Burning Up

for?”
    “DarkRiver Construction. He specializes in making sure buildings are built to withstand seismic events.” That was how he’d put it, sounding far more academic than she’d expected. It had been obvious in that single sentence that he not only knew what he was doing, but that he loved his work. “He trained with Angus Wittier.” Wittier was considered the premier expert on seismic-proof building in the country.
    Simon nodded, his face contemplative. “Pass me the oregano and go get changed.”
    “Will the spaghetti be ready soon?” She wasn’t hungry, her stomach in knots as she waited to hear the outcome of the DarkRiver-Crew showdown, but she wanted to keep the emotional temperature mellow for her father. Simon only cooked spaghetti when he was stressed—Amber’s situation was clearly worrying him more than he’d admitted.
    “Ten minutes.”
    “I’ll set the table after I change.” Walking up to her bedroom, she closed the door before calling Jet. “How’s Amber?” she asked when her brother answered.
    “She’s okay right now, resting.” His voice was soft. “Tell Mom and Dad not to worry—the doctor says everything’s super with the baby.”
    “Hah,” she said, with a smile. “You know how they are.”
    “You’ll keep them calm, Ri-ri.” Said with absolute confidence. “I’ll call you as soon as anything changes.”
    Hanging up, Ria changed, and then did what Jet had expected her to do—she made sure everyone remained calm—though her own emotions had her feeling incredibly fragile beneath the surface. What if something happened to Emmett? No , she told herself, somehow managing to maintain her composed facade even when Amber suddenly went into labor and the entire family rushed to the hospital, escorted by a trio of DarkRiver soldiers.
    They were walking past the emergency room when several ambulances came screaming in. Ria recognized the shock of white-blond hair on the stretcher they pulled out of the back of one vehicle. “Dorian,” she whispered, looking for Emmett’s big form. He wasn’t there. But Dorian was bleeding, the red stark against the pale gold of his skin. “Popo—”
    “Go.” Miaoling squeezed her hand. “I’ll take care of your mom.”
    Cian by her side, Ria ran to the fallen DarkRiver soldier, slipping her hand into his as the medical team worked around her. “Hold on, Dorian.” He was unconscious, but she felt as if he knew she was there. She turned to Cian. “Tamsyn?”
    A nurse pushed Ria out of the way as they wheeled Dorian into an operating theatre. Turning, she found Cian on the phone. “She’s almost here,” he told her, putting the phone in his pocket. Tiny lines of concern fanned out from the corners of his pale blue eyes.
    Tamsyn ran in mere minutes later, a slender blonde female by her side. While the healer ran through to prep for the operating theatre, the woman halted beside Cian. The soldier immediately put his arm around her shoulders. “What’re you doing here?”
    “I was at Tammy’s when the call came in,” the woman said, pushing back her hair.
    The instant Ria saw her eyes, all the pieces fell into place. The way Cian moved, the way he spoke, no wonder it had seemed familiar. “You’re Emmett’s parents.”
    “And you must be Ria. I’m Keelie.” Emmett’s mother’s smile was wide, those whiskey-colored eyes she’d bequeathed her son as bright as diamonds.
    Ria didn’t even think about shaking hands. She walked forward and into open arms. The hug was tight. “Have you heard from Emmett?” Keelie asked.
    Surprised that Keelie expected Emmett to call her first, Ria shook her head. “Not yet.” Her phone rang at that very instant. Pulling it out, she put it to her ear.
    “I’m on my way to the hospital, mink. Don’t faint.”
    She felt her stomach drop. “What’s wrong? Emmett, if you’ve been shot—”
    “It’s just a flesh wound. You can kiss it better.” His tone was warm, a caress across her skin. “I’ll come by after I stop in at the hospital—”
    “I’m here,” she interrupted him. “Amber’s in labor.”
    “Problems?” Sharp concern.
    Her heart clenched. “It’s a couple of weeks too early, but the doctor said he didn’t foresee any difficulties.” She took a shuddering breath, trying to convince herself of that. “I’m in the ER. I saw Dorian being brought in.”
    “Is Blondie okay?”
    “Tamsyn’s in there with him.”
    “He took a bullet through the