Knox rises, broad shoulders heaving, his black combat gear making him look even bigger. More dangerous. Blood coats his hands, a few drops splattered on his cheek.
“Knox!” I stumble to my feet, but my legs give out before I can reach him.
He moves faster than I can process, catching me before I even have the chance to fall, his grip strong, pulling me into him like he’s afraid to let go. In one fluid motion, he hauls me up, my legs wrapping around his waist as I bury my face against his neck, breathing him in, clinging to him, anchoring myself in the feel of his body, his warmth, his scent.
“I thought…” The words shake as they leave me, a sob tearing its way through my chest, my fingers curling into the back of his shirt like I can hold him closer, like I can make sure he never leaves my side again. “I thought you wouldn’t make it in time.”
“I know, Aspen.” His arms tighten around me, locking me in, surrounding me in the only place that feels safe, the only place thatfeels like home. Because that’s what this is. This is where I belong. This is who I belong to.
Then the thought slams into me like a fist to the gut.
“Ryker?!”
Tears well up again, panic clawing at my chest as I turn my face up to Knox, waiting, bracing, praying he won’t give me another soul-shattering piece of news, another loss I won’t survive, because I can’t.
“Here.” He calls out, sounding calm and steady, laced with amusement, and when I turn, Ryker is there, his fingers curled around the handle of a knife, the blade dripping red, his smirk dark, his eyes glinting with something feral.
“Just giving your other friend a farewell gift.”
He chuckles, and just like that, the sob I’ve been trying to hold back crashes over me like a wave.
“Easy, sweetheart.”
Max’s tone is softer, a contrast to all the violence that just unfolded, and when I feel his fingers thread gently through my hair, I reach for him blindly, stretching out my arm, pulling him in until his warmth is pressed against me too, grounding me, keeping me from unraveling.
“Ryker.” His name is barely a whisper as I reach for him, needing him just as much, and without hesitation, he steps in, fitting himself into the space beside us like he’s always meant to be there.
I stay like that, wrapped up in them, my men, my family, but as I press my forehead against Knox’s shoulder, the warmth of themall surrounding me, the crushing weight of reality settles in my chest.
It’s not complete.
It won’t be, not until Dante is here with us.
Knox
Ican’t let her go.
Fuck.I thought we weren’t going to find her in time.
She’s sobbing, her arms wrapped around Ryker and Max, her head buried in my neck. Her tears are hot, but they don’t soothe. Theyslice. Every drop is a blade across my skin.
I have to protect her. I won’t lose her. I can’t lose any of them.
Dante… I’m coming for him. Even if I have to burn what’s left ofour home to ash.
And Roman? He’ll pay. I should’ve ended him the moment I formed BloodHawks. That bastard never deserved to breathe past that day.
I force myself to breathe, to think. We can’t stay here. When these two don’t report back, Roman’s going to send more after Aspen.
And that’s what’s bugging me…
Why her?
He’s already got the base. Dante. Half our weapons. Aspen doesn’t know the codes to the rest. So why take the risk?
Because she’s a woman?
There are some women in town. He wouldn’t waste men for just that.
