Page 181 of Crave

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Our baby brother.

The one we raised. The one we bled for. The one I swore—*I swore*—I’d protect with every breath in my body.

Angelica—

No.

I couldn’t think about her.

If I thought about her, I’d break.

I couldn’t afford to break.

We cleared the building room by room. Blood on the walls. Blood on our boots.

And still no sign of them.

I found a phone. Drove my heel through the goddamn thing. Smashing it.

I found a radio. Interference only.

Then I found a man hiding in a supply closet, praying in rapid Spanish. I yanked him out by the collar and slammed him into the concrete.

“Who took them?”

“I don’t know!”

“Wrong answer.”

I pressed the muzzle against his kneecap.

“I’ll ask one more time.”

His voice cracked. “They weren’t cartel! They weren’t ours! They came in separate. Black suits. Clean. Quiet. They weren’t supposed to take the girl. They just… did.”

“Who gave the order?”

His eyes flicked toward the door. “He left. Right before the attack. Said he was going to ‘finish it.’”

I dragged him to his feet. “Give me a name.”

He didn’t.

Not fast enough.

Theo was already behind him. One shot to the head. Blood sprayed.

The body hit the ground like punctuation.

I turned to Jude. “Status.”

“Back’s clear. No signs of either vehicle. They’re gone, Silas.”

No.

They couldn’t be.

I clenched my fists until blood welled around the cuts in my palms.

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