Page 73 of Property of Bones

“Holy cow,” Riley breathes. “Is that a bazooka?”

My jaw drops. The camera’s silent, but the image is terrifyingly clear. And, yep! That is absolutely a freaking bazooka.

“Look, everyone’s putting their guns away,” I say hopefully. “Maybe everything’s going to be okay.”

Abby snorts. “Oh, don’t let the Shadows fool you, Sunny. Just because you don’t see a gun doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

“Snipers?” I guess, knowing there is usually at least one outside every day.

“Everywhere,” she confirms. “When stuff like this happens, everyone trained with the snipers takes a place on the roofs, in the trees, probably in Spike’s freaking mailbox. There are stillplentyof weapons pointed at our visitors. Trust me. If that guy so much as sneezes wrong, he’ll be turned into salsa in under a second.”

“It’s Max,” Riley whispers.

“Whose Max?” I ask.

“He’s someone who betrayed the club not long ago,” Abby answers.

“But, I think there’s more to it,” Riley says, looking towards me. “He saved me. I would have been killed if it wasn’t for him. Why is he here? They’ll kill him.”

“You don’t think he actually betrayed you guys?” I ask, looking at the screen at who I assume is Max. There are two men side by side next to the front SUV.

“Itlookslike he did,” Riley answered. “Everything points to him turning his back on this club. Everythingbuthis actions afterward.”

“They’re letting them in,” Abby says, eyes glued to the screen. “Looks like they’re heading for the clubhouse.”

“Most likely the war room,” Riley adds, grabbing the remote and shutting off the TV. “There aren’t any cameras in there. We’ll have to wait for the all-clear before heading topside. Come on, Sunny. We’ll show you around.”

“How much more could therepossiblybe to see?” I ask, standing slowly. My ribs are throbbing more than they have in days. Could be from the sprint to catch up with Riley and Abby, climbing a ladder into the underground, or the minor detail that I’mfreaking the heck out.

Probably a delightful little cocktail of all three.

“This place actually runs a little more than half the length of the compound,” Riley explains. “Seven small bedrooms, a big community room with extra cots if we ever have to pack in a crowd, a kitchen, two bathrooms, a shower room, plus working electricity and plumbing.”

“Wow,” I breathe, genuinely impressed.

“Right?” Abby laughs. “There’s even a storage room packed with food, water, cash, sat phones, weapons, oxygen tanks…you name it, we have it. Only one entrance right now, but Bubby says they’re planning to add another that connects to the clubhouse.”

“Intense.”

“Very,” Riley agrees, pausing mid-step to look at me. “Still feel that warm, fuzzy sense of safety knowing a place like this isnecessaryfor this lifestyle?”

She’s not trying to scare me. I know that. But the truth in her voice is like cold water down my spine.

“And yes,” she adds with a wink. “You’ll end up down here anytime there’s a lockdown or a scare like this.”

“Trying to scare me off?” I tease, even though the ache in my chest says this isn’t a joke.

“Not even a little,” she says, pulling me into a hug.

It hurts. But I don’t make a sound as I wrap my arms around her and hug back.

“I just want you to understand,” she murmurs, “we may be safe, but when you love a Shadow, there’s always risk.”

But is it a risk that I’m willing to take?

“Is it worth it?” I ask, my voice barely steady, barely there.

“Yes,” Abby whispers. “When you love a Shadow…even one that’s not your actual brother…the risk is worth it.”

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