Page 112 of Property of Bones

“Touching,” Muerte sneers.

“Walk, fucker, or I drag your ass,” Tank says with fire in his eyes.

Muerte sighs, then lowers his head and starts walking.

“I’ll handle the bodies and the SUV,” Max mutters, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Foster, go with him,” Spike commands. “And I wantbothof you back here in an hour. That includesyou,Max.”

“Why?”

“Because you fucked up,” Spike says, calm but firm. “You should’ve told us what was going on. We would’ve had your back. But the truth is…you still came through. You got our girls home. Helped Riley when she was taken from me. Come back. We’ll figure the rest out tomorrow.”

Max pauses, searching Spike’s face, then nods once.

As I turn to head back toward Spike’s house, I catch Foster’s voice behind me.

“You and I never got the chance to really get to know each other,” he says to Max.

I don’t wait for the reply.

All that matters now is Sunny.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Sunny

Everything. Hurts.

“Well, welcome back to the world of the living,” a deep voice says.

My eyes snap open…and I immediately wish they hadn’t. A gruff, unfamiliar face looms over me, lined with worry and irritation in equal measure. I jerk back on instinct, and pain explodes through my ribs like fireworks behind my eyes.

“Don’t move, girl,” the very growly man warns, raising a hand. “If you injure yourself any further, your man’s gonna injure me. Well…he’lltry.”

“Who are you?” I ask, voice hoarse, gaze darting around the room. “Why am I in Riley’s bedroom?”

“We didn’t want to risk carrying you down the bunker ladder,” he says, stepping back just enough to give me space. “We met on the plane, but I’m not surprised you don’t remember me. You were pretty out of it. Name’s Patch. Club doctor.”

“Oh…” I blink at him. “I’ve heard of you.”

I relax a little.

Then it hits me.

“I’m home,” I whisper.

“Yeah,” Patch says, his voice softer now. “You are. And so is Abby.”

“Where is she?” I ask quickly, my heartbeat picking up.

“At home. She needed rest. She’s fine.”

“And Jack?”

“He should be back any-”

“Baby.”

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