Page 31 (1/2)

"She was outside?"

"In the alley"

I knew the layout My men would’ve positioned themselves all around her, which meant so about them to Cole He was family, but he wasn’t in that faed I didn’t need to think about that vow, I just breathed it

The storm kicked up to a low boil

"Where is she?"

"At the friends’ that you told me about I went and checked on her"

He’d made himself known to them Noah, Theresa, and Aripped the phone tighter, but kept my voice even No reaction "She was fine?"

"She was Her friends were taking care of her"

I knehy Cole had gone Emma was iance to me and needed to see for himself that she was fine I understood it, but I wasn’t happy about it

"Cole," I ain"

There was silence for a beat "Carter?"

"If my men are with her, she is fine"

"I went to see for htly now, "I know That’s not needed"

He grew quiet "I owe you my life This isYou owe the fa now I am not your priority They are"

I saw Gene turn his head to look at me I’d cut Cole off, but what I said was true His first priority was to the Mauricio family, not my family It pained me to say this, but Emma wasn’t and shouldn’t have been his focus He should’ve checked on her the next day

He was silent on his end of the phone, which was fine I expected nothing else "Aht to assume the bomb came from the Bartel family?"

"Carter"

He didn’t answer my question "You need to make sure it was from the Bartel faize for checking on your woain"

I closed my eyes I shouldn’t have wanted to hear that, but I was proud of him anyway "You need to plan your next move," I told him