EMBER’S POV

Knox deflects her arm; the explosive sound is deafening as the bullet tears wildly across the expansive floor.

In a single, brutal blur of motion, Knox rips the weapon from her grip, hauls me behind his massive back, and drives Devika to her knees, racking the slide of her own gun against her temple.

Across the room, the private lift doors slide open.

The stray bullet buries itself directly into the shoulder of the man stepping out.

All the breath is sucked out of my lungs.

The man doesn’t stagger. He doesn’t drop the silver spoon in his hand. He doesn’t even look down at the blood rapidly...