“I was supposed to bring you in alive,” the merc said, standing over me now—with the gun I’d been searching for pointed down at me. “But you’ve pissed me off now.”
Well, that was something we had in common.
He held on to his side with one hand, like I’d done some damage there, and motioned with the gun for me to move.
“On your knees,Your Highness.”
“Fuck you, you ugly bastard.”
His swift kick to my ribs had me wincing, but I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of killing me the way he wanted.
He reached forward, gripped my shirt again, and hauled me to my knees. As he pressed the muzzle of the gun to my forehead, I could see blood staining his teeth and dripping down the side of his mouth from the hit I’d gotten on him.
Good. Maybe Shep and King would find him and finish off the job.
“I’ll send my regards to the palace,” he said, giving me a sinister smile.
His face wasn’t the last thing I wanted to see, though. So I closed my eyes, bringing Shep’s handsome face to my mind. He and my brothers, my fellow Kings, would avenge me. Everyone would pay.
I braced myself and, seconds later, heard the gunshot.
But I felt no pain. Maybe I was already dead?
Then the heavy weight of the man who’d shot me fell down on top of me.
5
SHEP
IHELD MY gun steady as the fucker with a death wish fell forward, the fatal shot hitting its mark between his brows. He never even knew I was there. Didn’t have a clue that something more dangerous lurked in the shadows as he kicked and threatened Theo.
I hadn’t wanted to shoot him. That was too easy, too painless compared to the suffering I wanted to inflict on him before I killed him. I’d wanted to tear him apart and torture him slowly, giving him back tenfold the damage I saw he’d done to Theo.
But then he pointed his gun at my man and I no longer had the advantage of time. I had seconds, and I didn’t waste them. Not when I had a clear shot at the motherfucker’s head.
I didn’t think. Didn’t hesitate. I pulled the trigger, ending his worthless life.
He crumpled instantly, pitching forward and falling down—on top of Theo. For whatever reason, Theo didn’t move out of the way and took his weight, both of them hitting the ground with Theo flat on his back.
“Theo!” I called out, running toward the tangled heap of human limbs. As I skidded to a stop, ready to pull the assholeoff my guy, he was shoved off with a heave and Theo’s face came into view.
I fell to my knees beside him, my breathing coming in rapid pants as I scanned every inch of his dirt- and blood-covered face. Then the sexy fucker’s lips curved and his teeth gleamed up at me.
“Damn, Shep.” Theo coughed. “I would’ve taken a dozen roses as a declaration of your feelings.”
“I’ll give you anything you want,” I told him, taking his hand and helping him to sit. But that was still too far away, so I pulled him into my arms, needing him more than my next breath.
“Anything?” he managed, then a gurgled chuckle left him followed by another coughing fit.
I relaxed my hold and brought my flashlight up, shining it over him. There was an angry wound upside his head, several bruises to his face that I could see, and God knew what else beneath his clothes.
“Is there anyone else?”
“No.”
“Where do you hurt?”
“Everywhere?”
