He chuckles, steps closer to Magnum, and pushes his gun to the back of Steve’s head. “Come on, Candy Girl. I can’t wait for you to join the party.”
Vanessa is only a few feet in front of me as she moves in my direction, and she gives me a look I can’t decipher. I think it might be pity or sadness. I honestly don’t know.
“You get to watch me rip your boyfriends apart piece by piece,” Blade says jovially. “Or I could blow this one’s brain all over the floor. Really set expectations for what yourshortlife is going to be like.”
Magnum spins to the side almost faster than I can blink, bringing his gun up and pulling the trigger.
I shriek, my feet leaving the floor as I jump.
Blade’s head explodes.
At least the side closest to Mag.
It caves in on itself, blood and brain flying out the other side of his skull.
Speaking of Blade’s skull, I can see it.
Like from the inside out.
It’s white, but also red and covered in blood.
Gunshots ring out around the warehouse.
One right after another until my ears echo, and I’m not sure I’m even still alive.
Magnum loops his gun around his pointer finger and raises his hands toward Moretti and my guys as the last of the gunshots fill the air.
His lips move, but I can’t understand anything he’s saying.
Not at first.
“He might have been too focused to see this for what it really is, but the rest of us have our eyes open,” Magnum says. “We have no problem with you. Our only goal is to walk out of here alive.”
“You have sixty seconds before my men mow the rest of you down,” Moretti says. “You already got a nice start on that, didn’t you?”
“The club has been fractured for years,” Mag says. “The old-timers versus the next generation. We want change. Blade was hyperfocused on getting revenge,notwhat was best for the club. He had men loyal to him—you’ll find their bodies littered around your warehouse floor. Those of us with any sense voted against this. We were outvoted.”
Warm arms wrap around my back, and Malachy’s scent hits my nose as I struggle. “Shh, you’re okay. I’ve got ya.” As soon as it clicks, I stop fighting, and he unties the bind around my wrists.
“And you want us to do what?” Moretti asks. “Dispose of your men for you?”
I blink, sucking in ragged breaths of air, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t catch my breath.
“You’re alright, little one,” Mal says, his accent extra thick. “I’ve got ya.” He spins me around, and I bury my face in his chest.
We still need to help Steve and Miles, but I’m hyperventilating.
I also get the feeling this standoff isn’t over just yet.
Malachy pulls me across the warehouse, back to where I originally started, and we finally come to a stop.
“We want to leave Boston without starting a war,” Magnum says, conviction lining his tone. “There are eleven of us. We don’t want to constantly have to watch our backs, worrying about when you’re going to pop up and try to wipe us out. You got your mafia princess back. I watched over her myself to make sure Blade never touched her.”
“After kidnapping her, that seems like the least you could have done,” Moretti says, sounding bored. “I’m going to leave that call up to my associates.”
My eyes widen.
Malachy steps back, and Patrick appears in front of me.
