Langston jumps in. “I can help.”
He puts his arms under my good arm and helps me stand, but I’m weak. There is no way I can walk. So instead, Langston scoops me up like I’m his girl.
It causes the room to smile for a second.
“We’ll be back for you,” Langston says to Kai as he carries me upstairs with the doctor trailing.
My eyes grow heavy and tired as I’m being carried. But my mind is still on Kai. Beautiful, sexy, broken Kai. My love.
Fuck—
It takes a minute for my mind to realize my mistake.
I left her alone with Milo.
17
Kai
Tears threaten my eyes again as my heart aches at watching Enzo be carried up the stairs and away from me.
Goodbye.
My heart breaks and shatters again, causing far more pain than either my dislocated shoulder or broken leg.
How many times am I going to have to say goodbye to Enzo?
At least once more…
He saved my life. He kept me from enduring whatever task my father had planned next and Milo from beating me to a pulp.
Now, I owe him my life.
Milo has a huge army of allies ready to take us down so they can continue on with their twisted way of life. But Langston contacted our allies, and they are ready to fight.
N
ow is the time to attack. I’m not good at fighting. I don’t know how to lead an army, but Enzo does. There are dozens of Milo’s men upstairs ready to fire if Milo is touched. He can’t be touched here. But I will not let Enzo go back with Milo. Not while he is hurt. Not ever. This is my chance to make the trade. And hope Enzo heals quickly and can gather his army fast.
“Now’s your chance,” Liesel whispers to me, while pretending to examine my shoulder. She slides me the knife that was used to cut Enzo and me. I slide it in into my sock.
I nod.
“Are you sure about this?” she asks, but I can see the need in her eyes. She may be my friend, but she needs Enzo to be safe.
“Yes,” I say.
She squeezes my shoulder tightly. “I’ll do what I can to help.” And then Liesel runs up the stairs after Langston and Enzo to do what she can to keep them occupied.
That leaves me alone, with Milo.
I use my uninjured arm to push myself up off the ground. Everything hurts. Every little nerve in my body is screaming at me to stop. Every blood vessel is crying for rest. My lungs are burning with sharp shrapnels of my ribs poking them. Not to mention my dislocated shoulder and broken leg.
But none of that matters. Saving Enzo matters. Protecting the Black empire matters. Because without Enzo or the Black empire, women running from men like Milo will never be safe. No one will ever come for them. Enzo is the only man strong enough to face the worst evil, and instead of letting it demolish him, he absorbs it.
“Take me, not him,” my voice trembles as I say the words.
Fuck, I’m stronger than this.