Page 34

Ronan

T he instant I see her my soul fucking shatters.

She’s curled up against the wall, naked and bruised, and that bastard? That fucking bastard is standing over her with his belt halfway undone.

He turns. A black balaclava covers the majority of his face, but I can still see him smile behind it.

Cruel and uncaring.

He’s enjoying this.

“Motherfucker!” I snarl, aiming my Glock at him. My teeth grind together, so hard I can feel my jaw cracking.

“How sweet, you actually came,” the masked man says, his voice calm. “It took you long enough.”

“Drop the hard guy act you fucking coward,” I growl, baring my teeth at him. “Take off the mask.”

I feel the boys flanking behind me and glance over my shoulder to see Kassius to my left and Cade to my right, both covered in blood from the bodies we had to get through. Lex steps towards Aisling, rushing to her side now that there’s a distraction.

The masked man sighs. “I was hoping you’d be able to figure it out quicker.”

“Take. It. Off.” I snarl, stepping closer now, rage fueling me like a wildfire.

His smile widens as he steps fully into the light, pulling the mask down.

My world tilts, stomach plummeting like I’m on some fucked up fair ride.

“Tyler?” I rasp, my voice cracking.

“Miss me?” He grins, cruel and unusual .

Memories flood back to the times he sat with us at the skatepark. The times he ate at the same table as us. Laughed at our jokes.

“You’re fucking sick!” I growl.

“And you have no idea what she is,” he says, eyes gleaming like he won a prize.

“She was never yours to save, Ronan,” he says finally, before lunging toward Lex with a knife drawn.

I intercept him mid-air, the shots from my gun ringing through the air. The bullets graze his shoulder, causing him to spin.

He staggers toward me, roaring like a feral beast. “She’s mine!”

He reaches for me, taking a step forward, but doesn’t make it far.

Beyond him, Aisling rises to her feet, looking like a bloodied goddess.

She’s barely standing, eyes red from the pain, but the words fall from her lips like a promise.

“I belong to no one.”

She drives some blunt object into his neck with every ounce of strength she has left, probably the old rusted pipe Lex insisted on bringing.

Blood sprays everywhere like a macabre fountain. Tyler gurgles and chokes on the red liquid as it falls from his mouth before his limbs give out, causing his body to tumble to the floor before landing in a pool of crimson.

My jaw drops. Aisling takes a step toward me but instantly collapses. I catch her before she can hit the ground, cushioning her head as she fades in and out of consciousness.

“You’re okay, gorgeous. I have you,” I say, choking on my own words. I scramble to get her in my arms as the boys rush to the door, clearing the way for us.

I look down at her, passed out from exhaustion and broken. And yet, I still couldn’t be the one to save her .

TWENTY-FIVE HOURS AND SEVENTEEN MINUTES.

That’s how long it took me to find her.

Too fucking long.

And I still wasn’t fast enough.

She saved herself.

She ended it. Not me.

And I’ll never forgive myself for that.

My little nightmare, after everything she has been through, still found enough power to save herself, even when I couldn’t.

The shame burns hotter than the rage now. But I bury it deep beneath my ribs, forcing it back behind the walls I’ve spent my lifetime building.

I can’t let her see me like this.

Not right now.

We make it to the Tahoe, and Cade rushes in front of us to open the back of the SUV. Lex moves to support Aisling on the other side as we slide her in, careful not to hurt her any worse.

“We gotta go,” I snap, my sanity barely hanging on. “Get us back to my place, Ash is waiting for us.”

I slide in next to her, pulling her into my chest as Kassius moves to shut the door. The boys rush around the SUV and hop in the front. The sound of the doors slamming is loud enough to jostle Aisling awake.

Her eyelids flutter as she looks up at me and smiles.

She fucking smiles.

Even after everything. Even after all the pain, the torture. Even with blood drying on her skin, she still manages to find her spark.

And I realize– fuck .

Being in love with her…

It was never supposed to be comfortable. Never safe, or easy.

It’s not about fixing her, proving something, or some fucked up idea of saving her.

It’s about her, in all her broken rage.

How she bleeds quietly and still fights.

She’s not a prize to be won .

She’s a goddess who never asked for worship, but I bowed anyway.

I’m not the center of this story.

I’m just the fool who couldn’t stay away.