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“She’ll like this one,” Madd says from somewhere to my right.

I glance in his direction and huff a surprised laugh. Not only has he practically climbed a tree to grab the flower of some fruit tree, but he’s got a huge bouquet tucked into his shirt. Is it shitty of me to almost hope he gets a rash from that?

I mean, I only have a few flowers and dude is bringing so many they won’t fit in the sole vase we saw in the cabana. If it were up to me, I’d be the only one to ever draw a smile from her, but I’d willingly chosen to share her with my two best friends, my brothers, and I guess wishing an allergic reaction on Maddox isn’t cool.

It’d still be funny, though.

The crack of twigs catches my attention. It’s far enough away it’s not from either Madd or me, and a quick look confirms the guards are exactly where they were when the two of us wandered out here about an hour ago.

It’s literally less than a ten minute walk back to the cabana, though I can probably make it in two if I sprint. Not bragging – just have long ass legs.

When I visually and silently check in with Maddox, he nods, just a single dip of his chin.

Fuck. I hate this. I hate the waiting. I hate the anticipation and the suspense.

Thing is, that could have merely been a rodent, some animal creeping through the forest for an evening meal. The sun is starting to dip below the horizon, casting the woods in shadowsfrom the limbs overhead while bathing the island in warm hues of pink and orange.

Memories of the way Everest looked like a goddess as she’d laid on that lounge chair just days ago flash through my mind. Iwillhave more of those days, more glimpses of her in all her glory.

I will have thousands of days with her, decades with her, and fuck anyone who thinks otherwise.

When a few more sounds make it obvious someone is moving in the direction of the isolated cabana, I inhale deeply, my nostrils flaring as I struggle to keep my feet glued to the fucking forest floor.

I don’t give a shit how well everything is planned. I don’t give a shit that we have backup literally at our fingertips. It should be me in the house with Everest. It should be my arms wrapped around her, my body shielding her from the incoming threat.

Fuck yeah, we knew her father was looking for an opportunity to get to her. He never gave a shit about her, and once he was more or less excommunicated from the Bratva, she became the enemy in his eyes.

Doesn’t matter that it’s his fault. Doesn’t matter that everything that has gone wrong is his own doing. Everest didn’t ask to be abused, didn’t ask for her attempted murder. And she sure as fuck didn’t force him to go behind his Pakhan’s pack and steal from rivals without splitting the profits.

If Dima was smart, he’d turn himself over to Roman Yegorov, because there isn’t a chance in hell I’ll allow him a quick death. I want the cocksucker to suffer as much as he made my wife suffer.

I want the last image burned into his brain before he’s dragged to hell to be his daughter with her wedding ring, surrounded by the three men who will love her until the end oftime. I want him to know he lost, that there isn’t a goddamn thing in this world that will ever keep us apart again.

Somewhere in the distance, an engine can be heard. I strain for a bit, trying to determine whether it’s an incoming vehicle or a boat on the water. Either can be used for extraction. As in, a vehicle to steal my girl away so that fucker can finish the job he started four years ago.

Doesn’t matter how many or what kind of vehicles he brings, he won’t leave this island breathing. Shit, he might never leave this island at all. Pretty sure Konstantin wouldn’t mind a little organic compost for all the beautiful landscaping.

Or hey, maybe there’s a few predators on the island who’d love some fresh meat.

The sound of the approaching motor grows closer. Definitely a boat. Not exactly stealthy but considering both Madd and I heard someone moving through the forest, there’s someone already on the island and moving in the direction of the cabana.

After nothing happened the first few days, I started to wonder whether either the announcement of where we were taking Everest for our honeymoon hadn’t gotten to Dima or that maybe he wasn’t as brave or desperate as we thought he was.

But now…yeah. Looks like E’s piece of shit father took the fucking bait.

I hold up my hand when Madd moves as though ready to rush to the cabin. We need that fucker to think he has the upper hand, and I have zero doubt he came with a few of his own sycophants. Not man enough to do shit on his own.

My biggest issue and what is making it hard to hang back is the fear that Kato wasn’t able to get her out of the line of fire. There’s a reason one of us has practically glued ourselves to her at all times – to make sure we can put ourselves between her and the barrel of a gun.

Not that I want to lose my brother or the Don of the Family. Not sure who the fuck would take over if Kato falls being as neither Maddox nor I am Greek. Doesn’t matter how long we’ve served the Antonious or that we’ve been Kato’s seconds since he took over.

Blood means everything with the syndicates.

“Fuck this,” Maddox mutters and begins to make his way through the woods, that massive bouquet clutched in his big paw.

If the situation wasn’t so dicey, I might have found it humorous. He’s practically stomping through the fallen leaves and twigs, his body damn near vibrating with rage, all while keeping a death grip on the flowers he’d picked for Everest.

I’d put my last dollar down that he’ll still give them to her, even if it’s after a massacre of Dima and his men.