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“Considering I saw what was left of the bed, I feel like discussion is necessary.”

“Sentinel.”

He holds up both hands, laughing. “Fine. But yeah… Carnage. Raze took one look at what Rhett could do when somebody gave him a reason and apparently thought subtlety was overrated.”

“Sounds like Raze.”

“Sounds like Carnage.”

I snort out a laugh. “Unfortunately.”

Sentinel’s eyes narrow playfully. “Careful. Someone might start thinking you like him.”

I point at him. “I admit to nothing.”

His laughter follows me as I turn toward the bike, but I’m smiling too hard to sell the threat.

Sentinel waits until it settles before his voice softens. “Raze gave him that name because by then he knew exactly what Rhett was capable of. Yeah, he could leave carnage behind when somebody deserved it, but Raze also knew he’d never turn that violence on someone just because another person told him to.”

That changes the name when I hear it like that.

Carnage wasn’t something Hell branded onto him—Raze gave it to him the day he became a King.

“And Sentinel?” I ask.

He spreads his hands. “Have you seen me?”

I stare at him. “Seriously?”

“What? It’s a great-fucking-name.”

“Your ego really is celestial.”

“Why, thank you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“Can’t lie, Echo. Never said anything about deliberately misunderstanding people.”

I shake my head, but I’m smiling.

“That’s what people miss about Carnage,” Sentinel continues, some of the humor fading again. “They see the fire, the fangs, the attitude, and that name across his cut, and they think they’ve got him worked out. He’s perfectly happy letting them believe it because showing them anything else means trusting them with something he learned a long time ago people can use against him.”

“But the Kings know?”

“Yeah.” Sentinel’s eyes stay on mine. “We know.”

I think about last night. Carnage had made damn sure I wanted him, never once pressuring me or taking away my choice. And when that door exploded inward, his first instinct had been to protect me, without a second thought for what might happen to him.

“And lately…” Sentinel adds. “He’s been letting you know too.”

My eyes lift to his.

There’s no teasing in his face this time.

“Maybe he hasn’t figured that out yet. Maybe you haven’t either. But I know Carnage, Echo. I know exactly how hard that bastard makes people work before he lets them anywhere near the parts that matter.”

My throat tightens. “And he’s letting me?”