“You can wear these,” she said, tossing them on the couch. “Declan might get pissed, but I told him three times to come get his stuff, so it’s his own fault.”

He walked across the living room, touching the shirt. “Declan?”

“Ex.”

“Ah.”

“Shower’s through my room. Be quick.”

—

The hospital was buzzing with an angry energy when they arrived. Maisie searched the crowd for Declan, but she didn’t see him. She hadn’t heard from him since before the bombings yesterday, and no one had seen him. She was starting to think he was dead.

She walked down the hallway, Lennon following. There was a crowd around Lopez’s room. Beto stepped forward when he saw her.

“Hey, can I go in and talk to Lopez?” she asked.

He shook his head, his expression grim. “Not right now. Only my mom, my sister, and I are allowed for now.”

“Can you ask him about Lennon, then? I need to know what the plan is.”

“I, uh…” Beto shifted from foot to foot.

She frowned. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Have you heard from Declan?”

“No. Why does everyone keep asking me that? I don’t take orders from Declan.”

Julio turned, clearly annoyed. “If we’re not taking orders from Declan, who the hell are we taking orders from?”

“Would you be quiet?” Beto snapped at Julio.

“No!” Julio’s face went red. “You cannot keep this fucking quiet! Declan is MIA, and Uncle Franco is unconscious! We need to figure out what to do!”

Maisie gaped at Julio. “What do you mean, he’s not conscious?”

“He never woke up from surgery,” Julio said. “Beto and Jasmine were trying to keep it a secret.”

Maisie glanced around for Lopez’s daughter, but Jasmine was nowhere to be seen. She was a doctor in this hospital—maybe she was in the room with her dad.

“Goddammit, Julio.” Beto glared at him. “I was trying to keep people calm!”

“You were trying to run shit while your dad is unconscious.”

She glanced at the men around her. Julio, Beto, all the various Lopez cousins—they were all ready to come to blows. There was no plan in place—as far as she knew—for who would take over after Lopez’s death. Declan ran things, but the orders came from Lopez. Without him, there was no one to call the shots.

Not until one of these guys decided to take charge. She watched as Beto put a hand on the gun at his waist. He’d never seemed particularly interested in taking over for his dad, but maybe he was about to get interested.

Maisie discreetly reached out and wrapped her fingers around Lennon’s wrist. He jumped, just barely, but recovered quickly.

She slowly stepped away from Julio and Beto. Lennon moved with her.

Beto’s eyes slid briefly to her, but Julio stepped forward, getting in his face. He lost interest in Maisie.

Well, at least there were some benefits to everyone thinking she was harmless.

She maintained an even pace until they were outside the hospital doors. She let go of Lennon’s wrist. He fell into step beside her.