Hands were on my ankles and wrists, freeing me as I looked over to the floor, where Gage had Walker held in the chokehold I had attempted with Morris. I snorted at how easy he made it look.
“Cherish, baby girl,” Dante breathed, as he freed my right hand while Ry worked on my left. My legs were already loose, so I bent them, trying to get circulation back into the limbs.
As soon as my left hand had been released, the guys helped me sit up. “Slow,” Ry warned with his hand on my back. I gripped my stomach and paused, waiting out the wave of dizziness from the concussion Walker had probably given me.
Once I felt like I could open my eyes again, I gestured for the guys to help me up. “Cherish,” Dante started as I put a foot onto the ground. I just shook my head as I eyed the man that one of the men I had come to love held.
“He’s the one,” I whispered hoarsely. “He killed Mariposa. The Angel Killer.” I took one agonized step at a time, my body hunched over as it tried to protect itself from the injuries it had sustained. I stopped once I reached him. “You don’t deserve to live.”
I tore my eyes from my sister’s killer and looked at Gage, knowing he would see what I desperately needed in that moment. Gage eyed me, his face cold and expressionless, but his bright blue ocean eyes were understanding.
“My right boot,” he told me.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Leaning down, I bit my lip, holding back the whimper. I lifted his pant leg and found the large hunting knife in a special sheath. I gripped it firmly in my hand, feeling the weight of it there.
It was an immense effort to straighten back up. My abdominal muscles didn’t seem capable of working properly. Two sets of hands gently took me by my arms and helped me until I was facing Walker again.
I held the large knife in my hand, staring down at it for a long moment, knowing that what I was about to do, I’d never be able to come back from. Without any further hesitation, I plunged the knife into the Angel Killer’s neck.
As blood sprayed over me, I blinked away the drops that hit my eye, not wanting to miss the moment I’d been waitingfor. I watched while Walker gurgled as he choked on his own blood. Soon, the flow slowed to nothing but a trickle. Then it happened, the moment I had dreamed about for so long, but never admitted to a soul, not even myself.
I watched as the light dimmed, then disappeared in my sister’s killer’s eyes, done by my own hand.
Gage let go of his hold, and the body dropped lifelessly to the wooden floor of the cabin. I held out the knife, and he took it in his hand. He replaced it, returning it to the sheath in his boot. When he straightened back up, he swept a hand gently over my face, wiping away some of the blood there. Then he cupped my cheeks and pressed a soft kiss to my lips.
Dante was next, then Ry, each of them taking a turn, letting me know without words how scared they had been, how glad they were to see me standing there alive.
I looked at each of them. “How did you find me?”
Gage snorted as he glanced around the cabin. “This has been my dad’s kill cabin for decades. He has it wired to let him know if anyone approaches.”
I looked down at the dumbfuck lying dead at my feet and shook my head. “What an idiot.” I leaned heavily on Ry. “Okay, boys. I think I need a hospital now.” Then I passed out.
Chapter 32
Parker
The annoying sounds of beeping woke me up. The smell of disinfectant and the distant sounds of voices coming from beyond the door told me immediately that I was in a hospital room. Most of my previous pain was dulled by whatever was making my head feel heavy.
I turned bleary eyes to the right, unsurprised to find my room filled with three large, incredibly handsome men. Two were spread out on the uncomfortable looking couch, while the third was reclined in the hard plastic chair next to my bed, his head tilted at such an uncomfortable angle I winced in sympathy. Dante was going to have one hell of a crick in his neck. At least Gage and Ry looked adorable as they used each other to lean on.
The door opened, and I turned to see a nurse walk in, dragging a cart with her. I lifted a finger, telling her silently to not disturb my guys. She paused as she saw me awake, then grinned with a wink.
“I’m happy to see you awake, Miss Parker. Those guys over there haven’t left the room once since you got out of surgery.”
I frowned. “Surgery?” I whispered back.
“The doctor will come in to talk to you, but yes. You had to have emergency surgery for internal bleeding. You should make a full recovery, though, so don’t worry.” I just nodded as she took my vitals and made notes on the tablet she had sitting on top of her cart. When she was done, she patted my arm. “I’ll let the doctor know you’re awake.”
As the door closed behind her, the sound had Dante jerking up. I watched as he winced and brought a hand up to rub at his neck. It took him a good minute to notice me staring at him. “Cherish! You’re finally awake.” He leaned over me, brushing at my hair. It made me wonder who had cleaned me up. I was sure I must have been a mess after killing that bastard.
I waited for something to hit me. Shame, regret, self-recrimination. I felt nothing but relief that he was finally gone.
Ry jumped up from the couch, making Gage snort awake as he jerked upright to keep from falling over. It made me start to laugh, but then I groaned as I pressed a hand to my belly. Laughing hurts. Duly noted.
Ry pushed Dante to the side and leaned over me. He took my face in his hands and started kissing me everywhere. My cheeks, my nose, my forehead, then finally, he settled on my lips.
