“Marcus!” the boy cried, lunging at him and wrapping his arms around his body. “He found me. He’s here. He’s going to kill me.”
What? The boy wasn’t making any sense.
“Please don’t let him kill me,” Gavin begged, sobbing into his chest.
That plea broke Marcus’s heart.
“What? What’s going on?” Marcus asked, holding Gavin tight while looking over at his brother.
Ace held up Gavin’s phone so he could read the message on the screen.
Rage suddenly flooded Marcus’s system.
The fucker was here. Watching Gavin. Right under their very noses.
Running his hand over the back of Gavin’s head, Marcus tried to comfort him.
“Shhh, it’s alright, Gav. I got you now. You’re safe here, with us.” Marcus looked over at Ace, who was already on his phone, calling Blade and the rest of the crew. Ace walked into the kitchen so Gavin wouldn’t overhear what he was saying on the phone.
“You trust me, right, Gav?” Marcus asked, holding his breath as he waited for an answer.
Gavin nodded into his chest as he clung to him with a strength Marcus had never felt before.
“And you know, I would rather die than let anything bad ever happen to you?”
Gavin nodded once again without lifting his face.
Marcus caught Lucas looking over at him, taking note of the pledge he was making to the man he held in his arms.
“I need you to trust me and know that you are safe here in this house. The guys and I will be right here with you at all times. We won’t let this bastard anywhere near you.” Marcus hoped that at least some of his words would get through to the terrified boy, help comfort him, and reassure him that everything was going to be okay.
Sniffling, Gavin nodded his head once again.
“Thank you, Marcus. You always make me feel safe when I’m around you.”
Relief set in knowing that he was getting through to the boy. He held him close, caressing the back of Gavin’s head as he watched Ace walk back into the room.
“Blade and the others are on their way over,” Ace explained.
“Good. Call Alexis and Jake and tell them what’s going on. I want all Vipers on alert. I want their eyes and ears open. I want to know if there are any new guys here in this town, and if there are, where are they staying? This here is top priority. I want this fucker found, and I want him found now,” Marcus growled, feeling the beast inside him stir.
Someone had stepped into his town and threatened the people he loved. Gavin, Ace, Lucas, Blade, and all the members of the Shadow Vipers were under his protection. A threat to one was a threat to them all.
This would not stand, and an example needed to be made of this so-called serial killer.
If it was a fight this guy wanted, it was a fight he was going to get.
He might be kind and loving to those he cared about—or so he was told—but he was also mean and ruthless when it came to protecting those he loved. Just asked anyone who’d betrayed him… if you could find their body, or any part of them that still functioned.
It was time for the Shadow Vipers to go hunting.
An hour later, the house was filled with all of Marcus’s brothers and sisters. Every space of the living room and kitchen was taken over by one member or another.
Marcus was glad they were all here. He wanted to get everyone up to speed and make sure everyone was safe.
“Okay, I think we’re all here,” Marcus began, glancing around the room to be sure that all of his crew was present. “As many of you know, we’ve been protecting Gavin for the past several weeks. What some of you might not know is that we have been protecting Gavin from a serial killer.”
There were a few gasps as some crew members discovered the true nature of the duty they were performing. Most knew they were protecting Gavin from someone, but they didn’t know the details exactly.
