“We got big fucking problems!” Gage yells over the noise.
Ryder floors the gas, and I know he’ll get us there in record time.
“We’re on our way, Gage,” I promise him. “How close are you to Rocco’s?”
“Almost there!” Gage yells back. Two bangs almost deafen me, and I know he fired off two shots. I hear Dex yell something, and the phone disconnects.
I look at Ryder in worry, and he presses his foot further down on the gas, the SUV swaying uneasily around the curves. Ryder’s one ofthe best getaway drivers I’ve ever known, so if anyone is going to get us there in one piece, it’s him.
Evander sits up between the seats. “Is this Viktor?”
There’s no doubt in my mind now. “Yes. He must have people watching for us to leave.”
“You think he could have flipped one of ours?” Micah asks, already looking pissed off at the notion.
“I don’t know,” I say miserably. Everything is spiraling out of control. I have three of my guys, with Leo’smotherpinned down in a gunfight and a car full of people, including Holden driving into the unknown.
Ryder squeezes my thigh. “You got this, Boss.” I can feel the warmth of his hand seep into my bones, relaxing me a little.
I finally see a glint of metal in the sun, and Gage’s Range Rover is half on the road and half in the ditch, two SUVs sitting across from it while exchanging gunfire. Ryder slams on the brakes when we get close enough. “Stay in the car!” I yell at Holden before jumping out.
We jump out, take our spots around the SUV, and open fire. They pop off a few shots in our direction before realizing they’re outnumbered and take off. Ryder takes two big strides forward before leveling his Glocks and emptying the clips at the SUV. The back glass shatters, and the SUV swerves before correcting. Good. Maybe he hit one of those assholes.
I jog over to the Range Rover when the other two SUVs disappear. I half-hug and half-tackle Gage when he steps out of where he was taking cover.
“Oof, Pretty girl,” he grunts, wrapping his arms around me. “We’re okay.”
I step back and look him over to make sure he isn’t lying to me. Besides the dirt on his shirt and jeans, he looks fine. Dex steps up on his other side, and I do the same thing to him.
Dex chuckles in my ear.“Baby girl. We’re fine.”
I jerk a nod and pull open the backdoor to Gage’s car. Leo is comforting a very inconsolable-looking Katherine.Shit.
“Katherine,” I say gently, “are you hurt?” She shakes her head profusely and looks seconds away from having a panic attack. Isqueeze Leo’s arm in comfort before turning to Dex and Gage. “We need to get her to Rocco’s.”
Gage slaps Dex on the back. “Push me out, big fella.”
Ryder barks a laugh. “Come on.” He nods to Dex while Gage runs around to the driver's side.
We all return to the Denali with me in the driver's seat. Dex and Ryder heave at the back of the Range Rover while Gage hits the gas, trying to get it to gain traction so it will come out of the ditch. It finally finds purchase with a bark of tires, and Ryder jogs back to the Denali and jerks the door open.
I hit the gas, following Gage the two miles they had left to get to Rocco’s. Ryder chuckles, and I look at him with a frown. How is this funny?
He nods his head at my lap. “You barely reach the gas pedal.”
I frown harder. “It’s not my fault all of you are freaks of nature.” I didn’t have time to adjust the seat when I jumped in, and Ryder is almost a foot taller than me. It makes him laugh loudly, causing the rest of my passengers to chuckle. “Fuck all of you,” I mutter.
We finally swing around in front of Rocco’s house, and he’s already standing outside. “What’s going on?” he asks when we’re all standing in front of him with a silently weeping Katherine.
“That’s Leo’s mom,” Ryder explains. “We need to take her inside.”
Rocco nods, and we follow him in, where he leads us to the huge sitting room. Leo and I tuck Katherine on the couch between us. That’s when I notice the blood on her eyebrow. “What happened?” I ask, concerned.
“I think she hit her head when those assholes hit the back of the fucking car,” Leo seethes, and I’ve never seen him that pissed off.
I grab Katherine’s hand, and she squeezes it as tight as she can. “I’m fine,” she says with a shaky smile, trying to stop crying.
“I’ll get a first aid kit,” Ryder says, jogging out of the room.
