Page 18

CHAPTER

TWELVE

HARLOWE

I come awake but know not to let them on to that fact. Realizing I’m alone, I roll over and push myself up. I’m in a room in a house, but I don’t know more beyond that. The window is covered, blocking any view outside.

I scan the mostly bare room and move toward the closet. The bar is still there. Seph taught me a lot during those two months she had me in hiding, including how to turn everything into a weapon.

I return to the bed and arrange the blankets to make it look like I’m still out cold. Then I study the door, noticing a recessed corner between it and the wall. The perfect hiding spot to get the jump on whoever steps inside.

Just as I settle into my spot to wait, the handle jiggles.

A man enters and moves toward the bed. It’s not Goat or Aaronov.

I rear back and swing the closet pole with everything I have, hitting him in the back of his neck.

The pole cracks, and the guy falls to the floor.

I don’t have time to check for a pulse. I need to get out of here.

I pat him down, retrieving a gun and knife from him before moving to the doorway.

I sneak through the house, realizing it’s a really nice place. I don’t know exactly where, but when I glance out the window, I see we’re high up on a hillside or mountain overlooking Anchorage. Turnagain Arm stretches out in the distance. I hold the gun out in front of me, ready.

I come to a stop when I hear Goat and Aaronov arguing. “I have more men coming. Don’t worry.”

“You don’t understand. Aftershock will not only kill us for taking her, but Kodiak will try too also. They won’t stop until they get her back. Get your buyers on the phone, and get her out of here now.”

“No, don’t tell me what to do. I’m tired of you bossing me around.”

I step into the room and fire the gun at Aaronov first, hitting him in the shoulder.

Then I rush up behind Goat and slam the gun against the back of his head, near the base of his skull, like Seph taught me to do.

He collapses, and I watch as Aaronov reaches for his gun.

I shoot him again, nicking his other shoulder.

I walk over to him and kick the gun away while I draw the knife from the back of my jeans. “You should’ve killed me.” I lean down and press the knife to his throat.

I’m prepared to slice, but I can’t. Something inside me rebels at the thought.

“Fuck it.”

I stand up and shoot him in the leg. It won’t kill him, but at least he won’t be able to follow me.

I head toward the door with both guns in hand. As I step outside, two vehicles pull up. I tense, ready to run, until I spot Crue sitting in the front seat. He jumps out and rushes over.

“Starlight,” he says, his voice rougher than usual, and I know he’s close to losing it.

“I’m okay. They didn’t hurt me.” I look up at him, forgetting they hit me in the face.

“The fuck they didn’t.” He leans down and presses a gentle kiss to the bruise.

Rylan walks over after he and Gunny finish checking the house.

“Come here,” my brother says, and I step out of Crue’s arms and into his. “You have one dead, one unconscious, and one shot three times.”

“He kept twitching. But we need to go. They have more soldiers coming.”

“We got it,” Rylan says, and their other vehicle heads down the long driveway. “Get to work. You don’t have much time.”

“Stay with your brother,” Crue says. He picks up a bag and heads into the house with Loki.

“Wait.” I reach for him, but Rylan holds me back.

They reappear less than ten minutes later, and Crue pulls me into his arms. We head for the large SUV and climb into the back, where he holds me tight.

As we roll down the driveway and turn onto the street, a van passes going the other way.

Moments later, a massive explosion erupts behind us, shaking the ground and rattling the windows.

The guys cheer, and I turn to see the house we were just at is now engulfed in flames.

Aftershock

I don’t let her go until we are at our house. My father had to hug her while I held her hand. The threat to her life might be over, but it was too close. I saw what she did to Aaronov, and I know she can take care of herself, but I’ll always be there to finish it for her.

“You have something in your room. On that note, I’m going to my room and watching television with my headphones on. Also, I have Fezzik and will keep him with me,” my dad says.

“Fezzik! Is he okay?”

“The vet said he’ll be fine, just really sleepy.”

“I should go check on him.”

“Not yet, baby.” I lift her up and stalk toward our room.

I set her down after locking us in and arming the house from the panel inside our room. We’ll stay on lockdown for a day or two, until we’re sure the gang won’t retaliate.

“Please strip, baby.”

“Okay.” She gets out of her clothes without question.

A doctor on our payroll is stopping by in a couple of hours to check her over and take blood. I want to make sure it was only a tranquilizer they used and nothing that could harm her.

When she is naked in front of me, I walk to the bed and grab the package.

After opening it, I return to her and hold up the leather vest. On the back is the Granite Peak Grizzlies logo and Property of Aftershock stitched beneath it.

I’m ready to have her in my ring and my property patch before I make love to her.

She slips it on, and I’m on her. I kiss her long and deep before pushing her into the wall. I drop to my knees in front of her.

“I’m sorry I didn’t protect you. I trusted Goat, and I shouldn’t have. He came to me, and I shouldn’t have fallen for it.”

“He fooled all of us,” she says softly as she slides her hand into my hair.

I lift her leg to open her up and place it over my shoulder. I lean in and lick her essence from its source, pushing a finger into her. She’s turned on. I stand up, needing inside her. I open my pants, turn her around to face the wall, and pull her out a bit.

“Hold on to the wall,” I order her before slamming inside her from behind.

My property patch is on full display as I take her in long, deep strokes. She comes, screaming, and I can’t hold back. I come deep inside her. If I didn’t know it was too early, I’d have the doc run a pregnancy test on her, but it’s only been a couple days.

When I come down from the high and get my emotions in check, I pull her up and hold her against my body. “Go climb into the shower. I’ll be there in a sec.”

I help her take the vest off and toss it on the bench, where I toss mine a moment later.

Then I strip and walk into the bathroom, where we make love again in the shower, and then in bed before I finally feel the edge fade.

I’m calmer and can handle talking to her.

We are cuddled up in bed, holding each other.

“Goat was Aaronov’s father,” I say.

“I know.”

“Did you know he was mad at your dad for not making him VP, and that’s why he wanted your father to suffer?”

“Jeez, he held that anger for a long time.”

“He wanted your father to suffer before he died. That’s why they tortured him.”

“I wish I had shot him instead of just hitting him on the head. I tried to kill Aaronov. I was going to slice his throat, then I thought of shooting him, but I thought of the guilt of killing him, and I couldn’t do it.”

“That’s why you have me. I didn’t think twice about killing them because I knew they would keep coming for you.”

“I love you.” She kisses me, and I kiss her back, and we make love again before the doctor shows up and gives her a clean bill of health.