Page 91 of From the Ashes

“All those in favor of Camilla’s motion,” Crew says.

I raise my hand and watch as Leroy raises his without hesitation.

Miriam keeps hers down, her glare set on me as it has been since she first stepped into the room.

Christopher speaks in hushed tones with Greyson, and it’s clear they’re disagreeing about which way they should vote, but ultimately his hand remains down.

“I’m sorry, but the deals I have with the Davenports are too valuable to allow to go to waste.”

I nod and lower my hand, holding my mask in place. I was raised in this life, and I know better than to think these people will ever do the right thing. That’s just not in their nature, but at least I know who’s on my side if push comes to shove.

Charles opens his mouth to say something, but suddenly there’s a blaring alarm that fills the room, followed by a dousing of water from the ceiling as the sprinklers kick in.

Miriam screams about her hair, causing me to roll my eyes as I get to my feet slowly.

Elias appears in the doorway. “Sorry to cut your meeting short, folks, but the building next door has a small fire which has tripped our smoke alarms. Police and firefighters are on their way.”

Nothing gets a group of criminals moving quite like mentioning law enforcement, and they file out of the room without so much as a backward glance.

I look up at Crew, assuming this was planned, but when I find him frowning, my stomach drops.

“What’s the plan?” I ask.

“Kovu, I want you to follow Caleb and Charles. Find out where they’re going and stay on them. The rest of us are going to head back to the compound and regroup.”

Kovu presses a kiss to the top of my head. “Be safe, Little Lamb.”

“You too, big guy.”

I savor his warmth for another moment as the water continues to rain from the ceiling.

He heads toward the exit ahead of us, while Crew grabs my hand and pulls me out the same way, his eyes moving constantly as we hurry toward the exit.

Elias falls in step beside me. “As far as I can tell, the fire next door is legit. Wyatt is checking it out just to be on the safe side.”

Crew gives him a curt nod as we walk past Luca, and I pause for a moment. “Can you organize for all our high-level guys to meet with me tomorrow? I want a plan for how we’re going to exterminate this city of Charles Davenport and make it look like it was self-defense.”

“I’m on it.” He gives me a quick smile and heads out ahead of us while Crew and Bishop finish talking to Elias.

Where did Kaos go?

By the time we get outside, I’m drenched to the bone, and I can’t fight the shiver that racks through my body. The sooner I get home and have a hot shower, the better.

Kaos is waiting on the curb for us as Kovu pulls away in the black muscle car he’s yet to take me for a ride in.

I make a mental note to ask him about that when he gets home later, as Kaos pulls me under his arm.

I bury my face in his chest, and even though he’s just as saturated as I am, his warmth gives me a little reprieve from the chill that feels like it’s down to my bones already.

“I’ll run you a bath when we get home, Princess,” Kaos whispers against the top of my head.

“You might be my new favorite if you keep that up.” I giggle, finally allowing the mask to drop now that everyone else has already scattered and we’re blissfully alone.

“Hey!” Bishop smacks his hand down on my dress-covered ass, tearing a gasp from my throat.

I’m about to curse him out when the ground shakes, followed immediately by an explosion somewhere in the distance.

I turn toward the way it came, the same way Kovu just drove away, and my stomach drops.

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