Page 27 of Broken Kingdom

Without a glance over my shoulder at the smoldering church, I do, flying low above my friends’ heads as the wail of sirens pierce the evening air.

Fifteen

Ford

We reach the SUV the tactical team loaned us earlier—clearly hoping we’d elect to stay in the vehicle and out of their hair—and I wrench open the door, grabbing one of the leftover towels from the Dollar Store.

As Juliet touches down, shifting just before her feet hit the pavement, I’m ready to catch her and wrap her up in the soft terrycloth.

“There you are.” I hug her so tight I summon a soft crack from somewhere in her spine. “Sorry. Are you okay?”

“I’m perfect.” She wraps her arms around my neck and returns my embrace with one nearly as fierce. “Let’s never do that again.”

“Get kidnapped by a crazy person who wants to marry or kill one of us?”

“No, be apart. Turns out I’m pretty fucking attached to you,” she says, pressing a kiss to my jaw before she adds in a whisper for my ears only, “I love you. Only you. Forever.”

Chest aching with emotion, I say in a rough voice, “Forever, baby. I’m going to make a safe place for you. For us. I promise. No matter how dirty I have to fight to make it happen.”

She pulls back, gazing up into my eyes. “Which means Hammer’s still alive, I’m assuming?”

“He’s alive and in rare form, even for him, but hopefully we can get to him before he pulls off his latest shit plan,” I say, nodding toward the SUV. “Let’s get on the road. We’ll fill you in on the way to Lost Moon.”

Wrapping the towel more tightly around her chest and tucking it into place, she climbs into the back seat. I follow her while Layla hurries around to the passenger’s side and Catherine fires up the engine. “Veggie burgers for the road anyone?” Catherine asks. “Layla has pineapple, but jailbreaks make me extra hungry.”

“Sure, but let me call Hermione for an update before we leave the city,” Layla says. “Get the full scoop on what’s going on with Juliet and Ford’s deadbeat dad.”

“Stepdad on my side,” I correct, wishing I didn’t have to claim Hammer at all.

Maybe, someday soon, I won’t.

Juliet glances my way. “You told them?” Before I can answer, she sighs, “I’m glad. They should know what they’re getting into before they go any farther down this road with us.”

“I already know I’m going all the way, Jules,” Layla says, as she holds her cell to her ear. “I just want to—” She breaks off as Hermione picks up on the other line. “Hey, Hermione, it’s Layla. We have Juliet, Jean-Paul and a bunch of his bad guys are dead, and Juliet’s piece-of-shit cousin who double-crossed her is tied up in a bathroom at the front of the church. She’ll need to be locked up somewhere, but somewhere not too awful because she’s pregnant.” A grin splits her face at something the other woman says. “Yeah, I know. What can I say? We get shit done. So, what’s up on your end? Should we come back there or head straight to Wyoming? Because you know these two aren’t going to sit around on their hands and wait for someone else to fight their battles. And Catherine and I are totally along for the ride.”

Juliet leans closer, whispering, “Am I crazy or is Layla flirting with Maxim’s second-in-command?”

“She has a crush,” I whisper back, brushing her hair from her face. “You looked smoking hot in that wedding gown, by the way.”

She smiles. “But hotter after I started spitting fire.”

I return her grin. “Absolutely. Still, a big fan of you in white with your hair all fancy. Maybe I’ll get to see you dressed that way again sometime soon? This time of your own free will because you can’t wait to marry the guy who’s crazy about you?”

She curls her hand into mine. “If that was your way of asking me to marry you, the answer is yes. But I’m wearing red and orange, fire colors to remind anyone who’s thinking about challenging my rule what happens to people who cross me.”

I squeeze her fingers. “I like your ruthless queen side.”

“I won’t be ruthless all the time,” she says, her grin fading. “Only when people abuse my compassionate side. I just want peace, Ford. I want that for us and our people and our friends.” She drops her voice back to a whisper, “And I want to ask Catherine and Alexander and Layla to join our pack if they want. I want Zion to be a place where anyone who wants peace, prosperity, and community can thrive.”

I sigh, wishing I didn’t have to tell her about Alexander. But she needs to know everything she’s missed since the butt crack of dawn this morning.

This morning…

It’s insane to think it’s been less than a day since we learned we’d been betrayed by half the people who promised to help us reclaim control of Lost Moon.

“Okay, got it,” Layla says as Catherine takes a left, pulling down a busier street. “Yeah, we can get to the airport, no problem. We borrowed one of the team’s SUVs. I’ll let you know where we park it in case someone wants to come pick it up later.” A smile creeping into her voice again she adds, “And glad you’re coming to Wyoming. It’ll be nice to have a mission leader who knows we have something to offer on the battlefield.”

“Wyoming?” Juliet’s brows lift. “Zion pack’s part of Wyoming?”

---