Gage laughs without humor. “You think that will win her over? You’re still a fucking traitor.”
“Why save my brother?” Evander asks, sitting forward on the couch, eyeing Zane like everyone else. With hatred.
“I couldn’t just let him fucking die, okay?” Zane stands up from the chair. “Can I go?”
“I don’t have to remind you to keep your mouth shut?” I say out of habit. Something tells me Zane won’t be mentioning this to anyone.
He scoffs, “No. You don’t.”
“Thank you,” I tell him honestly. It’s hard to tell what would have happened if he didn’t get us out of there. Or if he didn’t volunteer to donate his blood. “For everything.”
He jerks a nod and hastily leaves the room, slamming the front door on his way out.
“You’re just going to let him leave?” Ryder asks me incredulously.
“What do you want me to do? Shoot him?” I rub my temples against a building headache. “We have bigger things to worry about.”
“He saved us out there,” Dex points out. “Whether you want to accept that or not.”
“That piece of shit is up to something,” Ryder argues.
“He might be. But I don’t care,” I cut in. “We need to figure this Viktor shit out. We will deal with Zane if that time comes.” I sit up on the couch. “They weren’t shooting to kill.”
Mateo nods. “I saw the limo on the way in, and those bullets were strategically placed.”
“I’m so sorry about Leo,” I say, my eyes searching theirs for any animosity.
“No need, Alessa,” Evander says, waving that away. “We knew bringing him into our lives that this could happen.”
Mateo smiles. “He knew what he was getting into, and something tells me he won’t leave you even now.”
I acknowledge that with a nod, and my throat constricts with emotion again. I clear my throat. “This was his warning.”
“What’s your answer going to be?” Dex asks.
“That he just fucked with the wrong Poletti.” I look around the room. “Viktor just brought a war to his doorstep.”
I see everyone's resolve hardening, especially Evander and Mateo. Viktor just pissed off the woman who loves their brother and, in turn, pissed them off for shooting their brother.
If you believe in a God, Viktor, you better start praying to him.
Because we’re coming for you.
Chapter 38
Gage
“He’s heavily medicated with pain meds. I have fluids running along with the blood Zane donated,” Doc explains, finally walking into the room after Les’ declaration of war. “I cleaned the wound, packed it, and covered it up. Loretta and I will hang out for the night, and I’ll stitch him up in the morning.”
Les rushes him, wrapping her arms around the big guy’s neck. “Thank you, Doc.”
He hugs her back. “Anytime, dear. He’s lucky. It didn’t hit anything vital but sliced him up enough to cause all the bleeding. He’ll make a full recovery.”
“When can we see him?” Les asks, wiping tears from her cheeks again.
“You can go see him now. After he rests some more, you can move him somewhere more comfortable, and the rest can visit,” Doc tells her.
She shakes her head. “His brothers need to go.”
