Page 111 of Consume Me

“It was a diversion. We need to touch base with the compound to see if it was attacked as well,” Kaden says as we move inside.

“Fuck.” Blake roars, smashing his fist into the wall.

The security chief gets in contact with his man at the compound, and he confirms the attack.

“We had casualties, but Ma’am is safe; she was brought into the bunker.”

As soon as I’m seated, my feet bounce up and down in the rhythm of a ball of anxiety rolling through me. Blake puts a hand on my knee, and his touch is enough to ease my frayed nerves. Everyone around me is so stiff, you’d think we are expecting someone to attack us. The flight back is so tense that we all hurry out as soon as the door opens.

The moment we drive through the gates of the compound, the blood and bullet casings paint a picture of carnage.

“We stopped them,” one guard says as we get out of the van, but what he doesn’t say speaks louder:For now. They will try again.

Samuel lets us inside the estate, and when my father sees us, he rushes over, holding Hunter and me to his sides. Christine cries softly, patting Kaden’s chest as if wanting to make sure he’s all right.

Sebastian hugs Celine, but Cassandra just watches her before sweeping her gaze over all of us. She keeps her role as the matriarch intact and does not have favorites.

“It’s war. It’s them or us,” Cassandra says. “I’m sorry I can’t protect you from that.”

“They want a war, they will get one,” Kaden says, jaw set in a hard line.

“They want the estate. That means they can’t be far away and will remain in the country. And that’s our first lead,” Blake says.

As she rubs at her temple, she exhales a deep sigh. “I don’t even know where you would be safe.”

“Ma’am, as long as we’re together, we will be fine. None of us will abandon our home,” Celine says.

We all nod in agreement.

“I will increase the security on land and in the air. The college wasn’t attacked.”

Of course not. They want to conquer the seat of power first.

“You could remain here,” Cassandra suggests.

“No, I think a bit of normalcy will do us good, and if we’re not in class, rumors will start. We can’t let that happen,” I say.

“We won’t give them the satisfaction of being afraid and hiding,” Abi says.

After the doctor for the Family checks us all, we are excused. We dip our heads in goodbye and pile into our cars.

“That was close. I need alcohol,” Abi says as soon as we get inside our house.

“You and me both, princess,” Dane says, going to the bar.

“What about you two?”

“Alcohol doesn’t help me. I can’t feel it,” Blake gives.

“Why?” Abi asks.

I squeeze his hand, encouraging him to open up.

“No weaknesses, right? So Caleb got rid of mine.”

“Fucker,” she says, and Blake grins.

“I’ll drink for you,” Dane says, and we all chuckle.

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