LOGINDeLuca was on his feet now, his face twisted with rage as he stumbled toward us. Blood was seeping out of his shoulder, but his eyes burned with a dangerous intensity.
Jake pulled his trigger again, but DeLuca was faster, diving behind a stack of crates for cover. Jake’s shot ricocheted off the metal, ringing in my ears. Scarlett clung to me, her body trembling against mine as I shifted her behind me to shield her with my body.
The roar of bikes split through the night as we pulled up to the clubhouse.Scarlett was safe, and relatively unharmed. Though the haunted look in her eyes told a different story.She clung to me, fingers digging into my cut as I helped her out of the SUV. Her body was trembling like a leaf. The boys dismounted behind us, their faces grim, movements slow as they checked wounds and exchanged quiet words.Shadow barked wildly, his tail a blur of excitement as he and Laura burst through the clubhouse doors with Logan trailing behind them.Laura’s face was pale, her eyes wide with fear and relief as she rushed toward us. Her arms were wrapped around Scarlett before the girl could even take a step, pulling her into a tight squeeze.“Oh my god,” Laura whispered, her voice breaking as she pressed a kiss
DeLuca was on his feet now, his face twisted with rage as he stumbled toward us. Blood was seeping out of his shoulder, but his eyes burned with a dangerous intensity.Jake pulled his trigger again, but DeLuca was faster, diving behind a stack of crates for cover. Jake’s shot ricocheted off the metal, ringing in my ears. Scarlett clung to me, her body trembling against mine as I shifted her behind me to shield her with my body.“Stay down,” I ordered, my voice low and urgent.Her grip tightened on my cut, but she nodded, crouching low as I stepped forward with my gun raised. Jake was already moving, circling around the crates to flank DeLuca.The rest of the hangar was still now. Viktor’s men had finished off DeLuca’s crew. There was blood everywhere, and bodies littered the floor. The plane’s engines roared to life in the silence, and Viktor
The choppers descended, touching down in a clearing just outside the woods. We piled out quickly with weapons drawn, our movements swift and silent.Viktor’s men fanned out, and their eyes scanned the trees for any sign of movement. Jake and I fell into step behind Viktor as we made our way toward the airfield.The woods were dense, but we moved with purpose. The crunch of leaves under our feet was the only sound, and even that felt deafening in the silence. My heart hammered in my chest, but I forced myself to stay focused.Scarlett was close. And I wasn’t leaving without her.Viktor motioned for us to halt, raising his hand in a fist. He crouched low, his eyes scanning the tree line ahead. I followed his gaze, and my fingers tightened around the grip of my gun. There, just beyond the trees, was a perimeter fence. And beyond that, the airfield.Jake leaned in, whispering quietly. “They’ve gotta have guards. No way they’re not watchin' the perimeter.”Viktor nodded, his expression gri
We burst into a small clearing, and I almost tripped over a man who was slumped against a tree. His hand was clutching the side of his chest where blood poured freely through his fingers.His face was pale, slick with sweat, and his breathing came in ragged gasps, but he was clearly conscious.“Hold!” I shouted, raising a hand to stop my men from approaching. My gun was trained on him instantly, my finger hovering over the trigger. “Where is she?” I snarled, my voice low.The man coughed, a wet gurgling sound. He looked up at me, his eyes glassy but defiant. “The little bitch shot me,” he rasped. “You’re too late. She’s gone.”A feeling of pride washed over me for a second. She’d shot him. My little hellcat. Then it was gone, and I was focused back on the task at hand. “Where?” I demanded, stepping closer. “Tell me, or I’ll make y
I stared at the shoe in my hand, the weight of it crushing me. My daughter’s shoe. She was here, and now she wasn’t. The silence was unbearable, but then Bones broke it, his voice low and urgent.“Nash,” he said, crouching down next to a patch of disturbed earth. “Look.”I moved closer, my eyes locking onto the ground. Three sets of footprints… boots, heavy and deliberate. And one smaller set, uneven, with one shoe missing. Scarlett.My chest tightened as I took in the trail. It led deeper into the woods, but something about the way the tracks twisted and turned felt off.“They’re leadin’ us in circles,” I muttered, my voice rough. “They’re toying with us.”Jake cursed under his breath, his jaw tightening as he scanned the area. &l
The phone call came at 12:42 PM, and it shattered whatever fragile iota of peace I’d been clinging to.I was mid-conversation with Jake at the bar when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, glancing at the screen. It was Nate. One of the prospects posted up at the school. My gut twisted before I even answered.“Yeah,” I barked into the phone, my voice sharp as a blade.“Nash,” Nate panted, his voice shaky. “It’s Scarlett. I—I swear, I looked away for just a second, and—”“What?” I asked, my heart jumping into my throat.“Her gym class was outside running laps around the track. I saw her talkin’ to some guy at the edge of the track, just off the parking lot. Then Otto sent me a text and I looked at my phone for a second. I only looked away for a second, Nash… When I look







