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We bolted toward the door. Halfway there, we heard the shots.
I faltered for half a second as terror kicked my urgency up to eleven.
We burst through the door and into the warehouse. I didn’t look at the shelves, bolting to the next door. There was a bullet in it. Jackson had to kick it several times before it budged and burst outward.
Sounds of a fight echoed in the massive space. I ran like the devil was on my heels until I skidded into the main floor.
“Shit,” Jackson breathed. “Mason.”
Our VP was on his ass nearby, clutching a bloody shoulder. The hilt of a small knife was sticking out from between his fingers. He looked furious, his face twisted in pain as he tried to get up. When he saw Jackson running toward him, he forced a bloody-toothed grimace. “Look who joined the party.”
“I was doing my hair,” Jackson said.
Mason shook his head. “Vane’s a fucking animal. Go put him down like the dog he is. I’ll be fine.”
Jameson shouted. My blood pumped intensely in my ears. Caroline.
Brass shells were scattered across the concrete floor. The windows of the office I had saved Caroline from were shattered and glass was everywhere. There was splattered blood, too.
It better be Vane’s.
Jackson’s footsteps pounded behind me as we flew past the office—and then I saw the bodies.
Grant was lying like a broken ragdoll unconscious—I made sure to see his chest rising and falling—and Abel was slumped against the far wall, his face beaten to a pulp. Jameson and Brody were locked in a fistfight with Vane.
The mercenary—wherever the fuck Bates found a merc in Reno—was fucking massive. I had no idea how I made it out the first time. Jameson was big, too, and he had his Ranger experience under his belt. Already, I could see they were matches—Vane was brutal, aiming to kill if he could, but Tex was controlled. He dodged and found weak points. But he was limping and breathing hard.
If they were in the ring, I’d pay to watch. In the middle of enemy territory with lives on the line, I’d pay for Vane to drop dead.
Jameson’s fist collided with Vane’s jaw in an impressive swing. Vane barely budged. Tex made the mistake of letting his shock cost him a split second.
Vane punched Tex, who stumbled, clutching his nose. Vane punched again, and my brother went down like a sack of potatoes.
“No!” Jackson roared.
Big-ass mistake.
Vane whirled, spotting us immediately. His savage eyes lit up, and his grin was maniacal. His teeth were snow-white against his dark skin, stained by flecks of blood.
Before he could storm toward us, Brody took his shot. The sound of his knuckles against Vane’s ear made me flinch.
Vane yelled in pain, but he lashed out, catching Brody’s gut, then brought a knee to Brody’s jaw, snapping his head up.
Brody collapsed.
For good measure, Vane kicked our loyal doctor in the ribs.
Brody went still.
Jackson went into beast mode, as if his humanity had been switched off.
He bellowed, “No!” and charged, firing off a shot.
Vane dodged behind the office as the bullet crashed through old brick. Dust and shards exploded everywhere.
Jackson kept firing. I saw Vane bolt. Jackson gave chase.
I threw myself to my knees in front of Abel, who definitely had a broken nose, as he was stirring awake. When he saw me, he smiled weakly.