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“Hey, Red,” came Sammy’s smooth voice.

“God.” A breath of relief left me. “I’m regretting not havingyou in the same car as me.”

“I’m regretting not having the guys go to Will’s themselves andget your mom for you. You shouldn’t be doing this. Not while you’re pregnant.”

“I know.” I thought a moment. “Listen, if something happens, Ijust want—”

“Don’t you dare finish that fucking sentence,” Sammy growled.

“But Sam, I need you to know—”

“I know, Red. I know. But nothing is going to happen. We’regoing to go in there and face Will together. All of us are going with you and Idon’t give a shit how much it pisses Will off, you are not going in therealone. We’re going to get your mom, whether she’s alive or not and then leave.That’s it. End of. And then I’m making you my fucking wife. You hear me?”

I opened my mouth to argue but I realized something in thatsingle moment. Sam meant what he said. It was one thing I loved about him. Hewasn’t two-faced or ever beat around the bush, as cliché as that sounded. Hewas honest. I never had to worry where I stood with him.

“We shouldn’t talk about this here,” was all I said.

“Nope, we shouldn’t. We’ll talk about it more later, but I meantwhat I said.”

“I know.” My stomach clenched. God, to be his wife. He waspossessive and overbearing just by me being his girlfriend. Being his wife,would be a whole other level of dominance I had never experienced before fromhim, and I was so damn excited to get that side of him.

Before we could talk any more about it, a large building cameinto view. Will’s compound sat at the outskirts of the city. The authoritieshad always left it alone, knowing exactly who had taken over and what went oninside of it. I always wondered how that happened and figured that Will paidthem off. I didn’t know what all he had his hands in or if he got help frompeople over the years. I didn’t want to know. I knew enough already after beingwith Aaron.

“Red, pull—wait…” When Sam’s voice trailed off, I slowed the cardown.

“Don’t slow down,” Locke said, leaning forward. “Something’swrong.”

“What the hell is that?” Sammy demanded, his voice boomingthrough the car.

My body shook but I pressed my foot harder on the gas.

“Wait!” Sam yelled.

I slammed my foot on the brake, finally seeing what he wasreferring to. Lights filled my vision. A loud pop sounded in my ear, followedby another and then another. I couldn’t make out what the hell was going on.Smoke started billowing out from under the hood of the car.

“Sammy,” I cried, unsure if he had hung up or not.

“We need to get her out of there,” I heard him yell before theline went dead.

“Stay here,” Cheesy instructed before both he and Locke left thecar. As soon as they did, they lifted their guns, but neither of them were fastenough. More pops sounded and both of them fell.

I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. I didn’t know what to do.I didn’t know how to get out. I tried calling Sammy again on the car phone, butno answer came. Shouting erupted around me, followed by an explosion. Glancingin the rearview mirror, I saw a ball of fire behind me.

Amidst the commotion, a light tap on the window startled me. Myhead whipped around, and I found Will standing on the other side of the door.

“Open up,” he demanded, pointing the gun at me.

“No.” But even though I said that word, I knew I didn’t have achoice.

“Open the fuck up,” he yelled. “Or I’ll kill them all and what Idid to your mother, will be the least of your fucking concerns.”

Not really having a choice in the matter, I opened the door whenI was met with the barrel of the gun in my face.

“Hands. Keep them where I can see them, Princess.”

I swallowed hard, lifting my hands and stepping out of the car.

“Good girl.” The praise, coming from him, forced bile to mythroat.