Very slowly, Ren turned to face the four-star general. “What do you think you're doing?”“I should ask you the same question! You just walked in here, covered in blood, and you think I'm just going to let you go?”Ren frowned. “What are you even saying? You think I killed him? Now you want to kill me?”“You're coming with me back to the base. By the time my boys handle you right, you'll tell us everything. From how you lured my daughter out here and put her in danger, and killed the assassin you hired, to cover up your crime.”Ren was silent for a long moment, then he threw his head back and laughed hard. The veins on the side of his head and neck throbbed violently as he did. The general picked offense. “You think this is funny?” “Fucking hilarious.” His eyes were red-rimmed when he eventually stopped laughing. They shifted to Amaya at the same moment the smile disappeared from his face. “Go on and tell your old man.”Amaya heaved a sigh and turned a glare on her father. “Just stop

Ren Carter finally showed up at OakHills hospital for the first time in three weeks. It was nothing but Ryker’s call that brought him out of his shell. Not because he was afraid. But because he was curious to know what the Blackthorns had planned. Greetings were thrown at him from left, right and center as he glided across the lobby towards the elevator. There was an air of confidence around him today. He wasn't sure why. “You look good for a director who's neglected his duties for three weeks.”Ren turned around to see Zara Meadows standing behind him. The elevator doors slid open and she sidestepped him. “Aren't you getting on?” He managed to do that before the doors slid shut. “Morning,” he muttered, scooting away from her. Her eyes rolled up and she watched him with curious interest. “Are you sure you're still the director?” “My cousin died. I had to take some time off.” Ren felt bad about using his cousin as an excuse, but he would take that over facing the penitentiary doc

Hana had been at her desk ever since Ren left for work that morning without so much as five words to her. He’d had a serious demeanor about him that stopped her from asking him if they could continue their session tonight. She had been shocked by his sudden willingness the previous night. Even more by his dedication to giving her the first draft of the story. She couldn't help but wonder. What had come over him? Why so compliant all of a sudden?Still, she was grateful for the change, because she had been worried about how her little hope of reviving her career had chosen to remain bleak. Now that he'd decided to open the can of worms, she hoped to milk him until he was dry of every juice that could help boost her career. She also hoped the day would come when she would no longer have to keep her darkest secret from him. The one that had to do with him and the explosion in Tokyo penitentiary. She didn't want to die with the weight of guilt. She feared it would crush her even in th