Page 74 of The Bonventi War

She buries her face against my neck, and I feel the warmth of her tears against my skin. "I'm sorry," she whispers. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Shh," I say. "You're safe. That's all I care about right now."

Raven shifts in my arms, seeming to come back to herself. She pulls away slightly, wincing as she looks around at the bloodbath. Her eyes drift from the wrecked cars to the bodies visible through the shattered windows.

"Did you crash into us?" she asks, her voice raspy.

"Yes. I don't know, I just..."

I trail off, unable to explain the primal rage that took over when I saw them, knowing they had her.

"Good," she says, surprising me, and then looks up at me. "Is it wrong that I'm glad they're dead?"

I shake my head. "Not even a little. Those bastards had everything they got coming to them.”

I see something fierce in her eyes now. It's not fear or pain. It stirs something in me, seeing that fire. This woman is stronger than she knows.

The wail of screeching tires catches our attention as several black SUVs round the corner, headlights shining on us and the mayhem we're standing in.

They aren't police or Russians—they're my cleanup crew.

Raven tenses in my arms as the vehicles come to a halt around us, men pouring out with weapons drawn. I feel her fingers dig into my shoulder.

"It's okay," I say into her hair. "They're here for us."

Jay is the first to reach us, his face stern as he takes in the scene. His eyes linger on Raven's battered face, then flick to the blood trailing down my arm.

"The police scanners just picked up reports of gunshots," he says. "We need to move fast."

I nod, barking orders: "Two cleanup teams. One for the bodies, one for the cars. I want both vehicles stripped and crushed by morning. Check their phones, ID—learn anything you can about them."

The men spring into action. One of them, a newer recruit whose name I can't remember, approaches us, arms extended toward Raven.

"Let me help get her to the car, boss. You're bleeding pretty bad."

Before I realize what I'm doing, I've shoved him backward with my shoulder, causing him to nearly lose his balance. "Don't touch her," I growl, the words flowing from my still simmering anger.

The man stumbles back, hands raised in surrender. "Sorry, boss."

Jay gives me a look but says nothing as he signals for one of the SUVs to pull closer. The door opens, and I carefully maneuver Raven into the passenger seat. She doesn't let go of my shirt.

"It's okay, we're leaving together." She slowly lets go, nodding with a forced smile.

"Hospital?" Jay asks as I walk around to the driver's side.

I shake my head. "No, her place. She needs comfort. Something familiar. Call Dr. Reyes. Tell her to stand by in case she's needed."

"On it," Jay says as I hop into the driver's seat. "We'll take it from here, sir."

As we pull away from the scene, leaving my men to erase all evidence of what happened here, I finally allow myself to really look at Raven. The adrenaline is wearing off, and pain lines her face. Her right eye is beginning to swell shut, and dried blood crusts her nostrils and the corner of her mouth.

As we drive, I notice her breathing growing more labored, and she's holding her side.

"Ribs?" I ask quietly.

She nods, grimacing. "Everything."

Raven swallows hard, leaning her head back against the seat. "My father," she says. "He was there. He let them take me."