He strides through like he just walked out of a bar fight.
“Fuck, mate.” He pulls me into a rough, one-armed hug. I grab him back, grounding myself in the feel of him.
“Are you okay?” I ask, eyes narrowing as I spot the wet patch on his side.
Knox notices too. He moves fast, lifting Max’s shirt.
“It grazed me. I’mfine,” Max says, brushing us off, already pulling the shirt back down. He sounds sure, but there’s a slight tremble to it, the adrenaline still riding high.
“Fuck, Max,” Knox mutters, half growl, half worry.
“I said I’m fine. We have Dante. Let’s get the fuck out before Roman sends the wolves.” Max turns, already moving.
Knox raises an eyebrow but keeps quiet. For now.
We move, fast and tight, into the trees, three shadows slipping back into the wild.
Knox
We move fast, breaking into a run, the only sound our boots pounding the dirt. No talking. No looking back. Just distance. We’re not heading to the farm yet; it’s too dangerous. That place has to stay clean, untouched. It’s our last card.
Instead, we veer toward the nearest town, get lost in it before doubling back. The farm’s buried deep in trees and brush, hidden so well it took us years to notice it was there. But hewilltrack us. Every footprint, every broken branch.
So we give him a trail, let him follow it all theway to nowhere.
Dante’s breathing starts to hitch. I throw my fist up, halt. Max and I stop, still listening.
Nothing.
Silence so thick it chokes.
“Let’s slow down,” I say, lowering my voice. “We’re good… for now.”
I catch Dante out of the corner of my eye, rolling his shoulder, jaw tight.
Max shoots me a look, then pulls his bag around and digs.
“Here,” he says, handing Dante a bottle of water and two pills. “These have probably been in that house for a decade, but Aspen’s stash worked, so I’m betting these will too.” He gives a soft, forced chuckle.
Dante takes them and downs the water.
“Thanks, man.” A worn-out smile flickers across his face, but it dies quickly. He looks at Max, then me.
“Aspen gave you pills?”
His gaze sharpens like a blade.
“Yeah.” I grunt, fists already clenching. The simmering rage I’ve been pushing down starts to crawl up my spine again. “Our girl drugged Max. Hid it in tea. Then ran.”
“What the fuck was she thinking?” Dante snaps.
“She thought she was saving you,” Max mutters. That one stabs harder than I want to admit.
I trusted her. Looked her in the eyes. Felt her hand in mine.
She made a promise, and she broke it.
Now she’s gonna feel what that costs.
