“She was outside?”

“In the alley.”

I knew the layout. My men would’ve positioned themselves all around her, which meant some of those men were close to the blast. I didn’t say anything about them to Cole. He was family, but he wasn’t in that family. Those men were mine and Emma’s. They would be avenged. 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 Amanda now knew about another player in my life. I gripped the phone tighter, but kept my voice even. No reaction. “She was fine?”

“She was. Her friends were taking care of her.”

I knew why Cole had gone. Emma was my life. She’d been left behind in his city. He felt an allegiance to me and needed to see for himself that she was fine. I understood it, but I wasn’t happy about it.

“Cole,” I murmured.

“Yes?”

“Do not ever go near those friends again.”

There was silence for a beat. “Carter?”

“If my men are with her, she is fine.”

“I went to see for my own eyes—”

I cut him off, holding the phone so damn tightly now, “I know. That’s not needed.”

He grew quiet. “I owe you my life. This is my city—”

Another interruption. “You don’t owe me anything. You owe the family everything 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. “Am I right 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 family.”

“Carter.”

“What?”

“I will never apologize for checking on your woman, and I will do it again.”

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.

“I already have.” He paused a moment. “Was your trip home worthwhile?”

“Yes.” I glanced to Gene, who didn’t hide that he’d been listening to the conversation. He lifted an eyebrow, and I said, “Very.”

“Good. Now go home to your woman, Carter. She needs you. And no, this family does not.”

Not yet.

I heard the hesitation from Cole’s end, and felt a slight grin inside. Cole had been outside of the family before, when the Bartels first attacked. He was now back in the family, and they dropped a bomb in the nightclub. Whether Emma was the target or not, it had happened in a family business. I knew what Cole’s message was. I was still out. But despite what he wanted, it wouldn’t last. I knew this. Gene knew it. We’d gone home to take steps for when I was pulled in. Now I flew back. I had to take care of Emma now.

“I’ll talk to you later.”

Cole chuckled from the other end. “I’ll be seeing you. You’re a lucky man, Carter.”

As I hung up, I turned to Gene. “Your nephew will be a good leader.”

He laughed. “He put you in your place, that’s for sure.”

We both wore a grin, but it wasn’t a laughing matter. Once our plane landed, Gene went to his family and I went to mine.

When I entered Noah’s home, the lights were off, except for a few lamps in the corners, and I heard a murmur of conversation from the master bedroom. Noah and Theresa must’ve still been up. But I went straight to the bedroom Noah had told me he would put her in, and when I opened the door, there she was.

My world righted itself once again.

She lay a bit awkwardly on her back with her head turned to the side. She must have chosen her position based on her injuries. Her hand rested on top of the covers, her fingers entwined with Amanda’s, who lay next to her.

I stood and watched. I wanted to pull her into my arms, take her from Amanda’s side, and protect her from the world. That’s where I should’ve been instead of leaving her. My jaw clenched, and the storm began inside me again.

I should’ve been here.

It should’ve been me holding her hand the entire time, not Amanda, though I was grateful for her presence.

Then Amanda’s eyes opened. She didn’t start when she saw me, just smiled slowly and sat up. Untangling her hand, she whispered, “She’ll be okay. She’s just missing you.”

I nodded. I didn’t trust myself to speak. I shouldn’t have gone away. “Thank you,” I finally managed.

She slid out from the covers. Coming to me, she asked, “Can I talk to you? Outside?”

No. Inside I raged against the idea of leaving Emma again, but I nodded and followed her back to the hallway. With the door shut, she said, “Do we need to be worried about her?”

I didn’t ask what she meant. Amanda and Theresa were smart. They both knew something was going on. Instead, I nodded. “Yes.”

She sucked in her breath. “I didn’t think you would admit it.”