Ravenous Kingpin (Kingpins of the Syndicate #4)

34. Killian

CHAPTER 34

Killian

D espite my best efforts, I kept slipping in and out of consciousness. The more I held on to the sliver of light, the harder it was to stay awake. But deep in my consciousness, I remembered the promise I made to Emory.

That I would protect her. That I would always be with her.

So I fought until I managed to open my eyes and found familiar dark eyes glaring at me.

“Where in the fuck is my sister?” My blurry surroundings came into focus as I attempted to lift off the bed. Basilio pushed me back down and I winced. “Don’t you dare try to get up or Wynter will have my balls.”

“Damn right.” My cousin’s face appeared next, her cheeks and lips slightly puffy as if she’d been crying. “Killian, you gave us a scare.”

“Emory,” I croaked.

It took all my strength to push the word out, each one taking an immense amount of energy. Soft hands gripped mine before I felt one wet cheek pressing against my hand, and I turned my head to find Juliette’s tearstained face there.

“I was so worried, Killian. I haven’t slept in days, watching you around the clock. We all were.”

“I wasn’t,” Basilio gritted. “I’m worried about my sister. Where is she?”

At least my brother-in-law was honest, although the fact that he was asking me about Emory wasn’t a good sign. Fuck. She was gone. Again.

“Atticus Popov attacked my estate and took her,” I rasped, my tongue heavy.

“Why?”

“I don’t know, but he has to be found,” I muttered. “He wanted something from Em and she refused to give it to him. We have to find her.” Fuck, why was it so hard to talk? Basilio was already on his phone, typing a message to someone, and I turned my head to look at Wynter. “How long was I out?”

“Two days,” Wynter answered. Fuck, too long.

“Where am I?” I questioned.

“At my place,” Basilio grumbled.

“We came to visit you after the Alliance event,” Wynter explained. “Basilio was going to apologize for?—”

“For being an asshole,” Juliette cut in.

“I was looking out for Emory.” Basilio glared at me. “And rightly so. This would have never happened under my watch.”

Wynter lightly smacked him, giving him a warning look before adding, “Anyhow, we found the bodies of some of your guards and then you, bleeding in your foyer.”

I frowned. “You’re not supposed to know about that place.”

Juliette scoffed. “Tell that to Priest. He knows no bounds when it comes to privacy. Good thing too, since you would be dead if not for him handing over the location of your fancy, private manor.”

I shook my head. “I had body armor on. No vital organs were hit.”

“No vital organs were hit but you lost so much blood you almost died.” Juliette’s brittle voice pierced my ears and drove needles into my skull.

“You really have to soften your voice, Jules,” I muttered as I shifted and sat up, moving my legs to hang off the bed. Fuck, it felt like I’d aged decades in the last two days.

Juliette glared down at me. “What are you doing?”

“I’m getting up.”

My words caused commotion and protests, my sister’s being the loudest as she questioned, “And where are you going?

“Going after my wife.”