Hell, I don’t care.
I glance at Lily, her tear-streaked face stuck between a grimace and anger.
Keeping my gun trained on him, my finger twitches over the trigger. “Let her go.” My voice drops, colder now, doing my best to convey the weight of my words to him.
I’m not walking out of here without her.
We have a life to live, trails to explore, and a future together.
He chuckles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “You think you can take us all out without her getting hurt? Without us ending your life.”
A chorus of laughter lifts from men around the camp, all watching the interaction.
My hand contracts around the grip of my gun, and I step forward.
Hesitation flickers in his eyes.
“I’m not leaving without her.”
His nostrils flare. “She’s mine.”
“Weak boys take. Real men give. You took from her. No more.” I bring my other hand to meet the butt of my gun. “Drop your weapon.”
Max growls at my side.
Raven’s fingers relax, the weapon slipping in his grip as his hands fall momentarily loose at his sides. The tension in his arms evaporates in an instant and he spreads his arms out in time with his stance.
I allow my gaze to drift to Lily, staring at me as she mouths the wordrunover and over.
The shot rings out, sharp and deafening, but I don’t remember squeezing the trigger. Lily’s wide eyes search my body, then land on my thigh as I stagger back.
Searing pain stretches out over my thigh as I grab for it, using my hand to clutch my leg. Blood blooms underneath my hand,soaking into my pants. It’s warm, and the sensation causes me to stumble back lightheaded. I struggle to keep my grip on my gun, then my knees buckle.
A sly grin spreads over his lips, and he lifts the gun again.
“No!” Lily screams, and more gunshots ringing out punctuate her pleas. This time, though, they fly through the surrounding trees.
“FBI! DEA!” voices shout through the trees, and those three-letter words make the men scatter in the camp like racked balls broken on a pool table.
Raven turns to run and I hiss, “Fass!”
Max runs, full speed, lunging at Raven. There’s a flash of his teeth, gleaming white in the dim light. His body collides with Raven, knocking him off balance. Powerful jaws close around his upper arm, sinking in with a sickening crunch. The force is enough to make Raven scream in agony as he folds to the ground.
Max’s bite locks onto flesh, ripping and tearing.
Shouts and apprehensions happen all around me.
I don’t want to take my eyes off Max, my partner, but I look at Lily who’s struggling against the chains. She fights and pulls to free herself.
Raven lets out another pained bellow, swinging his free arm at the dog. I search for the gun he had, hoping it was knocked out of reach when Max struck him.
Max’s muscular frame pins him to the ground.
Blood pours from my thigh in hot, pulsing waves. For a moment, I’m so out of it, the sound of gunfire, of the chaos—it lulls me under. My vision tunnels, my limbs heavy, and my body uncooperative. I fight to stay upright, but the pain throbs in time with any fading strength.
Shouts blur around me, sounding smothered in the distance. I plant my knees, willing my body to stay kneeling so that I don’ttopple over. I gather myself, and when the fog in my head clears, I hear my name, growing sharper, more urgent.
“Noah!”
