Page 27 of Dark Embers

He answers on the second ring. “Sabrina?”

“Is she with him?”

“No.” His voice is tight. “She was gone by the time I got here. But don’t worry—I’m looking for her.”

I grip my phone tighter. “Where is she, Sam?”

“I don’t know yet.” Sam’s voice is low and I can hear the edge of concern in it.

“Doesn’t Clyde know where she is?”

There's a pause before Sam tells me, “Clyde’s in a coma, Sabrina and it’s not looking good. He was shot twice. Once in the chest and then in the stomach.”

“Oh my God!” Shock pulses through me. “Is he going to live?”

“I don’t know.” Another pause. “I’m going to stay here until he wakes up, and while I’m here, I’ve got some contacts diggingaround to find her.” He clears his throat. “Listen I’ve already called your mother to let her know I’m looking for Tara now and she’s fired that idiot PI.” Another extended silence. “ You can tell Oleksi Mirochin his services are no longer required as well.”

A strange sensation prickles through my chest. Not relief. Not entirely. There’s a flash of disappointment, sharp and bitter, and I hate that I feel it.

“That’s… good,” I manage to say, keeping my voice steady.

“Are you okay, kid?” Sam asks, gentler now.

I don’t answer right away.How am I?I’ve just spent the night submitting to a Bratva prince who now knows I have a child. I’m exhausted, raw, sore, and drowning in sensations I don’t fully understand.

“I’m fine,” I lie, hoping I sound convincing enough.

“Good.” Clyde breathes a sigh of relief. “For a moment there your voice sounded like something had happened.”

“No!” I say a little too quickly. “Nothing happened. I think what you heard was disappointment and concern over Tara not being with Clyde.”

“Don’t worry, kid, I’ll find her,” Clyde promises.

“Thank you, Sam.” My voice wavers and I hate it.

“Stay out of trouble, while I’m gone,” he says softly. “I don’t want your daddy haunting me because I let anything happen to another one of his daughters.”

“Tara isn’t your fault, Sam,” I remind him.

“That’s debatable,” Sam mutters. “I must go. I’ll call you as soon as I have more news.”

The call ends and I stand there for a moment, just breathing. Trying to pull myself together before I head for the car, keys clenched tight in my hand like a lifeline. By the time I reach my apartment, the sun’s creeping higher into the sky. I lock the door behind me and lean against it for a second.

Then I pull out my phone and type out a message to Oleksi.

Thanks for the offer, but we have someone more reliable looking for Tara now.

I stare at it. I should leave it at that. But my thumb hovers.

Should I thank him for last night? For the mind-blowing, life-altering sex that still has my legs trembling?

No.I bite the inside of my cheek.Don’t be stupid. You’re not sixteen. You don’t thank a man for making you feel like your soul shattered and was rebuilt through your pussy.

I hit send before I can do something I’ll regret.

Dropping the phone on the couch, I head for the shower. I need to wash the night off me—his scent, his taste, the imprint of his mouth on my skin. I need to scrub him out of my pores and try to reclaim my sanity.

But even under the hot spray, as the steam curls around me and the water slides over every aching inch of my body, I can still feel him.

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