“We need footage from where the others were found in the alley at Bathe,” he ordered. “V is down for the count, but someone else can—”
“Vishous is already on it,” Z said. “And he’s trying to access cameras in the area where these bodies were found, too. Pretty rundown street, though. The public safety monitoring system is probably out of commission—he’s still going to do his best, though. From his bed.”
Wrath should have known that the brother wouldn’t stay down, even if he had to do the searching from flat on his back.
Abruptly, there was a beeping alarm. Then a series of bolts unlocking. After that, a metal-on-metal trundling as the big bay door opened. The air that rushed in was cold and bracing, and it cleared out some of the engine scents.
“Fritz is here,” Beth offered softly.
“Take me to the car.”
Without hesitation, she hooked her arm through his and piloted them through the space, even as the quiet purr of the Mercedes’s engine oriented him.
“My Lord, allow me,” the butler said as he opened a door.
“Thanks, Fritz.”
After he shuffled Beth forward so she got in first, Wrath joined her, and the faithfuldoggenshut them in. Leather, the vaguely chemical fragrance of new carpet, and a twinkle of window cleaner entered his nose as he reached out for hisshellan’shand.
The partition was up. He could tell by the muffled sounds of the butler getting back behind the wheel.
“I have the addresses, my Lord.” A tinny version of Fritz’s voice came through the intercom speaker. “We shall be at the first of the families’ homes in about twenty minutes. There are fresh waters in the refrigerator compartment, should you wish for them.”
A bumping and a little descent told Wrath that they were backed out of the garage, and then the stop-and-go ride through the grid of streets and avenues began. He tried to think of what to say to make things better, but there were no words that could do that.
Ending fucking Lash would.
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” he muttered gruffly.
There was a deceleration as they came up to what was obviously another red light.
“It’s so much worse for the families,” she murmured sadly.
“That’s true.”
Forward motion again. A couple of turns. Then an incline and a brisk increase of speed. They were on the Northway now, the purring engine and whoosh of speed making him think of the accident on the highway. Of V and Tohr who were soldiering on. Of all the Brotherhood and the fighters.
And all the risks they faced every time they went out into the field.
“Wrath?” she whispered softly.
He knew what she was going to say before she spoke. Still, he replied, “What?”
“You can’t step down from the throne.”
Closing his eyes, even though he didn’t use them, he let his head fall back on the rest. “That decision’s been made,leelan.”
“So why are you going to these people’s homes and talking to them about their dead sons.”
His exhale was partially air, mostly the wordfuckdrawn out like it had a hundred syllables. “I’m still a member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. That hasn’t changed.”
“They are going to want to see their King. And that is who they will honor when you walk through their door on the worst night of their lives.”
Passing his thumb back and forth over her wrist, he shrugged. “Well, I can’t offer that anymore. A brother is what they’re getting.”
“It’s not enough.”
He cranked his head toward her and strained to see her, even though that was such a useless effort. “I’m not living the last week between us again. Ever. I’m just not going to have that as part of our lives.”
