I have to get to her?—
Lorell advances toward them, one hand still clutching his weapon, the other fisted at his side. “I always knew it would come in handy to have Julian Snow on our payroll, and I was right. He led me right to you, you fucking bitch.”
Her eyes flare wide, as if she’s watching her own worst nightmare come for her, because she is.
That’s precisely what this night has become.
A worst nightmare for both of us.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
The sound of gunshots echoes across the homestead, splintering the night air for the second time, and Lorell’s head whips in that direction. He grabs Lucky from the other man’s hold. “Go see what happened.”
Connor…
Killian…
Willow and the baby…
Terror seizes what little air is left in my lungs, but I can’t give in to it.
There are other men out on the homestead. Other men who could have snuck into Connor’s and Killian’s cabins. But I also know my brothers, and they won’t go down without a bloody battle.
I inch toward my axe slowly, dragging myself while Lorell still has his back turned and his focus on Lucky. She strains in his hold, refusing to stop fighting the man who has been the source of all her fears for so long.
Fuck, I love her…
So fucking much.
My fingers curl around the axe handle and I stagger to my feet. But the blood on my hand makes it slide from my grip, clanking loudly, the sound reverberating through the barn like thunder.
It takes half a second for Lorell to start to turn, but by then, I’m already lunging toward him, the only weapon I had now out of my reach. I slide my good arm around his neck and pull, using every bit of strength I have to wrench him backward.
Lucky bucks out of his hold, stumbling away, her eyes locking with mine over his shoulder.
“Get out of here, Lucky! Go back to the cabin.”
She could run for Connor’s or Killian’s, but if the other men out there see her, they won’t hesitate to shoot. My cabin is closer, and at the very least, she can lock herself inside and search for another weapon.
A knife from the kitchen, the fire poker, literally anything would be better than standing here, watching this, remaining in harm’s way.
“No.” She shakes her head, watching me as I struggle with him. “I won’t.”
I’m bigger and stronger than Lorell, but I’m also badly injured.
Something he seems intent on taking advantage of.
He reaches up with one hand to claw at my arm around his throat, then uses the other to dig his fingers into the gaping wound on my shoulder.
Searing hot pain makes me gag and almost black out, but I somehow hold on, wrangling him through sheer will alone, staggering across the barn.
He bucks wildly, refusing to give in even though my grip on his neck is tight enough that I’ve been cutting off his airway.
It doesn’t seem to be enough to stop him.
I don’t let go until my back slams into the wall of the barn.
The old wood creaks, threatening to give way with the force of our impact, but I shove him forward, onto the ground, digging in my chokehold even tighter. This position gives me better leverage, an advantage I will need if I have any chance of winning this fight.
