. She grabs my arm and yanks me back into Titan’s bedroom, then closes the door behind us. “Are you out of your goddamn mind?” she hisses, repeating his words.
I don’t answer.
“They’re going to lock you up in a psych ward,” she snaps.
I fall on the end of the bed. “Let them.” I could use some time alone. Maybe then I’ll get some peace and quiet.